Street shooting shutter speeds

This one can be no higher than 1/250 on the Yashica Electro 35 CC

6827214678_7c6c629113_c.jpg
 
Sounds like the cameras shutter isn't firing at the speeds indicated on the dial. As far as a step up... how about a Bessa R or a Leica CL?

I was thinking this to. Now portra is pretty good with overexposure, so you might not notice if the shutter is a bit sticky.

I have a Canonet to, and the leaf shutter was pretty sticky before I cleaned it. Maybe you chould do a "scientific" test with a low latitude film to see if the times are accurate?
Since you said it's already been CLA'd, the speeds should be good, but getting blur with a 50mm at 1/500 seems a bit akward.
 
You have to look into how you move, when shooting other people in movement.

I always try to take a bit of speed out, when wanted and move along with my subjects, when possible.

Walking with my subject (5cm Leitz Summarit ƒ1.5 wide open @ 1/350):

L1046640-M9%20Digital%20Camera-painting%20the%20street%20-%20spraying%20front.jpg


… or side by side:

L1046634-M9%20Digital%20Camera-painting%20the%20street%20-%20spraying%20-%20panning.jpg


This is a shot on a rainy day in Shanghai - same lens, stopped down to ƒ2, shot at 1/750th of an upcoming scooter rider, loaded.
Here, I ran over the street, walked backwards in traffic and panned my subject while focussing - it could have been done as well @ 1/250th, but turned out faster, as I used AE:

L1046685-M9%20Digital%20Camera-man%20on%20e-bike%20-%20big%20stuff.jpg


This man is walking towards me - it's a candid portrait of a worker, carrying a heavy (really heavy) bag. Again the old Summarit, stopped down to ƒ2, to get more than his face in focus - shot @ 1/250, while I was walking backwards with him:

L1046650-M9%20Digital%20Camera-man%20carrying%20bag.jpg


One extremely import point about shooting all this moving stuff with a manual focus RF camera is to learn your timing and how to move your own body, when shooting moving subjects.
Here is an elderly lady, riding her bicycle on the pedestrian walk towards me, again, I walk backwards, focus, panning her and shoot:

L1046670-M9%20Digital%20Camera-woman%20on%20bicycle%20with%20mask.jpg


A man walking on the sidewalk, having a smoke, shot at 1/350th, I had to walk with him:

L1046853-M9%20Digital%20Camera-man%20-%20smoking.jpg


This is not really a slow shutter speed, but considering, that verticals are not my forte, I am at the moment training vertical panning shots - Summarit ƒ1.5 ~ƒ2:

L1046942-M9%20Digital%20Camera-man%20on%20bicycle.jpg


This is an interesting shot regarding actual movement of photographer and subject - a construction worker is riding home with a passenger in the late afternoon on a dreary, rainy day.
He turns a left hand corner fast, as I am walking backwards with him inside the corner, shooting with the Noctilux @ ~ƒ1 − 1.4 - shutter speed: 1/45 sec:

L1046960-M9%20Digital%20Camera-construction%20worker%20on%20tricycle%20-%20panning.jpg


Similar situation - low light, Noctilux wide open @ ƒ1, walking together with my subject, to be able, to frame and focus this shot @ shutter speed: 1/30 sec:

L1046974-M9%20Digital%20Camera-man%20pulling%20heavy%20load.jpg


I shoot motor sports with the Leica M.
During the time in-between the races, I stay sharp by doing daily drive by shots, shooting out of cars, taxis, buses.
I love Shanghai and it's people and spend most nights and weekends on the streets.

It's often really more like dancing, than gluing yourself top one spot like a tripod and click your shutter.

I never use tripods, always shoot handheld - the more my subjects are in motion, the more, I love and enjoy to shoot.
 
Your reaction on Simons photo's!

Your reaction on Simons photo's!

The feet of your second and third image are motion blurred


And don't you think the horizon is 0,5° out of whack on the third one :D

No really with what you expect you need a flash a la Gilden.
 
Fantastic pics and advice Dirk!

agree if the kind of motion stopping 1/500 provides is not good enough for you, you need to be shooting with a flash or use a very wide angle lens so motion blur doesn't show up as much. A P&S camera like a Ricoh GRD III or IV may be a good solution at 28 or 21mm (depending on the lens you use) at F1.9 - lots of DOF and a wide focal length ought to give lots of frozen action.
 
Thanks paradoxbox!

I have been trying all kinds of cameras, two GRDs included.
I found, that from all cameras, either the classic fully mechanic cameras (especially rangefinders) or, if budgets permit a digital Leica or a R-D1 really offer the best response in focussing, timing and shutter release feel, to shoot subjects in motion.
 
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