Is There Really Such a Thing as a Pocketable Camera?

Thanks. Now I know I’ve been doing it all wrong. Or at least mostly wrong. I’ll sell my Fuji X whatever with its lack of features (and which features doesn’t it have that are of any use having?). I do use a strap sometimes, but it’s cloth. I’ll have to get a leather one. I suppose I’ll need a wide leather one to make the whopping great SLR comfortable all day. I wish you’d written this post a few years ago, you’d have saved me heaps of time and money.
Maybe I should post on the “things you wish you’d realised earlier thread”? I wish I read Nicks post about pocketable and camera straps before I did it wrong.
I wonder if I can get a wrist strap for my mobile phone? It’ll probably no longer fit in my pocket then, but I can just dangle it over the urinal from my wrist when the time comes.

:D
 
jsrockit said:
Either you have huge and baggy jeans, or it is bulging out and uncomfortable. I agree with Nick. That said, I did used to carry the GR in the inside pocket of my jacket and that was completely transparent and easy. To me, that is what I mean when I say pocket-able. Unfortunately, that is only for certain times of the year. Anything heavier than a GR tends to swing in your pocket and that is uncomfortable IMO. So, sure, fit your speed graphic in your special pocket... but just because it can fit doesn`t mean it is practical. Practicality is what Nick is talking about.
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Correct. AND thank you. Somebody gets it. My faith in RFF is somewhat restored. That said, the GR everyone seems to love is the classic example of what I consider a 1/2-camera.
 
NickTrop said:
Yes! The Olympus XA line! Maybe a couple digitals. But guess what? That's about it. (Yes -- I'm sure there were others maybe -- some Rollei or Minox that I'm sure RFF members will "testily" point out...) For the sake of argument I will thus proclaim, "There are virtually NO truly pocketable cameras -- other than your cell phone..."

Now others will say, the (insert brand, insert camera) is pocketable! Why I carry one in my giant pocketed cargo pants that's weged in there with a shoe horn and requires a pair of long nose pliers to extract.

But who really needs pocketable? It's silly. The solution is simple and thus... Forget you own giant heavy zooms. Getchyer big honkin' DSLR or ever so slighty less honkin' mirrorless, or film rangefinder attach a small, light prime lens. Not one of those new five pounder monstrosities (lookin' at you Sigma Art),

THEN, invest in something called "a camera strap". You might see actors playing photographers using these in old movies from the 60's. The camera hangs over your chest. Be careful. Don't buy a "wrist strap". They are annoying as you'll soon grow tired of having a camera dangling from your wrist all day. You will want to have coffee, enjoy a delicious sandwich, or use a rest room and that can makes things cumbersome. You don't want one of those ridiculous and expensive "sling" things. Please. They're absurd.

Nope. Just a regular camera strap. Leave with a small light prime lens (which means you'll likely have to buy an old one). Forget those small what I call "1/2 cameras" like the Ricoh GR and assorted Fuji whatevers that lop off 1/2 the features (so you can then buy the other 1/2 of your camera as aftermarket accessories at crazy inflated prices.)

The GRs and Fujis are too small! That's right. They're too small for a camera strap, which means you'll be holding them in your hand, have them dangling annoyingly from a wrist strap, or ask your wife or luva to put it in their purse. In fact, you might ask them if they're bringing their larger purse for you to use as a camera bag later in the day.

So to recap. There really aren't any pockatable cameras. 1/2-camera options like the Ricoh GRs and Fuji X-whateveres have horrible ergos because they are too small and light for a camera strap, but too large for your pocket so you have to carry them like a baby all day. Invest in a camera strap, leave the bag at home, carry one small light prime lens of a focal length of your choosing on a full(not half)camera, preferably a full frame DSLR.

Tips
If you're worried you might look geeky with a normal camera strap. I borrowed my "coo' look'" from Jimmy Page, who made his guitar teachers cringe by playing his guitar at knee-level instead of the center of his chest. For some reason this looks coo' but the center of the chest looks silly. I use an extra long strap and sling the camera around my back. Make sure it's leather.

I think the "regular old cameras strap" fell out of favor because of that whole "foreign tourist" thing and you think you'll not look coo'. You're shooting with a film rangefinder from 1966, fer C sakes in a sea of cell phone shooters. You already look ridiculous. Might as wll go with it.

Carry a plastic grocery bag in your back pocket in case it rains.

Here's a good one. Canpis. Leather. $20-ish bucks.
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Oh my gosh. I've been carrying my GR in my pocket all this time when I really should have had a full frame dSLR on a neckstrap because the GR isn't a real camera and has horrible ergonomics and is really too big for the pocket it's been living in anyway and thank you so much for this rant which has cleared everthing up perfectly.

But seriously, you're taking the piss yeah?
 
jawarden said:
That's exactly why the Contax T has caught my eye.
Excellent quality lens and it's pocketable too.
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I had one but sold it. Lens is very good, and without the removable flash it fits easily.
However it is kind of heavy, and so sadly it did not comfortably live in my chest pocket.

For everyday use I carry lightweight plastic-bodied folding or so-called "capsule" cameras.

Chris
 
Hmm.

Ricoh GR. Jeans-pocketable.
Fuji X100F. Coat-pocketable.
Fuji X-E2s. Coat-pocketable.
Fuji X-Pro2. Strappable.
Fuji X-T2 wioth battery grip. Strappable.

All have fine ergonomics, and all will fit nicely in a Hadley Pro. I see no problems with carrying any of them.
 
pschauss said:
No one has mentioned the Super Ikonta 531, medium format at about the same size as a Barnak.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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How Very True! MF in your pocket, plus that awe inspiring snap down instant opening door, lens zipping out, shutter snapped all in the wink of an eye. And, you get a real quality image.
 
some others may have mentioned it but my leica iid and elmar 50 3.5 were comfortably pocketable in pants pockets.
 
NickTrop said:
Oh -- c'mon. I've held the GR. Not doubting you but that has to be (a) uncomforable. And (b) what's the point of having an "at the ready" camera that's supposed to be for "capturing the decisisve moment" and "street photography" that's tucked away in your jeans?
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not a street photographer and not in pursuit of any 'decisive moments' so not really an issue. as for the comfort level, i wouldn't do it if it were uncomfortable. that would be on the primary reason i shoot a GR ;)
 
So much of this depends on size of pocket, ease of use, and tolerance of quality.

For years, the Ricoh GRD III and GR were my pocket cameras, with neck straps (they are fine on neck straps) or on a wrist strap (and I find nothing wrong with that). My current pocket camera is the Sony RX0, a totall unergonomic block of aluminium alloy intended for use as a production and crash video camera. But it spits out fantastic 1 inch sensor 24mm equivalent raw files, and I use it all the time, just about every day. I always wear a jacket regardless of the weather, so I never have trouble putting a compact camera in a pocket.

As for using a smallish SLR/rangefinder with a prime on a good neck strap: this is fun and easy, I have a stylish parka with pockets large enough to hold a Zeiss Ikon and 28mm Biogon. But can get cumbersome if you've got to do any high mobility stuff like running or hiking, and sometimes, having visible camera is an invitation for thieves or muggers. So pocket camera it is.

Putting a camera in a pocket totally works for me. And if I want to be 'ready in an instant' I can carry the camera in my hand on a wrist strap. I've done weeks of holiday with a Ricoh GRD III on a thin strap around my neck, and every day there is a camera in my pocket.
 
splitimageview said:
how big is a pocket?
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This is the real issue here.
With the correct apparel, any camera is pocket-able.
My grandfather had a jacket that he used for pheasant hunting and I'd wager he could have carried any thing from Minox to Sinar in that.
I suppose this might not be ideal in the summer. :)

Rob
 
It seems me that Bruce Davidson when shot his famous "Brooklyn Gang" had the pocket of his jacket modified (enlarged) in order to accommodate a camera in them.

robert
 
robert blu said:
It seems me that Bruce Davidson when shot his famous "Brooklyn Gang" had the pocket of his jacket modified (enlarged) in order to accommodate a camera in them.

robert
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Every camera is “pocketable”, provided it comes with an appropriate sized pocket for the new owner to stitch onto whatever apparel they want.

:D
 
So ... basically it comes down to if we are talking about tight jeans vs. baggy cargo pants or pants vs. jacket pockets? Weight doesn`t seem to bother some, and it bother others. I could never put a Leica LTM camera in my pocket and feel good... way too heavy and would just swing in my pocket all day. However... a disclaimer. I don`t wear jewelry, I don`t wear hip packs, I don`t wear anything extra. I see guys walk around with like 5 devices clipped to their belt i.e. cell phone, keys, little hip pack, etc. It is just not for me. I would imagine a guy that does that would have no problem putting a bunch of crap in his pockets including a heavy camera.
 
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