Streetphotography Equipment? ? ?

[PlantedTao]

I have a question for all ya'll...what piece of equipment should I get next?
First, a little info.
Currently I own a Bessa R2 with a 50mm Nokton and 35mm Skopar (standard). This is the my day to day camera...for my "fine art" photos (lol) I use a tripod mounted Yashica 124. I have only been shooting for 3 years and do all my own B&W prints (never color). My favorite thing to do is to walk around downtown and take photos...so, I'm looking for something that would enhance my streetphotography. I know the most important is time...for I still have lots to learn.

BUT, my credit card it red hot and I would like a piece of equipment that would help or enhance my hobby of streetphotography. My thought was to get an AE priority camera...a Zeiss Ikon perhaps (this is the limit of my $$$ and is kinda stretching it). I thought an AE priority camera would allow me to be a bit faster and shoot with some more confidence.

Other options I'm thinking about:
R3A w/ a 40mm SC nokton
35mm Nokton
25mm Snaphot Skopar
28mm Skopar
ZM Biogon
or ? ? ?

Really curious to hear ya'lls opinions, since this is THE place to go for all your rangefinder GAS moments 😀

Thanks in advance.
Jason

 

[pesphoto]

I see youve got a GSN in your arsenal. They say the Hexar is a mean street shooter.

 

[Ariya]

I'm very happy with my Contax G2 - KEH is practically giving away the Zeiss lenses.

 

[ruben]

I have a question for all ya'll...what piece of equipment should I get next?
.....
Thanks in advance.
Jason

Best pair of shoes. 😕

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[rool]

Do you have a handheld meter? I think it is even better than AE for street... but that's just me.
Otherwise, the 25mm is fantastic for street and complement well the 35mm... again, that's just my 2 cents.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Buy some film then buy some more.

Honestly, you have all you need equipment wise, you can add nothing but experience and a good eye now.

But if you must buy something I can sell you a special bag of streetphotogs Mojo, all of the famous guys use it, it'll turn you into a street shooting freak in no time...just 1500 dollars 🙂

now go shoot!

Todd

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Hi,
I alawys thought the Leica m was the ulitmate street shooter until I started to use TLR's.
Curently I use a Rolleicord Vb and a Yashica mat 124g.
Because you can look in it while it hangs on your belly nobody expects you to take a picture.

Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema

 

[Jason Sprenger]

Auto exposure can be handy if you find yourself shooting from the hip with no time to prepare. The Bessa R2a might suffice for street shooting but the longer baselength of the Zeiss Ikon might be advantageous in other circumstances, like low light scenes with fast lenses.

However, in my case, what I think keeps me from capturing street images that I like is how my observations are involving me in the scene. People know when you're looking at them and behave accordingly. Too many times have I lifted a camera to my eye only to see how the moment dissolved because of the camera itself.

A piece of equipment to consider is a companion to act as a foil. Appearing to take photos of "them" can be very liberating in a street scene. Folks in the scene are much less prone to wonder what you're doing with that camera. It works best when your companion has a camera too, then the two photographers are helping each other and lots of pictures result. Sadly, I'm not often able to go street shooting with a companion, but I think it is the best way to do it.

Another item you might consider is a separate light meter. Checking the light with the meter instead of your R2 help keep the camera out of the eyeline of potential subjects. An auto exposure camera might be an easier solution but the meter might be a lower cost alternative and help keep you alert to different lighting considerations that auto exposure might botch.

In the past, folks here have proposed using a TLR for street photography. It's something that I'm considering myself. With a TLR, when framing the subject, you wouldn't be looking at the subject but rather down into the waist level viewer. With a TLR, the photographer appears from the subject's POV as if they were simply adjusting some arcane control on that old complicated camera that can't possibly work.

 

[f/stopblues]

Simplicity my friend! It frees you! I shoot an R2A and Ultron 35/1.7 95% of the time now and find its all I need. Your best kit is the one that accomodates your photographic eye the best. Find your ideal focal length, a good body to go with it and go nuts in the street. I'm of the opinion that if you master that one piece of kit, then your photos will reflect it. I've never bought a piece of equipment that improved my photography.. it only changed my attitute towards it. Like others said, your money is probably best spent on film, chemistry, paper, and shoes 😀

*Caution: This is only one man's opinion! Do what makes you happy in photography 😉

I was inspired by *THESE* photos of Garry Winogrand's M4.

 

[nightfly]

How about a Bessa R2 with a 35mm Skopar? Oh wait, you have that.

That's all you need. One lens, one camera, lots of film and don't be afraid to shoot.

If you find yourself hankering for another lens, I've been using the CV Skopar 28 3.5 lately and I dig it alot. To me the most important things are a camera that you are comfortable with and a focal length that you know pretty well, so you know what you are getting even if you aren't focusing. Usually for street shooting you set the aperture and film speed once when you go out and just adjust one or the other while you're shooting to take into account the specific lighting. Basically this plus hyperfocusing is what adds to your speed.

I was using a Olympus XA for awhile exclusively and it got me really into the 35mm focal length. I think it's just about perfect for street shooting but I wanted to challenge myself a little bit so I picked up a 28.

When I got my Leica I bought the 40mm Summicron with it and although I love the look, the focal length doesn't work for me. Just feels a little too tight.

I found the XA a great street camera (there's one for sale in classified for $45). It is aperture priority, small and the focus throw is very short. That said after picking up a Leica M4-P recently the XA doesn't see much use. With the Leica I guesstimate the correct lighting, and then can change the film speed with my thumb when shooting or adjust the aperture fairly easily. I rely heavily on the hyperfocus markings and it seems to work pretty well.

http://provoke.mediumstudios.com

(newer stuff is Leica older stuff is XA)

Stick with the Bessa and the 35 for say 20 rolls of film and then figure out what you want from there. I don't think aperture priority or auto focus are so necessary for street shooting. Wider lenses are a bit more challenging to shoot with because ideally you want to get closer. I personally wouldn't go wider than 28 or tighter than 40 but it really depends what you are comfortable with.

 

[Ukko Heikkinen]

Hello

I second everyhting that has been said in this thread and would like to add only one thing:

I have besides my Bessas and a Rollei an old 35 mm Nikon F - got it very cheap - with a waist level finder (http://www.cameraquest.com/fhistory.htm) A 35 mm lens, focused at about 5 meters, f/5,6 or smaller, DOF from about 3 to 16 meters if f/5.6. Exposure: no problem, Ilford XP2 ( or Fuji Professional 400 ASA for color), 200 ASA, metered with Bessa3a or a separate meter only once if the light does not change significantly.

Ukko Heikkinen

 

[PlantedTao]

😱 wow ...I never would of guess that these would be the responses. (besides the film / practice comment...I knew that was coming)

I must say that I burned thru a lot of film on the 50mm Nokton with ok results. The last couple of rolls has been on the 35mm and the results were very good. So, I think I'll stick with that...for now 😀

Anyway, the best advice may be the seperate light meter so I don't constantly look at the R2...and it will be good for the Yashica 124, which I may try for street also.
But for now I will burn thru the film I got at Freestyle and see what developes 😀

(cha-ching)money going back into bank account.

Thanks for the reality check and all around good advice. I knew ya'll would be THE ones to ask.

Cheers.

 

[rool]

yeah, buy a light meter you'll soon wonder why you waited so long to get one!

 

[PlantedTao]

Light Meter

Light Meter

Rool
suggestions / recommendations on what I should get?

Thanks.

 

[GeneW]

For blending into the background, maybe some dark clothing and a viking helmet 😀

Gene

 

[rool]

Sekonic L308 is what I use and I like it. Very simple, reliable, easy to use and read, small and fairly cheap... I don't think you need more that that for street.
I started using a handheld meter a few months ago and I really like it. I like incident metering and feel like I have much more control over my exposures than with AE.
There are many meters out there and I don't have a lot of experience on the subject but I think that, for street, it is better to keep it simple and small. The Sekonic 308 is good at that but is certainly not the only option.

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

The Sekonic is good, so is the equivalent Gossen Luna Pro Digital. Both nicely sized and run on AA batteries.

 

[ARS]

I would definitely choose LEICA m7! Canonet is not so "pleasant" to use! G2 is absolutely UGLY and noisy (for me, again)! Bessa/Zeiss Ikon??? hmmmm may be, but not so quiet as Leica...
Choice is up to you!

 

[rool]

Well, I don't think the guy was even thinking about spending $3.5K in an M7...

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Best pair of shoes. 😕

Agreed. If you're not comfortable with your gear, it doesn't matter what it is, it's just not worth it.

Holgas in the right hands can be far better gear than Hasselblads in overconfident hands.