FP as a viable low-light body for old MF Nikon and Leica lenses

Wondering if it's a reasonable move to get an FP to mount my old F and M lenses on for very low light shooting of bands in a bar. I do this now using film mostly with an F2as and 50 f1.4, and sometimes M cameras. With a music festival coming up, a digital alternative would be good. I don't need AF or IBIS, just want to enjoy the look of old lenses but with the convenience of digital.

I'm interested in anyone doing similar stuff WITH the hood only. I'm blown away by my friend's Leica SL as a similar platform, but it's so heavy and still 50-75% more than an FP on the used market.

Of course a Z6 is the "sensible" option but the FP somehow appeals with its quirkiness.

I can't find any retailer here with a hood to look at let alone buy, hence my query.

Assuming that by "hood" you mean the loupe, mine is in the mail so I can report on it in a few days.

My Nikon AI lenses work well on the fp. Here's a test shot with the classic 105mm f/2.5, the same lens that I used to shoot bands with in the 1980s.





Note the ISO number.

Yes that's exactly my meaning. Thanks for the amazing low light image.
I got my F2 in 1979 and shot bands thereafter all through university, and then took it up again a couple of years ago and love the look wide open of the 50 1.4 and 85 f1.8 that I use. I tried with my Leica Ms but can't nail the focus anywhere near as well as with the f2 and the lenses are too clean. Please do follow up with how you get on with the loupe/hood.

Overall are you happy with the camera?

I use FP with M lenses. I found I need at least 1/100 sec min shutter to shoot due to no evf and IBIS. Nikon Z might be a better option as you said.

Avenon 28mm 3.5 ltm at f8



View: original size

Leica 40mm f/2.4 adapted to M mount



View: original size

Contax g 45mm adapted to M mount



View: original size



View: original size



View: original size



View: original size

Leica 50mm 2.5 at f8



View: original size



View: original size

Leica 50mm 1.4 asph



View: original size

Leica 90mm 2.5



View: original size

CV 125mm 2.5 macro adapted to M mount



View: original size

More fp shots from Juha with M lenses:

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1633515/1#15143770

One thing that might be a problem is banding from LED lights. The fp has only the electronic shutter, and some LEDs flicker badly.

The mains here is 50Hz, and I found that with the worst lamps only shutter times of 1/50 and 1/100 were usable. If you are on 60Hz that would be 1/60 and 1/125.

But not all LEDs are that bad -- some are flicker free. And the band may not be using LEDs.

According to the Sigma web page:

"Flicker-free shooting The SIGMA fp detects and controls image flickering, a phenomenon that can occur when shooting with artificial light sources."

Maybe this is one of the features to be added in the version 2 firmware. No mention of it in the manual.

Steve Huff wrote an article and video that should help you with this question.

gassedout said:

Wondering if it's a reasonable move to get an FP to mount my old F and M lenses on for very low light shooting of bands in a bar. I do this now using film mostly with an F2as and 50 f1.4, and sometimes M cameras. With a music festival coming up, a digital alternative would be good. I don't need AF or IBIS, just want to enjoy the look of old lenses but with the convenience of digital.
I'm interested in anyone doing similar stuff WITH the hood only. I'm blown away by my friend's Leica SL as a similar platform, but it's so heavy and still 50-75% more than an FP on the used market.
Of course a Z6 is the "sensible" option but the FP somehow appeals with its quirkiness.
I can't find any retailer here with a hood to look at let alone buy, hence my query.

Click to expand...

It's unclear whether you're taking the photos because you want the result (i.e. the look of older lenses) or because you fancy the challenge of using a 'quirky' FP.

If you want to be (more) certain of the result, perhaps to show the images to people at the festival and certainly if you wanted to sell them (i.e. to be professional), I doubt whether many would admire something rather less acceptable simply because you wanted to make things a bit less certain.

Given the low levels of light necessitating wide apertures and / or slow shutter speeds, you'll simple be making life more difficult than it needs to be by shooting at arms length on the FP - it's doubtful whether you'd be able to focus as quickly or as accurately as you would through a viewfinder, and using the latter means you increase stability by having a third point of contact.

Beautiful images, thank you.

With the hood/loupe, it's effectively a giant EVF and no less stable than any other camera held to the face, I assume

Thanks. Luckily it's old-school lighting where I shoot

Thanks, that's what made me ask if others were as enamoured of the combination as he. The fact that he prefers it to both SL and S1 is amazing.

richgb said:

gassedout said:

Wondering if it's a reasonable move to get an FP to mount my old F and M lenses on for very low light shooting of bands in a bar. I do this now using film mostly with an F2as and 50 f1.4, and sometimes M cameras. With a music festival coming up, a digital alternative would be good. I don't need AF or IBIS, just want to enjoy the look of old lenses but with the convenience of digital.
I'm interested in anyone doing similar stuff WITH the hood only. I'm blown away by my friend's Leica SL as a similar platform, but it's so heavy and still 50-75% more than an FP on the used market.
Of course a Z6 is the "sensible" option but the FP somehow appeals with its quirkiness.
I can't find any retailer here with a hood to look at let alone buy, hence my query.

Click to expand...

It's unclear whether you're taking the photos because you want the result (i.e. the look of older lenses) or because you fancy the challenge of using a 'quirky' FP.

If you want to be (more) certain of the result, perhaps to show the images to people at the festival and certainly if you wanted to sell them (i.e. to be professional), I doubt whether many would admire something rather less acceptable simply because you wanted to make things a bit less certain.

Given the low levels of light necessitating wide apertures and / or slow shutter speeds, you'll simple be making life more difficult than it needs to be by shooting at arms length on the FP - it's doubtful whether you'd be able to focus as quickly or as accurately as you would through a viewfinder, and using the latter means you increase stability by having a third point of contact.

Click to expand...

Yes I want to keep the look of old lenses that I use with HP5 @3200. It's solely for my pleasure and not professional work. Absolutely I agree I shouldn't make it difficult just for the sake of it but from the Huff review it appears it may be a superb option. I normally shoot film at 3200el; if this camera can shoot happily at 2-3 stops higher then it gives me a lot of shutter and aperture flexibility, so again, lack of IBIS is not something that should be a problem.


As I said in the question, I want to use it with the hood/loupe and thus the instability of arms length shooting does not apply.

Thanks. I don't use the hood/loop. My shots were handheld with the lcd. However I found an alternative way by using older Samsung 24mm/Sigma dp2 vf on top of camera with adhesive flash shoe:

https://www.amazon.com/Impact-Adhesive-Backed-Accessory-Shoe-2-Pack/dp/B006TZ8PQG

It is not aligned perfectly due to the camera button and the size difference due to older Sigma dp2, but it is close enough and much portable...

gassedout said:

Beautiful images, thank you.
With the hood/loupe, it's effectively a giant EVF and no less stable than any other camera held to the face, I assume

Click to expand...

Serhan2 said:

Thanks. I don't use the hood/loop. My shots were handheld with the lcd. However I found an alternative way by using older Samsung 24mm/Sigma dp2 vf on top of camera with adhesive flash shoe:

https://www.amazon.com/Impact-Adhesive-Backed-Accessory-Shoe-2-Pack/dp/B006TZ8PQG

It is not aligned perfectly due to the camera button and the size difference due to older Sigma dp2, but it is close enough and much portable...

gassedout said:

Beautiful images, thank you.
With the hood/loupe, it's effectively a giant EVF and no less stable than any other camera held to the face, I assume

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Interesting, thanks. However for critical focus with MF lenses this isn't going to be for me. I can see it useful for street or candid at f8 of course

Your shots are excellent, sharp, and wonderful processed!

BostonBoy said:

Your shots are excellent, sharp, and wonderful processed!

Click to expand...

Thank you very much! I need to add you to my Christmas gift list! LOL

flbdig said:

BostonBoy said:

Your shots are excellent, sharp, and wonderful processed!

Click to expand...

Thank you very much! I need to add you to my Christmas gift list!

Click to expand...

This post was written in mistake. Sorry.

Thanj you very much.

BostonBoy said:

Your shots are excellent, sharp, and wonderful processed!

Click to expand...

My loupe was delivered yesterday. I've only had time for a couple of quick tests, but it's quite simple.

It does add bulk and a little weight, so the camera is no longer a pocket marvel, but more like a medium format film camera to handle. Perfectly OK once you get used to it (which took me about ten minutes.)

The loupe is held in place by a tripod screw, which has a coin slot, so it can be removed and replaced quite quickly. For instance, if you are using a copy stand for close work, the bare LCD may be more convenient.

The view is by a very long way the best I've seen on any camera. I guess I've used at least 50 different cameras over the years. Probably the best view in an SLR was from the Olympus OM1, although the Nikon F3 is nearly as good. (I still have one of each of these.) This Sigma loupe gives a very much better view than the OM1 -- in a different league entirely.

The peaking works very well and with a manual-focus lens (I was testing with the Nikkor 105mm) you can often focus at shooting aperture, without having to open up a couple of stops. I don't yet have an auto-focus lens for L mount, but no doubt it is even better than manual.

And the loupe doesn't use any extra battery power.

++++++++++++++++++++

The LCD brightness can be set up in the menu, and will probably need a bit of trial and error to find the best setting for manual lenses.

+++++++++++++++++++

A quick hand held snap with a 40 year old lens (the 105mm f/2.5). The DNG file was quickly converted in Adobe Camera Raw -- of course the camera can also put out JPGs.

This is a straight B&W conversion from the high ISO shot that I posted a couple of days ago. I think it does look quite like pushed 35mm HP5.





And here's real HP5, shot around 1977.

Thank you. Certainly worth considering