DSLR less obvious than Rangefinder these days?

Dennis Van Patten...

Dennis Van Patten...

Hey Dennis,

How about this... you and I meet at this nearby bar (or basketball court) in your neighborhood for a photographic romp ?

You're gonna love me.

George
 
If you don't want to be noticed, don't look like a suspect. Act like you are 100% there for something, and be confident. It's all in how you act and come across.
 
gavinlg said:
If you don't want to be noticed, don't look like a suspect. Act like you are 100% there for something, and be confident. It's all in how you act and come across.
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That works well enough until you stop to change rolls. People look at you (well, they look at me) as if you're using some alien technology just landed from outer space (or, in my case: why is that old b*ugger too stupid to use modern technology?).

...Mike
 
Went to a gallery show 2 nights ago.The photographer that had the opening was walking around with his classic, outstanding , mint, superior leica... no one took any notice!!!:mad:
I guess the majority of people would not recognise a leica form a ....well? another camera i guess.
The photographs were mostly very good though.
 
dondecastro said:
With so much DSLRS everywhere my rangefinder looks different enough for people to notice me instead of the guy pointing their dslr at them.
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This has been the case for the past several years (rangefinders looking "different enough"), at least in my experience. In fact, compacts are becoming so common that the bulky dSLRs stand out more than they used to, say, two or three years ago.
 
gavinlg said:
If you don't want to be noticed, don't look like a suspect. Act like you are 100% there for something, and be confident. It's all in how you act and come across.
Click to expand...


Interesting you should note that, because a few days ago I went out with a set of gear that is very atypical for me: camera backpack + tripod. I was trying out a new gadget for timelapse photography: I set my Canon 50D, with receiver on top, on a tripod. I stood next to it for several minutes. People of course saw me and what I was doing, but generally tried to get out of the way. I'm sure they thought I was shooting video; I have noticed that people are far more permissive of bulky video cameras than photo cameras in general. I believe the perception of being on assignment make people "not care" about what/who you're photographing (or rather, recording).
 
I have found the only camera I've used which really attracts attention was my Rolleiflex. Even a Fotoman 69 passes for a DSLR to the untrained eye. The Rolleiflex seemed to have the same result as taking off my clothes in terms of the number of gawps it got.
 
mfunnell said:
That works well enough until you stop to change rolls. People look at you (well, they look at me) as if you're using some alien technology just landed from outer space (or, in my case: why is that old b*ugger too stupid to use modern technology?).

...Mike
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I'm not sure how old you are, but me as a 25 year old that looks like a 20 year old, I suspect people assume me to be some hipster trending with his 2$ junk store camera.

I suppose it could go either way haha.
 
I am just back from vacation. EVERYONE out there had a camera or iphone; if you were making pictures, you were one of thousands and attracted no attention.

I had a consumer size DSLR and a P&S. The only attention-getting characteristic was the load, annoying shutter click of the DSLR. Indoors it sounded very bad.

Saw some vacationers carrying their full frame DSLRs with huge lenses . . . looked silly to me for vacation snaps.
 
Between them, Crispy12, Small cameras are less threatening and gavinlg, If you don't want to be noticed, don't look like a suspect sum it up pretty well. I really don't believe that non-photographers pay much attention to what sort of camera anyone is using, but photographers may well notice that you're using a Leica. Or an Alpa. Or anything rare or distinctive, though not necessarily expensive. All DSLRs look pretty much alike, and you need to be a terminal nerd/obsessive to tell one half-melted plastic ashtray from the next.

Cheers,

R.
 
Let's put a new Leica M + R Telelens and a Canon 5D + normal prime lens on a table. It's obvious what's more bulky but I bet the majority here still calls the DSLR bulky because the M has the stealth gene built right into it. :)

The least obvious cameras today are PS or phone cameras.
 
tom.w.bn said:
Let's put a new Leica M + R Telelens and a Canon 5D + normal prime lens on a table. It's obvious what's more bulky but I bet the majority here still calls the DSLR bulky because the M has the stealth gene built right into it. :)

The least obvious cameras today are PS or phone cameras.
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No, I think the reason most people call DSLRs bulky is because the vast majority of them are bulky. Never mind Leicas: compare them with film SLRs before about 1990.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
No, I think the reason most people call DSLRs bulky is because the vast majority of them are bulky. Never mind Leicas: compare them with film SLRs before about 1990.

Cheers,

R.
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It's a matter of taste. I like the newer SLRs (>1990) because they have that nice built in handgrip. For me a big usability plus.
 
Here in Bangkok, Leica seems to be very recognizable. I keep on hearing people around me saying: "look he's got an M9!", "Oh! Leica!", "is that an M9?"... etc. This is quite annoying to be honest, I don't like this kind of attention.
 
As an owner of RF's, old Slr's and a DSLR., I find that a big fat lens will create attention. keep it small.
 
i hate when folks say "Is that a digital Leica?" "I had one of those, oh like ,50 years ago.." "What do you want for your M6TTL with Collapsible Summicron?"(guy on subway 4 rows in front! :>(. ) The Leica stays home for a few weeks..
The way to be invisible, dress like everybody else or as little as everybody else..blend in, act correctly, feel you ought to be there. Using a Leica, one is so fast! My P/S allow me to get really close. SLR attract attention! Don't use a Rolleiflex unless you want l o n g chats with old codgers like myself..
i have done street photography,for a very long time, even my photo pals want a leash and collar for me, as i "disappear" before their very eyes.
 
gavinlg said:
If you don't want to be noticed, don't look like a suspect. Act like you are 100% there for something, and be confident. It's all in how you act and come across.
Click to expand...

You should be there 100% for something and the confidence must be real. This is photography not role-playing and acting. Hi. First post.
 
tom.w.bn said:
It's a matter of taste. I like the newer SLRs (>1990) because they have that nice built in handgrip. For me a big usability plus.
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Whether you like the bulk or not is a matter of taste: you like it, I don't. The bulk itself is however a matter of fact.

Cheers,

R.
 
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