Street photography: 1 or 2 cameras?

[Dali]

Hi there,

Until recently, I carried only 1 camera / 1 lens when doing some street photography.

A few days ago, I took 2 cameras to get 2 different lenses (25 & 50mm) and used each of them in different circumstances (portait-like with 50mm, candid with 25mm). Films are not developed yet so I am sure that it really brought some added value...

What is your preference?

 

[GregY]

Hi there,

Until recently, I carried only 1 camera / 1 lens when doing some street photography.

A few days ago, I took 2 cameras to get 2 different lenses (25 & 50mm) and used each of them in different circumstances (portait-like with 50mm, candid with 25mm). Films are not developed yet so I am sure that it really brought some added value...

What is your preference?

For travel or street, I use one camera.
For travel roadtrips w landscape work or portraits....i have another camera or LF holders for back-up images.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I use one camera and I can change lenses or change film backs or both. Clearly an advantage for Hasselblad.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Hi there,

Until recently, I carried only 1 camera / 1 lens when doing some street photography.

A few days ago, I took 2 cameras to get 2 different lenses (25 & 50mm) and used each of them in different circumstances (portait-like with 50mm, candid with 25mm). Films are not developed yet so I am sure that it really brought some added value...

What is your preference?

Two cameras and two lenaea addsa lot of flexibility!

 

[Pieter12]

Adds flexibility and capacity, less film changing. But adds to attracting attention. Depends on your style, but I tend to go for no longer than 35mm for street work, sometimes 28. And I'd rather not fiddle with two cameras around my neck.

 

[Daniela]

One camera, one lens. I find that having "options" only slows me down; and it's a great skill to learn to make the best with what you have.

 

[baachitraka]

one camera and a 28mm lens.

 

[Laurent]

Street for me is generally one camera / one lens (either the Rolleiflex, or the M4 with 35mm Nokton).

I sometimes carry 2 (many times it's the IIIa with a 21mm Skopar) but using it is mostly for "non street" images.

(street for me implies candid shots)

 

[gary mulder]

One camera, one lens. I find that having "options" only slows me down; and it's a great skill to learn to make the best with what you have.

That corresponds with my own experience. Intuitive, knowing, almost feeling, how the camera/lens will frame the picture takes a lot of practise for just one angle of view. To be able to frame and take the picture almost instantaneous seems to be paramount for street photography.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

I go both ways on this. Lot's of time I carry a 28mm and a 35mm on two cameras. Sometimes a 50mm instead of the 35mm. The lighter you can go the easier it is to shoot so sometimes I just take one camera with the 35mm.
If it's snowing or raining out, I don't like to open the cameras in the snow/rain so might take two cameras so I have more film to shoot.

 

[warden]

One camera, one lens. I find that having "options" only slows me down; and it's a great skill to learn to make the best with what you have.

Me too. Some days I go for a wide angle walk, and others telephoto.

 

[Tel]

One camera, one lens. I find that having "options" only slows me down; and it's a great skill to learn to make the best with what you have.

+1: I usually shoot street when I’m travelling abroad and I like to pack lightly when I travel. My go-to cameras in these situations are a pair of rollei 35’s (one is a spare for emergencies). I like the lens on these cameras, it’s nearly retrofocus and a bit wide so perfect for taking grab-shots in public places but it’s also super-sharp. The camera literally hides in the palm of my hand and yet it holds a 36-exposure roll so I can shoot all day without reloading. And 35mm is often better for flying—the TSA people know what a roll of 35 is; I’ve caused consternation by carrying home-rolled 127 through an airport.

 

[Paul Howell]

I have used a number of combinations, in the old days a Leica IIIG and a Nikon F, later a FG. I switched to point and shoots, Konica Z up with 28 to 50, it is slow and with DX coding with no override I use Tmax 400 or 3200. Currently I use a Minolta 5 with older 35 to 70 F4 generally I can get away with a slower 400 speed film or a Chion point and shoot with a 35mm 2.8 lens. The Chinon's ISO is DX or I can fuss with the exposure by adjusting the ISO.

 

[MFstooges]

less is better for me.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

That corresponds with my own experience. Intuitive, knowing, almost feeling, how the camera/lens will frame the picture takes a lot of practise for just one angle of view. To be able to frame and take the picture almost instantaneous seems to be paramount for street photography.

great shot!

 

[Sirius Glass]

I only use two cameras when I am shooting black & white and color films.

 

[lmans]

Hi there,

Until recently, I carried only 1 camera / 1 lens when doing some street photography.

A few days ago, I took 2 cameras to get 2 different lenses (25 & 50mm) and used each of them in different circumstances (portait-like with 50mm, candid with 25mm). Films are not developed yet so I am sure that it really brought some added value...

What is your preference?

One camera....one prime s. Force your mind to think in one dimension and take out any variable. This way you are more prone to concentrate on the street, as opposed to the gear.

 

[benjiboy]

I use I 35 mm camera with a 35 mm f 2 lens, for me personally I think the less decisions I have to make when shooting street the better and with 400 ISO film , my 35 mm lens set a 10 ft and the aperture at f 8 or f 11 it gives me a d.o.f from about 10 ft to just before infinity so there's no need to focus on most occasions.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

I only do 35mm street photography when I travel abroad, and I usually take with me a minimum of three lenses — 28mm or 35mm, 50mm and 85mm or 105mm. I don't believe photography should be an exercice in self discipline, and I hate rules, even self-imposed ones. I'm reacting to the world, reacting to what I'm seeing, and sometimes what I'm seeing will need a 28mm lens, sometimes an 85mm lens, sometimes a 50mm lens, and sometimes a lens I don't have but at least I can hope to get close with what I have.

Having three lenses doesn't mean I'm concentrated on gear rather than on the street. It's the opposite. I'm concentrated on the street and try to quickly mentally figure out which lens I need to capture what I see photographically. You see a scene developing in front of you and your mind tells you "I'm going to need wide for this." If you know your camera well, if you have a small bag that lets you take out your chosen lens quickly, then it's no hassle.

Do I sometimes miss the shot if I didn't quite have the time to change the lens. Of course. But if I only have a 28mm lens and the shot needs a 50mm lens and I can't, for whatever reason, get closer, then I'm still missing the shot. It won't look right.

I know I can later crop, but the spacial relationships won't be the same, and establishing spacial relationships is a huge part of what makes street photography interesting.

 

[jeffreyg]

Two cameras (2 1/4) each with a different focal length lens, both with the same film (Delta 400) and a light meter in a daypack. These guys were for real. I don't know how they did it.

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[jeffreyg]

Just incase you think there was some trick involved here is another view. These were straight negative scans ... no Photoshop games involved.

 

[Ibicus]

I don't know how they did it.

View attachment 401493

It is a very old and common trick, at least here in Italy ( and I suppose Europe too).

 

[jeffreyg]

It was in Milan

 

[Ibicus]

I noticed, I'm from Milan too..

 

[xkaes]

Whatever camera (or cameras) you use, make sure that you carry a Minox in your shirt pocket -- so you can give the police photos of the thief who stole your camera (or cameras).