Which Leica is the best for street photography?

[Freakscene]

The M7 is the quietest Leica M. Leicas are quiet but only in comparison to SLRs. The best Leica for street photography is the one you have in your hands on the street.

You don't need a Leica, you need a Hexar AF.

Marty

 

[benkelley]

Looks like there's a nice M2 for sale here, right now, for a very good price. I would check that out, frankly. If you're shooting outside you really don't need in camera metering. Just use a handheld, meter off the sidewalk, and adjust 1 or 2 stops based on the moment.

Ben

 

[johnastovall]

M4 or non-TTL M6. I really love the M4.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Well, if we're talking about non-Leicas, it's hard to beat a Retina IIa. No-one thinks you're serious, with that funny little old-fashioned camera. And they're incredibly quiet. No proper interchangeable lenses on any Retina, of course: the C-series offered a poor choice of inconvenient, slow lenses.

Not that I've ever had trouble in Paris, where I've shot with 35mm (SLR + RF), MF, 6x12 and 4x5 inch.

Cheers,

R.

 

[mfogiel]

I'd say for street shooting the most effective camera should be silent, but also should have AE and a good VF. So unless you want to stick to M7, I'd recommend the option of Zeiss Ikon, which excells with the 35mm frames and will cover easily 28mm. If you get Luigi half case with grip it will be superb in handling and will be more silent. An extra bonus is less weight and a price tag 1/3rd of the M7...

 

[johnastovall]

I find all the people saying you need AE odd. HCB and Winogrand did fine without. It's nice but not needed...

 

[winoto]

in the order of quietest to loudest RF i've used/had:

voigtlander prominent
diax 1b
contax II/kiev 4a
leica IIIc
leica M4/M3 DS/M6
nikon SP
nikon S2
bessa R2/T


despite this list, i find myself carrying leica M6 with cron 35mm/f2 and bessa T with 21mm most when shooting the streets of sydney.

 

[sanmich]

I think one of the problems is not the shutter noise, in most circumstances, but the movement of advancing the film. That is the movement that shouts loud: "I just took a picture".
People can often bear to see you point a camera to them if you play enough with it so they don't know what you shot. but the reloading movement is the traitor.
Here again the Hexar AF is king!

 

[gns]

Best camera for street photography?

The one that leaves you enough money for a big pile of film.
And a comfortable pair of shoes.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[pesphoto]

I find all the people saying you need AE odd. HCB and Winogrand did fine without. It's nice but not needed...

We're not all HCB and Winogrand.......

 

[zeitoun]

Rollei 35S.
Not a Leica but less conspicuous, more silent, and if preadjusted at hyperfocal distances, quick and goes quite unnoticed. Plus small enough that you can carry it with you most, if not all, of the time (a prerequisite for taking pictures).
BTW, the results can be surprisingly good.

 

[cam]

thank you all for the responses -- i'm off researching all you guys are throwing at me!

i must say that i've become quite enamoured of the Hexar AF even if i can't use my glass... so please keep suggestions coming as i will be looking for one that i can.

(for the record -- no, i do not need AE. and i have a pair of very comfortable shoes 🙂 )

oh, and to throw another wish into the mix -- are certain cameras hardier than others in the rain? i have rain covers but am always a little scared to take the digital out when it's raining too hard, yet i love shooting then.

 

[furcafe]

Not sure why "silence" is a criteria. I have yet to shoot in a street anywhere in the world where normal noise from traffic, etc., didn't drown out any camera noise.

 

[pfoto]

M7 is the quietest at lower speeds only. The mechanicals buzz & whir below 1/30th. Probably the best all-round cam is the MP. An M2 is good too but factor a CLA into the price, you'll almost certainly need one. If you watch & wait on the forums you can sometimes find a bargain. An M7 went for $1750 either here or PN recently. The key is ignore everything and do your research and home in on just one body before you start looking to buy. Then you can pounce almost without thinking when that gem turns up. 😀

 

[cam]

Not sure why "silence" is a criteria. I have yet to shoot in a street anywhere in the world where normal noise from traffic, etc., didn't drown out any camera noise.

but it is. for me. and that's why i started this thread.

i live in an area where there are frequently no cars going by. period... i apologise if i've offended your sensibilities or those of others on what is important. or if you feel the Title was misleading. mea culpa.

 

[cam]

The key is ignore everything and do your research and home in on just one body before you start looking to buy. Then you can pounce almost without thinking when that gem turns up. 😀

that is exactly what i'm trying to do. the thing i'm still trying to get my head around, though, is all the different options on various bodies... so in this case, i guess, i'm also asking opinions on various other things (that i haven't voiced). like why you prefer a certain model over another and what options, VF size, single/double stroke, etc...

 

[johnastovall]

We're not all HCB and Winogrand.......

But shouldn't we strive to develop the same level of skills?

One may as their skills develop see where they don't want the exposure a machine gives but knows how they want to expose for the final image to appear.

 

[furcafe]

I wasn't offended, just curious, as your profile info says you're located in Paris, which I don't remember being a particularly quiet city.

Edit: I've now read your previous posts where you explained your reasons for seeking a quiet camera, but I still would agree w/Yanidel, et al. that camera noise shouldn't be a major factor. I have an R-D1 & it isn't significantly louder than any of the film Leicas I own (M3, M4, M6, M7), it's just higher pitched & more metallic in sound; in fact, I would say that the R-D1 is about as noisy as a thread mount "Barnack" Leica @ the slower shutter speeds (< 1/125th). Of the Leicas, I would concur that the M7 is the least noisy.

but it is. for me. and that's why i started this thread.

i live in an area where there are frequently no cars going by. period... i apologise if i've offended your sensibilities or those of others on what is important. or if you feel the Title was misleading. mea culpa.

 

[usagisakana]

It's hard to tell whether people notice me because of shutter noise or because of the flash. Either way, I made the mistake of holding an M6 yesterday and I know I will eventually own one, finances be damned!

 

[deepwhite]

M7 is very quiet, and it's got AE.

If you can eye the distance then I'll suggest a Minox 35 GT. It's very very small, (in fact I think it's the smallest 35mm camera ever) the shutter is quieter than anything else, and it's black, so nobody really know you're shooting.