Rangefinder is more portable, right?

[tritiated]

Don't

Don't

..think too much

Firstly, I don't understand why you would hide your camera (whatever type it is) in a bag. There's no way you can take pictures if its in there, you might as well hide it at home.

Hang it round your neck, strap it to your wrist - whatever is comfortable so you don't think twice. It will eventually feel as natural as wearing a 'manbag'. Perhaps it was once embarrasing to wear a male-purse, but you got used to it right?! I don't know! Who cares!

Others say 'hide in plain sight', but I suggest the most important thing is to stop thinking about it. Thinking too much is counter productive, I suggest.

Creatively counter productive; you will talk yourself out of taking pictures. Plus if you think about things and worry so much, you will feel uncomfortable - which naturally translates to looking uncomfortable.

Perhaps the people are not looking at your camera when you hold it out, but at the fact that you look worried?

I think whatever your camera choice, it doesn't matter - pick anything! What setup is most comfortable and most fun? Perhaps invest in a real comfortable strap (instead of worrying about gear), if it helps you take more pictures.

Personally, I have my rangefinder on a neck strap, I 'wear it' as if it was a courier bag - its ready when I see something interesting!
I imagine I am a tourist in my local town, strangers wouldn't know the difference anyway.

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . The overall dimensions of the Pentax are similar to a Leica M but because of the mirror box the SLR is usually much fatter . . .

Dear Matthew,

And an awkward shope with the mirror hump and the lenses are much bigger. Not much competition in my book.

At university I carried my IIIa virtually all the time. Sure, an M is a little bulkier but lately I've taken to putting the Emar of my IIIa on my old 'cooking' M2; the IIIa shutter is no longer reliable.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Nh3]

Unfortunately this thread is a great example of the RF-street-photography myth.

The sad truth is that your current RF gear is pretty much useless if you wish to carry a discreet camera with you... I also know that since you live in Thailand, its not like the west that most people don't know their neighbors or don't give a damn what they care, in the east its very important to fit in the social traditions and carrying a Leica around is certainly will make people ask you questions and worse - call you crazy or a show-off.

You can get the Canon G9 and use the custom setting for snap mode, you can buy the GRD2 (more expensive) or you can buy any advanced P&S with manul focus option so you can set in snap mode... I can also assure you that the 12mp RAW image from G9 at lower ISO is going to beat any consumer negative film and will compete with slide film with good post-processing. If you don't belive me check out http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/G9-Japan.shtml the reviewer stopped using his M8 and fell in love with G9.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Unfortunately this thread is a great example of the RF-street-photography myth.

The sad truth is that your current RF gear is pretty much useless if you wish to carry a discreet camera with you... I also know that since you live in Thailand, its not like the west that most people don't know their neighbors or don't give a damn what they care, in the east its very important to fit in the social traditions and carrying a Leica around is certainly will make people ask you questions and worse - call you crazy or a show-off.

You really think that most people can tell a Leica from a point-and-shoot? Or that they care? Or that a digicam -- chimping and all -- is somewhow more discreet than an M? Or (for that matter) that people in 'the west' don't know their neighbours?

The occasional enthusiast smiles approvingly at my camera. The occasional security guard or paranoiac gets upset about cameras -- ANY camera.

Life in Toronto must be much different from most of the places I've taken pictures (with Leicas, for decades) in Europe, India, China, much of the United States, etc.

Cheers,

R.

 

[amateriat]

You can get the Canon G9 and use the custom setting for snap mode, you can buy the GRD2 (more expensive) or you can buy any advanced P&S with manul focus option so you can set in snap mode... I can also assure you that the 12mp RAW image from G9 at lower ISO is going to beat any consumer negative film and will compete with slide film with good post-processing. If you don't belive me check out http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/G9-Japan.shtml the reviewer stopped using his M8 and fell in love with G9.

A friend of mine had a G9 for a while, but ditched it for a 40D for his street work (yes, street work: not my preferred tool of choice, but he makes it work, and well).

The major deal-breaker for me with the G9 is the optical VF, which is scarcely better than the one on my tinier Casio, which at least has the excuse of being, well, a tiny digicam. Other than the most casual snaps, I simply don't "do" LCD composing, which I find slow and irritating. Much as I don't like dSLRs, composing with one is Nirvana compared to a G9 or its ilk.

But, like Dave and the 40D, you go with what works for you. At least if we're talking photography.


- Barrett

 

[Spider67]

I wear my Bessa or FM over my left shoulder and under my jacket. Got that method from my brother who used to wear them like that so that they could not be stolen (in Bulgaria in the really really bad years). It's discreet and I am used to it.......
otherwise it's true don't worry to much about those things discover your own way