Shooting with Single Focal Length Camera (not Fuji camera)

Rumors of Fuji is going to debut an affordable X-100 work-a-like camera (read those threads in Fuji SLR and X-100 Forum) really made me existed, for I have been long to own a digital version of Fujifilm Klasses or Natura Black f1.9, but the closest I can get is a Fujifilm DL Super Mini Zoom.

Several months ago, I tried taking my E-P1 + Pentax CCTV 25mm f1.4 lens out for the whole day, I tried to shoot with this camera combo only, trying to simulate what if I own a X-100 or cheaper digital version Klasses (slower lens).

My Pentax cctv lens gives me an 135 effective focal length of 50mm, not as wide as the X-100's 35mm.

The cctv lens's image can not cover all the sensor. Producing vignetting and blurry corners which I like but certainly not for every photographic subject. I saw some pictures captured with Fuji's cctv 25mm lens produced less vignetting and blurry corners.









An old beer advertisement poster inside a Korean restaurant.





Very shallow DOF









I found a single focal length lens may limit the pictures I wanted to take, but then the light weight of camera allowed me to spend time shooting and composing.

I could take adaptors and lenses with me to cover shooting from 10mm to 600mm, several fast prime lenses but I would for sure not enjoying my photographic stroll.

Just before dinner, I took my Pentax K100D Super + Vivitar 70-150mm manual focus lens (with constant f3.8) aperture out, along with my E-P1.

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Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

Weather was very bad, not much luck with the DSLR + tele zoom combo.

Double click for largest size viewing.

Then I found a dance competition was about to start, I saw many young people preparing for the competition. The fast f1.4 aperture was perfectly fitted for shooting the preparation and competition.





















The prizes





The competition was about to start 15minutes later, so I took the chance to take some low light pictures of the garden.









While I was taking this picture, I came across a young man taking pictures at the same site with a high end Nikon film SLR and expensive tripod. I told him, if he had a digital camera, he could go to the dancing competition to take some action pictures, to my surprise, he told me he did not have any digtial camera.

















Reminds me of some old Macintosh persponal computer





--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

Before returning to home

I came across these talented people, enjoying themselves. I think the instrument performer and singers audience were immigrate from Mainland China.









































Yugoslavia folk song 'Deep Deep Ocean' with Chinese lyric

Mongolian folk song













Another group of people enjoying themselves in cold winter night.

The singer was very good and exciting. Directing the instrument players. He was singing a South Chinese opera blue song - 'Bells from Zen Temple', a song of a love sicked monk singing in the night inside a zen temple inside the deep forest.

It is a very famous Cantonese blue song. My younger son picked it up while I played it on CD. One night before going to sleep, while he was drinking his milk, he sing the same song. A funny and scary scene. He was only about 7 years ago. Imaging your 7 years old singing 'Summer Kisses, winter tears' while drinking his night milk.









--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

I was near the stage but the 50mm focal length had limited my shooting. I tried using the Pentax K100D Super + Vivitar 70-150mm f3.8, but it was difficult to focus via the OVF, the Pentax K100D Super has a dim viewfinder (cheap mirror prism design), shots were not perfectly focused.





It was really amazing to see very young kids joining the competition.









Introducing the talented Gary and Henry.

They are both born entertainers. They were about to perform a dance of 'Crazy Professor vs Future Warrior'.

One of the funniest scene was Crazy Professor did a somersault and pointed his finger toward the audience, I laughed my tears out, I remember seeing similar scene before in some movie, but he did it with great fun.









Thank you to the following performers for the enjoyment and entertainment they bought to me and other audience













I guess I can live with a fixed focal length Fujifilm camera. I wish the X-200 is real or may be I simply get a second hand x-100 at the end of this year or early next year.

--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

Hi Danny,

These are very interesting. I had no idea that cctv lenses could be attached on a hand-camera.

In looking at the range of your pictures, it seems like there was enough flexibility to shoot widely. -- There's no sense of restriction or limitation by having just the one focal length.

In the Part I dancing competition shots, could you mention the reasons for having -1.3 EV? Would you be doing that with other camera/lens combo also, for the same pictures?

Also, there is quite some changes in white balance in the various places. Could you mention about that, too?

I think that was a good experiment, something I'd like to try, too. We don't have such good opportunities for night shooting here in a small town, but then every place has its own possibilities, and there are always enough choices.

BTW, I just started using my F200EXR. Your suggestions and tips have been of great help, making the familiarization faster -- more fun and less work. Thanks!
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Zin

Hi Danny,

Noticed this thread just now. I have not been visiting the forum for quite some time. It seems that you are having a lot of fun with your ep1 and capturing some interesting scenes here. Unlike you, I do not have the luxury (or maybe actually euthusiasm) to go out searching for interesting place/people/scene. I use my camera(s) mainly for family events and capturing the kids activities. I think the x100 is almost my dream camera and in actual fact I think it performs well for my purpose. I have just posted some images in x100 talk forum if you are interested.

cheers

YW

ywl said:

Noticed this thread just now. I have not been visiting the forum for quite some time. It seems that you are having a lot of fun with your ep1 and capturing some interesting scenes here. Unlike you, I do not have the luxury (or maybe actually euthusiasm) to go out searching for interesting place/people/scene. I use my camera(s) mainly for family events and capturing the kids activities. I think the x100 is almost my dream camera and in actual fact I think it performs well for my purpose. I have just posted some images in x100 talk forum if you are interested.

Click to expand...

The EP-1 for sure is fun, more fun if I have a X-100

I guess I am not as busy as you and Hugo, but then taking pictures (PPing pictures to be exact) is not the top priority in daily life. I still take a lot of pictures, but most are around areas I visited almost everyday. When I have the chance to go out with my family, I will make use of the opportunity to take more pictures. For example, some pictures I took while going to see the electronic art of 'River of Wisdom'.

Yes, I have seen the X-100 pictures you posted recently, but I was at work, I will visit that thread again and make comments.

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Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

Hi Danny,

Looks like you having great fun with yours cameras (film or digital). Some times I did miss my EP1. I'm still waiting to play with one X100, but no luck yet.
Regards.

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nico

agf said:

Hi Danny,

Looks like you having great fun with yours cameras (film or digital). Some times I did miss my EP1. I'm still waiting to play with one X100, but no luck yet.
Regards.

Click to expand...

I suggest you wait for a while, sooner or later, some companies will debut miniature M4/3 system, the EPX and other M4/3 cameras are nice cameras, but they can be much smaller. Yes, I can put my E-P1 + CCTV 25mm f1.4 lens combo into my winter jacket pocket, but if it can be made in smaller form factor than the X-100, I will be happy to buy my second m4/3 camera (at the expenses of high iso performance). Pocketability is important to me.

I wish soon Fuji will debut a smaller than X-100 compact with fast lens.

If you want to play with a X-100. Come to HK, buy Hugo a buffet dinner, you can play with his X-100 for at least 2 hours while he is enjoying the dinner. Last time I only bought him an afternoon tea meal, played for about 10 minutes only Seriously, you pre-order yet?

I have too cameras to play with lately, I felt embrassed and stopped counting after counting past 20. Latest favorites are Fujifilm DL Super Mini Zoom and Ricoh GR1s (a gift from a friend), both cameras have great lenses.

--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

captured with the same E-P1 + cctv lens combo







1

captured with F200







200





--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

Zindanfel said:

These are very interesting. I had no idea that cctv lenses could be attached on a hand-camera.

Click to expand...

People have been attaching weird lenses to m4/3 cameras and other mirrorless cameras. Apart from CCTV lenses, I also attached Pentax AUTO 110 - world smallest SLR lenses to my E-P1 (too embrassed to admit that I bought my E-P1 solely for uses of those lenses and I seldom use my E-P1 kit lens).

Some very rich people attaching expensive movie lenses to m4/3 cameras and other mirrorless cameras (price of X-100 is peanut in some of their eyes )

Zindanfel said:

In looking at the range of your pictures, it seems like there was enough flexibility to shoot widely. -- There's no sense of restriction or limitation by having just the one focal length.

Click to expand...

For me, carrying too many lenses will kill the mood of shooting. I don't find using 1 focal length lens too limiting. Yes, I may lose some opportunity, but changing lenses and exhausting (after 2 to 3 hours walking) also will also make me lost shooting opportunity. There are so many things or opportunities which we have lost in our live (such as not able to marry the first true love, second true love, third true love, ....etc At the end of the day, we will still think who is really the true love. Be content, the one we married is the best we can get )

Zindanfel said:

In the Part I dancing competition shots, could you mention the reasons for having -1.3 EV? Would you be doing that with other camera/lens combo also, for the same pictures?

Click to expand...

I usually shot with Aperture Priority mode and multi-matrix meter when using the E-P1. Instead of spot metering, I use exposure bias to get the right exposure for the main subjects I wanted to capture. So I use -1.3 ev in most cases here. However, in some cases here, I should have used -1ev or less, the overall scenes are actually slightly darker than actual scenes.

With F200 which has great DR, setting aggressive bias than usual will not cause too much problem (when shooting at night with multi-light sources), I normally use multi_matrix metering too, so yes, I will use aggressive exposure bias when using my F200 or other cameras.

On the other hand, sometimes when shooting low light scenes, I will be forced to use some -ev bias, because I want to increase the shutter speed to avoid camera shake and hopefully freeze some people movement, but I never intend to freeze every sujects movements in my night pictures, it is just not possible and too me, motion blurs are acceptable in night pictures, more natural to me. I normally try to use the widest aperture and highest available shutter speed at night, but I also wait for the right moment to avoid excessive motion blurs, including my camera shakes.

Zindanfel said:

Also, there is quite some changes in white balance in the various places. Could you mention about that, too?

Click to expand...

Multi-light sources I guess.

Zindanfel said:

I think that was a good experiment, something I'd like to try, too. We don't have such good opportunities for night shooting here in a small town, but then every place has its own possibilities, and there are always enough choices.

Click to expand...

Yes, I would like to shot in small town too. For example, shooting the inside of a small cafe or bar without too many people. Just not easy to find scene like this here.

Zindanfel said:

BTW, I just started using my F200EXR. Your suggestions and tips have been of great help, making the familiarization faster -- more fun and less work. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Look forward seeing your F200 post here.

--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

danny_only said:

I suggest you wait for a while, sooner or later, some companies will debut miniature M4/3 system, the EPX and other M4/3 cameras are nice cameras, but they can be much smaller. Yes, I can put my E-P1 + CCTV 25mm f1.4 lens combo into my winter jacket pocket, but if it can be made in smaller form factor than the X-100, I will be happy to buy my second m4/3 camera (at the expenses of high iso performance). Pocketability is important to me.

I wish soon Fuji will debut a smaller than X-100 compact with fast lens.

If you want to play with a X-100. Come to HK, buy Hugo a buffet dinner, you can play with his X-100 for at least 2 hours while he is enjoying the dinner. Last time I only bought him an afternoon tea meal, played for about 10 minutes only Seriously, you pre-order yet?

I have too cameras to play with lately, I felt embrassed and stopped counting after counting past 20. Latest favorites are Fujifilm DL Super Mini Zoom and Ricoh GR1s (a gift from a friend), both cameras have great lenses.

Click to expand...

I did not pre-order the X100, will wait to see what hapen, I'm not in the hurry this time. Meantime I'm playing with the Samsung NX100. witch I bought with the 20mm pancake + Flash for very good price IMO. Now I just wish they had the 30mm pancake too but is not avaiable now.

BR,
nico

The purchase of a Oct 2004 expired Konica Wai Wai is perhaps my second best investment in my lenses/cameras buying addicts, right after the 35mm f1.7 Fujian cctv lens.

I made 27 exposures from this disposable camera.





Reloaded a roll of Kodak ASA200 film in it, made 20 more pictures I like from the Konica Wai Wai with stunning 17mm lens.

When I tried to reload a roll of Fujifilm into the Wai Wai, I couldn't advanced the film when I put adhesive around the Wai Wai, after a few tries I gave up. The Wai Wai was certified dead.

I took the lens out and attached it to a C-mount to m4/3 adaptor. Got this picture, not too good, some haze. The film pictures captured with this lens were better, could be the lens was designed to project image onto a curverd film box and/or I was too lazy to clean debris from the lens assemble after I sand down the assemble to achieve infinety focus, I tried to wash the debris away, water caught between the 2 lens elements and I had to remove it to dry the lens elements.





First I thought of using a cheap US$2 body cap to mount the Konica lens.









The paper lens hood/barrel is a must use to avoid light leaks





I will try to adjust the focus and clean the lens assmble again tomorrow, hopefully, I can get better result. It is now my fixed focal length about 32mm (I compared with my F30), pan focus lens. If it is sharp, then it is my first home made street snap shot special lens.

agf said:

I did not pre-order the X100, will wait to see what hapen, I'm not in the hurry this time. Meantime I'm playing with the Samsung NX100. witch I bought with the 20mm pancake + Flash for very good price IMO. Now I just wish they had the 30mm pancake too but is not avaiable now.

Click to expand...

Must be great fun. Could you post some pictures here?

--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

You are a genius. Hahaha! What a great way to play with cameras/lens. You always have some great ideas.
Pictures from NX100? Not many:
http://www.pbase.com/agostinho/samsungnx100
Regards

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nico

agf said:

You are a genius. Hahaha! What a great way to play with cameras/lens. You always have some great ideas.
Pictures from NX100? Not many:
http://www.pbase.com/agostinho/samsungnx100

Click to expand...

Can't afford the X-100 now, so need some ways to killl time and try to forget about the X-100. I hope Fuji can debut a fast lens affordable compact like the XZ-1 or a digital version of Fujifilm Klasse.

Just viewed all your Samsung pictures. Excellent pictures as usual, the NX100 is better than I thought. It was selling at HK$2,980 (around US$375. Several days ago, price up to hk$3,1??, still great bargain) this Chinese New Year, came with flash and kit zoom, with official dealer warranty. How much you paid for this combo.

I think there is a 30mm f2 Samsung lens coming. Good luck.

I spent about an hour to check the Wai Wai lens assemble again. I think I find the problem. I should not wash it and remove the lens assemble, lens elements are now loose. May affect IQ. Anyway, just some cheap way to forget about the X-100.

--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

I like this series very very much. As usual you are showing a lot of creativity and your artistic abilities. I always enjoy your photos. Thanks for sharing these images.

Hope all is well with You and please do not work all the time.

My best, Gary N W SFO

Hi Danny,

To me it looks like a master piece of art craft. You make me feel shameful in spending all the money in buying camera one after another. It must be a great satisfaction accomplishing such a lens assemble which actually works without spending a big fortune! You have my highest respect!

ywl said:

To me it looks like a master piece of art craft. You make me feel shameful in spending all the money in buying camera one after another.

Click to expand...

Please don't, for you are not alone.

After the purchase of my first F200exr...

I have bought an E-P1 + kit zoom + 3 K to M4/3 adaptors + 1 Pentax Auto 110 to m4/3 adaptor
F300exr (for my son)
Another F200exr (I gave the first one to my sister-in-law)
Takumar 35mm f3.5
Takumar 28mm f3.5
Fujinon 135mm f3.5
Helios 58mm f2
Fujian 35mm f1.7 cctv lens
Pentax 25mm f1.4 cctv lens
Vivitar 70mm-150mm f3.8 + 2x convertor
2 m42 to K mount adaptors
2 Pentax Auto 110 SLR bodies + 3 lenses
Pentax ME Super
Pentax MZ-6
Yashica- D
Pentax Espio 24ew
Halina 6-4
Halina 3000
Halina Paulette Electric
Minolta Hi-Matic 7S
Olympus XA3 (given to my niece)
QingDao 6
Konica Wai Wai
Gakkenflex
Fujifilm DL Super Mini Zoom

Hope you feel better now

I tried to give away some gear to ease my guilt, but friends and relatives kept giving me their cameras. The latest one I recieved is a Ricoh GR1s completed with box, an ultra sharp lens, if it broke, I will try to convert it to use with my E-P1.

ywl said:

It must be a great satisfaction accomplishing such a lens assemble which actually works without spending a big fortune!

Click to expand...

It was fun because I don't even have to use my electronic drill, easily made with adhesive tape and sand paper. The Konica Wai Wai was the best US$15 I ever spent

--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

Gary N W said:

I like this series very very much. As usual you are showing a lot of creativity and your artistic abilities. I always enjoy your photos. Thanks for sharing these images.

Click to expand...

I really you like these pictures.

--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'

Click twice for maximum size display.









Not too bad for a pan focus plastic lens, I guess.

--
Best Regards,

Danny

'Close enough is good enough, I just come here for fun

Fujifilm Alternate Low Light Solution'