Nighttime Uptown Photowalk: Fuji X-Pro 2 and the Fuji 16mm f/1.4

Wide angles for low light are criminally underrated. Here’s why.

I’ve written about this before, but wide angle lenses have the magical ability to reduce camera shake at lower shutter speeds without any sort of stabilization, solely by virtue of their focal length.

In low light, this means the difference between ISO 3200, 6400, or 12800 ISO – which can be make or break your final result.

Even better than just a wide angle lens is a fast wide angle lens. Not easy to find, and typically not too affordable. That’s why I keep my Fuji 16mm f/1.4 glued to the front of my Fuji X-Pro 2 – it works for night photography, fashion photography, video work, and just about anything else you need.

Below you’ll find the Fuji X-Pro 2 pushed to 1/30 and ISO 12800. If you ask me, the noise melted in to the digital grain I applied wonderfully – check out that color integrity in the sky!

I was only out for 15 minutes, got 3 photos I ended up liking, and frankly I don’t think I pushed myself very hard.

But as a photographer who’s current pursuit is to master low light and wide, street imagery, I’m glad I grabbed my camera on my walk to get dinner.