Street Camera

Bill Pierce

Bill Pierce

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With the move to digital and the high price of a digital Leica, many photographers are turning to other cameras for street photography.

I'm using a Canon G10. Subsequent generations of the G series have less megapixels to keep down noise at higher ISO's. But use the G10 at its lowest ISO, 80, and it produces results that according to tests conducted at Luminous Landscape are comparable to a cropped medium format camera in 12x18 prints. My standard exhibition print paper is 17x22 inches, and the prints can't be distinguished from my full frame digitals.

Of course, using the camera only at ISO 80 is a huge limitation. But street photography is outdoors. As somebody who shot news on Kodachrome 25, the 80 speed on a small sensor with generous depth-of-field is not a problem. And, in to the accessory shoe of the G10, I slip Leitz bright-line finders that match the equivalent focal length, if not the frame ratio, of the focal length in use into the G10 accessory shoe.

This is not a perfect solution. And I wondered what other street shooters who have moved to digital are doing. Any suggestions? Any thoughts?
 
Last August I carried a G11 to New York with me and loved it. In June of this year, I went to Vegas on my honeymoon and carried my G10 I had a G10 and sold it. Then, I got a G11 and sold it. Then, I got another G10, and plan on keeping it. For now...

I agree that the little point and shoot cameras can be great street shooters. They're small and unobtrusive (especially the S90/95 cameras) and they don't get too much attention from onlookers. Most people will just think you're a tourist with a point and shoot camera and won't pay you any attention at all. I could never have done that with a 5D/35L combo.

I'd be interested to see some of your work with the G10. An old, but very capable camera to say the least.
 
Ricoh GRD something. At least from what I have seen on-line and from Moriyama`s photo that camera (series) is the most capable street shooter and the only digi that I would consider.:)
 
maddoc said:
Ricoh GRD something. At least from what I have seen on-line and from Moriyama`s photo that camera (series) is the most capable street shooter and the only digi that I would consider.:)
Click to expand...

Another great camera. Unless you want zoom. I had the GRDIII and it was leaps and bounds better than the G10, but it's also pricey and I ended up selling it.

I regretted it almost immediately and at some point plan to part with the G10 and get back to the GRD. I always thought I'd like having the zoom functionality, but I always shoot the G10 at 28mm f/3.5 or so. I almost never zoom... Go figure...
 
The X100 seems to be a fine street camera; dead silent, AF, high ISO and 35mm coverage. Also an optical viewfinder for lightning quick response. What they need is to introduce the X200 with a 33/1.7 lens, then I presume a great deal of digital street shooters would be satisfied with two models only...
 
I shot a GRDII for a couple of years. It is a great camera for street shooting. The "snap" mode, in particular, makes the camera super fast, as it basically zone focuses the lens and disables the autofocus. The lens is super sharp. I regret selling mine.

I now shoot a Lumix GF-1 with various prime lenses, for my street work. This is an exceptional camera for street photography.
 
Another vote for the GRD III. Its' the first digital I've had that operates fast enough for me and produces good enough files. You can set it up so that a half press gives you auto focus but a quick full press shoots in snap mode which to me is super compelling. If you keep it around wide open, you can get photos that don't have that infinite depth of field that bothers me in small digital sensor photos.

Also I find it's small and light enough to put in my pocket when I'm going out not specifically to shoot.
 
I like my S90 but sometimes wish it were a little faster and more flexible ... which is why I'm actually interested in the Pentax Q, although I'm hoping the price comes down before it hits the market.
 
I use my M9, I just make sure I have damn good insurance for all my gear. I never understood the logic of bringing inferior cameras because you are afraid of them getting stolen..
 
The Ricoh GX200 is another interesting choice. It gives you a nice zoom range for street, 24 - 72mm. You can set the zoom to start up at your favorite focal length, say 35mm. The "snap" function is a wonderful feature for street photographers... pre-defined zone focus and thus zero shutter lag. And the feel/grip/weight is the best I've ever used (I've used most everything else mentioned in this thread). Ricoh really has the street photography camera design dialed in. Now if they'd just figure out a way to put an APS-C sized sensor in their cameras! :)
 
Most of the stuff I've seen Moriyama shoot digitally is pretty terrible. I love his work with the film GR1 (and whatever other film cameras he uses) but last time I looked his digital stuff really looked like crap. Perhaps he's gotten a better grasp on the medium recently.

Any URLs?


maddoc said:
Ricoh GRD something. At least from what I have seen on-line and from Moriyama`s photo that camera (series) is the most capable street shooter and the only digi that I would consider.:)
Click to expand...
 
On the street and for similar photography I prefer my R-D1 since I have it (and sometimes the Minolta CLE). I would love to see some minor technical improvements to this (R-D1) camera, but it's mostly perfect for street for me.

I tried some compacts, but none of them worked for me, a DSLR is out of question for that (although I use mine often and like it). I like to try a X100 some day.

Well, one alternative would be the M9, I guess. But the money did not arrive yet...

So the R-D1 is the best, I could get until now and I think, it's hard to beat. (for me)
 
I second Krötenblender regarding the RD1 but it is not so fast as a digital p&s. On the other hand, you can use a wide range of matching (in focal length to the assignment) lenses.
George
 
The Canon S90 is nice, and the S95 is probably even better. Although expensive, the Leica X1 produces some really stunning stuff from a small package (even with all of its quirks and perceived faults that have been beaten to death in the various fora). I don't think it's any more obtrusive than other cameras mentioned in this thread. Also, the ability to work with DNG raw files is a big plus. I know the S90 does raw, but I've always shot JPEGs with it.
 
gyuribacsi said:
I second Krötenblender regarding the RD1 but it is not so fast as a digital p&s.
Click to expand...

With hyperfocus set the delay is nearly none. That's how I do almost every street shooting. Or did you mean fast as in high ISO? - One thing is of course, that you have to clutch the shutter after each shot. But I have to do this with the Minolta also and it is not a problem for me.
 
Another GR Digital III user here. Before I got this camera, if I wanted to shoot street photos I needed to use a film camera because I couldn't operate my Olympus digital fast enough for the purpose (an otherwise excellent camera though). The GRD III allows me to shoot as fast as I need to, plus it's small enough that I don't mind carrying it around and thus will have it with me when a photo presents itself. I occasionally miss having a zoom lens, but in all other ways the camera is just about perfect for my needs.
 
Hi, Krötenblender! The modern digital p&s are faster in handling and sometimes in focusing. The last only for me, because in dim the light of a bar or a Munich street, I can not set any hyperfocus an f/8. That´s why I love my RD1 for digital and my CLE for film. But with both of them, focusing is a real pain - no contrast for the rangefinder-patch.
George
 
I would not called myself a Street Photographer in the strict sense, but I use my camera in town and for this I have a Samsung NX100 with 30mm for digital shooting. Small, discreet and SLR quality. I wish it had faster processing, better high ISO (i.e. above 400/800) and more in the highlights, but overall I am very happy with it. Cost is similar to G series Canon and LX5.

These sets are not the greatest street images you will ever see, but if you want to look at examples...

Amsterdam: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjbirder/sets/72157626322134759/
York: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjbirder/sets/72157626601540951/
 
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