begona
Goran Begoña
Hi guys
There are lot of different styles and approaches so I wonder which kind of camera you use for street and why. You can also post a photo which represent your style (or link to gallery).
I use film most of the time. A year ago I tried with digital but it is not my cup of tea. I like look of RF cameras but found SLR more suitable for a job. Now using small Pen F slr, which has best from RF and SLR, in my opinion. When I need more detail, there is Nikon F2.
So my style is not "in a head", although I shot some of that thing with digital (documentary projects).
Examples on my website. Link below.
Cheers
There are lot of different styles and approaches so I wonder which kind of camera you use for street and why. You can also post a photo which represent your style (or link to gallery).
I use film most of the time. A year ago I tried with digital but it is not my cup of tea. I like look of RF cameras but found SLR more suitable for a job. Now using small Pen F slr, which has best from RF and SLR, in my opinion. When I need more detail, there is Nikon F2.
So my style is not "in a head", although I shot some of that thing with digital (documentary projects).
Examples on my website. Link below.
Cheers
lynnb
Veteran
IIIc, Rollei 35 S and XA because they're unobtrusive.
OM 'cause it's the next best thing.
Edit:
link to my street gallery (most recent work with a IIIc)
link to beach gallery (again, mostly IIIc, but also some folders. Mostly this is "street at the beach").
OM 'cause it's the next best thing.
Edit:
link to my street gallery (most recent work with a IIIc)
link to beach gallery (again, mostly IIIc, but also some folders. Mostly this is "street at the beach").
Last edited:
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
Street photography is not really my thing, but when I do aim to do it, I prefer something with a large waist level finder, like a MF SLR or TLR.
Tokyo Night by Berang Berang, on Flickr
Tourists by Berang Berang, on Flickr
This sort of camera is more suited for capturing a "decisive moment" than it is for getting spontaneous shots. The advantage is that once you've found your setting, you don't have to keep pulling the camera to your eye every time you think the right moment is about to happen (and are therefore less likely to miss that moment). The disadvantage is the machinery is often too clunky to capture those moments which appear and disappear instantaneously in a spot you never thought to aim the camera. You can still work around that clumsiness by presetting the focus and exposure and being aware enough to sense a scene about to form, but I like a leisurely approach.
Tokyo Night by Berang Berang, on FlickrTourists by Berang Berang, on FlickrThis sort of camera is more suited for capturing a "decisive moment" than it is for getting spontaneous shots. The advantage is that once you've found your setting, you don't have to keep pulling the camera to your eye every time you think the right moment is about to happen (and are therefore less likely to miss that moment). The disadvantage is the machinery is often too clunky to capture those moments which appear and disappear instantaneously in a spot you never thought to aim the camera. You can still work around that clumsiness by presetting the focus and exposure and being aware enough to sense a scene about to form, but I like a leisurely approach.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I've actually done good street photography with all sorts of cameras. My best work was done with an Olympus OM-4T, a 35mm SLR. I've done some great work with Leica M6's, which I wish I still had. More recently, I have used a Mamiya 6 and a Canon 5DmkII.
The only cameras I have owned that would be hard to use for street would be medium format SLRs. I have has a Mamiya 645 Super since I was in high school, and I owned a Hasselblad for several years (sold it and got the Mamiya 6 because the Hassy was too heavy for me to carry because of health issues). Both the M645 and the Hassy were just too slow and cumbersome for me.
Rangefinders and 35mm or digital SLRs have worked fine for me.
The only cameras I have owned that would be hard to use for street would be medium format SLRs. I have has a Mamiya 645 Super since I was in high school, and I owned a Hasselblad for several years (sold it and got the Mamiya 6 because the Hassy was too heavy for me to carry because of health issues). Both the M645 and the Hassy were just too slow and cumbersome for me.
Rangefinders and 35mm or digital SLRs have worked fine for me.
Sym101
Established
I voted RF, compacts for both digital and film & others (for mirrorless).
For film, it would be compacts and rangefinders (T2 and M6).
For digital, it's mirrorless and compacts (OMD em5, Fuji XE1 and Coolpix A)
As I mostly shoot streets at night, I tend to use digital more.
For film, it would be compacts and rangefinders (T2 and M6).
For digital, it's mirrorless and compacts (OMD em5, Fuji XE1 and Coolpix A)
As I mostly shoot streets at night, I tend to use digital more.
brennanphotoguy
Well-known
M3 and a Rollei
narsuitus
Well-known
I tend to use small format cameras for street. My personal preference is a quiet, digital compact with an articulating LCD. Occasionally, I have used a medium format TLR.
Street Photography by Narsuitus, on Flickr
Street Photography by Narsuitus, on Flickr
No option for mirrorless cameras? And don't tell me these fit into the digital compact category.
Currently? Fujifilm X70, X100T, X-Pro2, and a Nikon Df
In the past... way too many to list.
Currently? Fujifilm X70, X100T, X-Pro2, and a Nikon Df
In the past... way too many to list.
willie_901
Veteran
Had to vote others for mirrorless.
Yes...me too.
13Promet
Well-known
Leica film Ms, Rollei 35, Rich GR1s: all are discrete, fast to shoot, great for zone focussing and sport excellent optics.
rbsinto
Well-known
I use manual focus, motorized Nikon film SLRs (F, F2, F3, FA, FM2, FG) or manual focus, film rangefinders (Nikon SP and S3), and CV R2S Bessa.
I find it easier to shoot with the SLRs, and really don't find either the quieter shutters or the size of the rangefinders to be of any advantage on the streets.
This is my gallery on my hosting site:
http://www.photochimps.com/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=344&username=rbsinto
Robert
I find it easier to shoot with the SLRs, and really don't find either the quieter shutters or the size of the rangefinders to be of any advantage on the streets.
This is my gallery on my hosting site:
http://www.photochimps.com/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=344&username=rbsinto
Robert
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Over the last 50 years, most things. Whatever I had or could afford or wanted to try out. Leicas -- initially screw, then M -- probably account for most of it but also scale-focus cameras, SLRs, DSLRs, MF (mostly Alpa, some RF, but also SLR and even bloody TLR) and occasionally 5x4 inch: see http://www.rogerandfrances.com/sgallery/g sepia 2.html for 5x4 "street".
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
Gareth Rees
Established
Mostly RF but sometimes scale focus
rolfe
Well-known
There is a reason the Leica has the reputation it does for street photography -- it works!
Rolfe
Along Bedford Street by Rolfe Tessem, on Flickr
Rolfe
Along Bedford Street by Rolfe Tessem, on Flickr
unixrevolution
Well-known
I have used everything for the various street photo shooting I've done, from a bog-standard K-5 DSLR to the mighty Pentax 6x7, to TLRs and RFs and point and shoots.
The point and shoots are the least conspicuous, big SLRs are intimidating. But TLRs are discreet and make people *want* to be photographed.
The point and shoots are the least conspicuous, big SLRs are intimidating. But TLRs are discreet and make people *want* to be photographed.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Great topic and voting results so far 
I'll try to keep it as short as possible.
My mother has to take me for shopping. We were at new part of Moscow and she has to travel to the other parts of the city for shopping. We took public transit. I still hate shopping, but I like public transit. I look at people...
I did a lot of travel for business in Europe and FSU. I took some pictures, but it was expensive on color film to get it developed and printed.
Moved to Canada with family and have to travel for business. I was alone and walked a lot after work to explore my new Country. I started to take pictures with mobile phone and post it on the blog. I switched to advanced P&S and shortly after to consumer DSLR and after to pro-consumer FF DSLR. I walked for hours and took thousand pictures per day. Have to delete most of them at night in hotel room and need laptop for it.
In 2012 nostalgia hit me and I revived family FED-2 and finally learned BW film DIY. Joned rangefinder.ru and RFF. Started to read about street photographers and learned about HCB. I purchased Oly XA in Vancouver camera store and tried it on the street. I never touched DSLR for the Street after it.
By the 2015 I took hundreds of meters BW film with dozens of film cameras tried on the Street. 4x5 press cameras, 6x6 TLR, 645 folders, 135 panoramic, half-frame scale. XA stopped working and I switched to mechanical only RFs. In 2015 I started studying GW work. By this time I already switched to M4-2 and 35mm lens as the main if not only kit for the street.
As of now I don't have access to crowded places to use 28mm lens often, only periodically and I don't have guts to get close to the faces. So, my style is observation. Same like I was a child walking beside mother and looking at people's faces and reading their little and short stories. Leica M RF allows me to see it naturally and because I'm not getting to close all I have to do is quick framing and focus by Summarit 35 focus tab - near, middle, far. It is very quick and safe for "walking by" street photography. I can't do it with SLR, where VF is blurry and lens has no focus tab.
I choose this picture to represent my street photography style - little story, but nothing aggressive, more faces, less backs and not too close. Something which lasts for a second :
by Kostya Fedot, on Flickr
More on Flickr and in the RFF thread, links are in the signature.
Cheers, Ko.
I'll try to keep it as short as possible.
My mother has to take me for shopping. We were at new part of Moscow and she has to travel to the other parts of the city for shopping. We took public transit. I still hate shopping, but I like public transit. I look at people...
I did a lot of travel for business in Europe and FSU. I took some pictures, but it was expensive on color film to get it developed and printed.
Moved to Canada with family and have to travel for business. I was alone and walked a lot after work to explore my new Country. I started to take pictures with mobile phone and post it on the blog. I switched to advanced P&S and shortly after to consumer DSLR and after to pro-consumer FF DSLR. I walked for hours and took thousand pictures per day. Have to delete most of them at night in hotel room and need laptop for it.
In 2012 nostalgia hit me and I revived family FED-2 and finally learned BW film DIY. Joned rangefinder.ru and RFF. Started to read about street photographers and learned about HCB. I purchased Oly XA in Vancouver camera store and tried it on the street. I never touched DSLR for the Street after it.
By the 2015 I took hundreds of meters BW film with dozens of film cameras tried on the Street. 4x5 press cameras, 6x6 TLR, 645 folders, 135 panoramic, half-frame scale. XA stopped working and I switched to mechanical only RFs. In 2015 I started studying GW work. By this time I already switched to M4-2 and 35mm lens as the main if not only kit for the street.
As of now I don't have access to crowded places to use 28mm lens often, only periodically and I don't have guts to get close to the faces. So, my style is observation. Same like I was a child walking beside mother and looking at people's faces and reading their little and short stories. Leica M RF allows me to see it naturally and because I'm not getting to close all I have to do is quick framing and focus by Summarit 35 focus tab - near, middle, far. It is very quick and safe for "walking by" street photography. I can't do it with SLR, where VF is blurry and lens has no focus tab.
I choose this picture to represent my street photography style - little story, but nothing aggressive, more faces, less backs and not too close. Something which lasts for a second :
by Kostya Fedot, on Flickr
More on Flickr and in the RFF thread, links are in the signature.
Cheers, Ko.
kxl
Social Documentary
I use the camera that I happen to have with me. These days, that means a DSLR, film RF or mirrorless.
kiss-o-matic
Well-known
I mainly use Range Finders. Zeiss Ikon (w/ 35/2.8 Biogon) is my work horse (below). Minolta CLE w/ 28/2.8 plays second fiddle.
img012 by gaijin_punch, on Flickr
I have recently been using compact cameras though. Takes a while to get used to the slow down, but they have their benefits as well. Kyocera Slim-T below.
Untitled by gaijin_punch, on Flickr
img012 by gaijin_punch, on Flickr
I have recently been using compact cameras though. Takes a while to get used to the slow down, but they have their benefits as well. Kyocera Slim-T below.
Untitled by gaijin_punch, on Flickr