Bill Pierce
Well-known
Although the film cameras that were used for the majority of my work were conventional rangefinders supplemented with SLRs for long lens work, much of my street work was done with smaller cameras that attracted less attention - the Rollei 35, the Contax T series and the Leitz Minilux made by Minolta. The same has held true with my digital camera bag. The street shooters tend to be the smaller “mirrorless” cameras. For me, that’s an APS sensor and, for the first time, a range of small fixed focus lenses with full frame equivalents of 28 to 90 mm. - simply because for the first time all that equipment fits in a very small bag and any camera/lens combination is small and unimpressive enough that no one feels threatened or intimidated by what is obviously a bumbling, elderly tourist.
But in the process of using these cameras for street shooting, I’ve found out that there is one other thing I like about these small camera - focusing accuracy. The contrast detect systems in most small mirrorless systems checks focus in the image sensor unlike phase detect systems in DSLRs. They are dead on without any adjustment of individual lens/body combos. They are a touch slower, yes, but that’s relatively meaningless to someone who grew up on manual focus. And, small sensor or not, I am very pleased with the final results which includes some fairly large prints. As a consequence, I’ve supplemented my small street bag with big zooms and big battery packs for those days when I want to appear as a big professional. And the DSLRs spend most of their time in the studio.
I like the mirrorless cameras’ small size, the focusing accuracy and, yes, the smaller price. I have a suspicion that other folks are moving to the mirrorless cameras also. I wondered what other folks who have made the move like about the cameras - and don’t like. It would be useful information for others thinking about the move.
But in the process of using these cameras for street shooting, I’ve found out that there is one other thing I like about these small camera - focusing accuracy. The contrast detect systems in most small mirrorless systems checks focus in the image sensor unlike phase detect systems in DSLRs. They are dead on without any adjustment of individual lens/body combos. They are a touch slower, yes, but that’s relatively meaningless to someone who grew up on manual focus. And, small sensor or not, I am very pleased with the final results which includes some fairly large prints. As a consequence, I’ve supplemented my small street bag with big zooms and big battery packs for those days when I want to appear as a big professional. And the DSLRs spend most of their time in the studio.
I like the mirrorless cameras’ small size, the focusing accuracy and, yes, the smaller price. I have a suspicion that other folks are moving to the mirrorless cameras also. I wondered what other folks who have made the move like about the cameras - and don’t like. It would be useful information for others thinking about the move.
