The whole 'x100 flash is a must have' thing is overblown

I keep seeing people in here saying you need the Fuji x100 or a flash for street shots at night. But I've been shooting with my old Canon AE-1 Program and a 50mm f/1.4 lens for about 6 months now, pushing Tri-X to 1600, and I get plenty sharp shots in dim light without any flash. The grain adds character and people don't even notice me. Am I missing something, or do people just like the look of harsh flash over natural street light?

2 comments

2 Comments

umaprice1mo ago

Huh, guess some people just really want to look like a washed out crime scene photo.

kevin_bailey1mo ago

Huh, you actually made me rethink this. Went into this post ready to defend the x100 flash look but your point about pushing Tri-X to 1600 is solid. Never tried it myself, always figured you'd lose too much shadow detail but that grain you're talking about sounds like it adds something digital just can't copy. The whole washed out crime scene thing umaprice mentioned is kind of funny but also true for a lot of those flash shots I see online. Maybe I'll dust off my old Pentax and give the high ISO film a real shot before I buy into the hype.