So, recently I made the upgrade from my loved Fuji X-Pro1, my mind told me the jump from the X-Pro to X-T1 wouldn't be that big... wrong it is. So with that in mind I was curious to see how the low light would work in the real world. Luckily I found the right event to see its game. Slum Village making a stop in Birmingham at the Hare and Hounds to show love and play a bit. If not aware Slum Village have been around for 15 years and are hip hop gold from Detroit founded by the late great J Dilla they have a mainstay. On hand to support old friends and cohorts A Few Good Men who I don't think I had seen for 10 years!!!
"you heard Tribe have split up?!" I still remember who and when told me my favourite group of all time had split up, A Tribe Called Quest had gone no more... rows, bust up's and time had done for them what had happened to many great groups. The void was there and big, hip hop was changing more glam more glitz. Tribe filled the void along with De La Soul but what next who and from where? the answer came from within, see Tribe had been using the studio skills of a guy from Detroit. The late and great J Dilla aka Jay Dee he was key to the last Tribe Called Quest albums but beyond he had produced for Common, Busta Rhymes even Janet Jackson, but he also had a group Slum Village containing Dilla, T-3 and Bataain and in 2000 the void was filled. They put out an album Fantastic Vol 2, in 2000 which to this day in hip hop is regarded as a classic, myth surrounds it from bootlegs to delays release. I could write so much about Slum as a fan but, those who know don't need the history and for the rest of you search the web, there are better that can tell the story than me it's worth it to find out how influential they became. For me to have a few images of a group who have two songs, Fall in Love and Thelonious in my 20 of all time and one of my most treasured albums of all time was a thing for sure.
As for the Fuji 35mm 1.4 standard issue glass, ISO up, up, up too 2500 no higher than 2.8 on the aperture and away we go. No you will never get the cleanest image but workable and fitting of environment. Thoughts it's light years on the X-Pro1 speed is one big difference faster more consistent. Big notice was in the EVF this new X-T1 kills the old camera hands down serious detail under these condtions. Now, the depths of Kings Heath Birmingham at 1.30am isn't the best place to try and edit upload and deliver, but the Fuji APP works a treat. Shoot, export via the network set up between iPhone and Camera and an edit in VSCOCAM and its good to go. Slum came went ,I caught up with old friends reminisced about the old and new. The Fuji delivered big time and for that I'm happy.
www.fujiflim.com
http://www.slumvillage.com