I think most of Weegee's subjects were dead weren't they? Might make all the difference...
As soon as you raise a camera to your eye its possible to get noticed regardless what kind of camera it is. Cameras a camera. But I think an SLR does shout - "Your PICTURES being taken..."
I tell you what though, people notice old classic cameras more becasue of all the shiny chrome - its just not common anymore.
I reckon a quiet camera does make a difference though. Little near silent Minolta Himatic E doesnt upset the wildlife, but everyone knows when an SLR goes CLACK - CLACK.
My old Contax isnt particularly quiet though to be honest.
Basically it all comes down to how you are acting, your body language. If you act like your wary and uncertain, like your doing something you shouldnt - then people will notice you and say, why is that guy acting like hes doing something he shouldn't with a camera...and why is he staring at me...
I used to have a black Nikon F and did quite well on the street anyway....
Yep. That Nikon F I had. I tell you something, it had cloth shutter on it. Apparently only the first hundred of them made had a cloth shutter. AND it was honest to god factory black - owned all its life by a hospital that I bought it off - no records at all of a first production cloth shuttered BLACK Nikon F.....
