bene
Established
Is the CV35f1.2 too big for stealth work?
Alternatives?
Condition: Day time
I think no one really notice if its low light/night
Alternatives?
Condition: Day time
I think no one really notice if its low light/night
Which lens for stealth like photography or remain unnoticed
- Thread starter bene
- Start date
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- Replies 23
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photogdave
Shops local
Your behavior and body language is what will determine if you are noticed, regardless of the lens on your camera.
Pickett Wilson
Veteran
If they don't notice the black or chrome box the lens is attached to, I don't think the lens is going to make much difference. I figure, in my case, they'll probably notice the 6' 1", 220 pound guy pointing a camera at them, regardless camera or lens attached to it.
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
Short answer: no. But I think your level of comfort with what you are doing, your distance from your subject, your attitude are going to make more of a difference than any 35mm lens you choose.
Ben
Ben
Roger Hicks
Veteran
That was my instinctive reaction too, but I suspect that more people may notice if the front of the lens looks like a small skating rink. Even so, I don't think the 35/1.2 is especially noticeable.
Cheers,
R.
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
Perhaps a nice fast 200mm?
Dave.
Dave.
Pablito
coco frío
The Mata Hari 0007, silent but deadly, sharp as sin, smooth as butter.
Mablo
Well-known
Get a TLR and remain unnoticed. If someone will recognise you as a cameraman they don't care because your camera is so nice.
Carterofmars
Well-known
As your shooting, look past your subjects as if they don't exist. They'll assume you were shooting something else. Also, as you pass them, keep adjusting the lens and bringing the camera up to your eye, aiming at anything/nothing in particular. They will go along their way 99% of the time.
Silly pedestrians. 😉
Silly pedestrians. 😉
samoksner
Who stole my light?
A digital gets lots of attention in that everyone recognizes how those look. A medium format (like a hasselblad ) gets a lot of looks, some people don't know what it is, some are just curious, a 4x5 gets lots of attention, but people have no idea what you're doing so they usually ignore you.... I've found a rangefinder to be unobtrusive in that most of my face is not covered by a large camera, they are not loud, don't beep and have flashing lights... And as long as I'm not totting a white 70-200 f2.8, I've never been able to blame the camera for being "discovered". Like others have said, it's about posture and how you present yourself, if you look like you're on acid looking everywhere and fidgeting with your camera, and hoping back and forth getting composition right, you'll get noticed, if you walk slowly, have your camera in your hand tucked up behind your wrist, and don't act all weird or shy away when people look at you about to take a photo, you will be ignored.
Try this. Go to a street corner, lean against the lamp post or whatever, and just wait, after a couple minutes, it's like everyone had been talking to each other and they sense you've been there for 10 minutes and you get ignored completely, it's a strange phenomenon, at first, people see you, the more you stay, the more you disappear, even if none of the people around were there when you first arrived, you've become part of the scenery. Try it.
Try this. Go to a street corner, lean against the lamp post or whatever, and just wait, after a couple minutes, it's like everyone had been talking to each other and they sense you've been there for 10 minutes and you get ignored completely, it's a strange phenomenon, at first, people see you, the more you stay, the more you disappear, even if none of the people around were there when you first arrived, you've become part of the scenery. Try it.
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Fujitsu
Well-known
Doesnt have anything to do with the lens. Its you.
The first time ever someone asked me about my camera was with the M8. Not with the M6 or M7 or any SLR (yes, even the EOS 1V with a 200/1.8 L).
The first time ever someone asked me about my camera was with the M8. Not with the M6 or M7 or any SLR (yes, even the EOS 1V with a 200/1.8 L).
furcafe
Veteran
Al Kaplan
Veteran
Just pretend that you know what you're doing.
robinsonphotography
Established
I love my 35/2.5 voigtlander pancake for unnoticed shooting in good light...
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
For serious stealth, I'd suggest some 1000mm lens. The people in your county might notice you but the folks 2 or 3 kilometers away you'd be shooting won't bat any eye...
Other wise I think as has been said up thread, it becomes more about how you carry yourself than about what lens you're carrying.
Rob
Other wise I think as has been said up thread, it becomes more about how you carry yourself than about what lens you're carrying.
Rob
TheHub
Well-known
How about a box camera? I've shot with one in a crowd before, and people have absolutely no idea what you're holding. You can look in one direction and point it in another 😉
DennisPT
Well-known
Yes, it works for me.
andredossantos
Well-known
+1
I always try to find interesting light or locations then I take out the camera, blend in (so to speak), and wait for things to happen or interesting compositions to occur.
Also, for the various reasons stated in this thread and if you are uncomfortable bringing the camera to your face, a WLF works best. You can get very close. If youve scouted out a good location, you can just hang out with the camera at your waist, all the while nonchalantly monitoring the WLF as people pass. It helps that I prefer by far composing in square and at the waist for the types of photography I do, but it really is stealthy for street work.
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denmark.yuzon
Streetographer
i do walk around with my camera in my hands, or just leave it hanging sideways, and not around my neck.. i survey my location first, see if there's any interesting... and shoot away.. i agree with the others do, they seem to stay in one location and let themselves blend in... i do that sometimes, if i have time.. but im always on the move.. so i take a picture of what interests me as soon as i see it and walk away... for sure someone will notice you, and they always will notice you, not unless you are fast enough before they can even react.. and unless you are putting a 1DMIII in your face with a big white lens...
like HCB (in "decisive moment" i think) said, take your time, but you have to be fast...
like HCB (in "decisive moment" i think) said, take your time, but you have to be fast...
Roberto V.
Le surrèalisme, c'est moi
I do the 'adjusting' thing a lot and it always works. Sometimes they stop and look at you but as soon as they see you changing settings on the camera and pointing in the same direction they walk right along. 😛
