What's Your Favorite Street Photography Camera?

[awty]

From the following quote, we can guess that he would not approve of all this thought put into gear:

"Constant new discoveries in chemistry and optics are widening considerably our field of action. It is up to us to apply them to our technique, to improve ourselves, but there is a whole group of fetishes which have developed on the subject of technique. Technique is important only insofar as you must master it in order to communicate what you see... The camera for us is a tool, not a pretty mechanical toy. In the precise functioning of the mechanical object perhaps there is an unconscious compensation for the anxieties and uncertainties of daily endeavor. In any case, people think far too much about techniques and not enough about seeing."
​

— Henri Cartier-Bresson


This little bit is maybe akin to the people shooting brick walls nowadays:

"He started a tradition of testing new camera lenses by taking photographs of ducks in urban parks. He never published the images but referred to them as 'my only superstition' as he considered it a 'baptism' of the lens."​

I would agree with the old man, the objective is to make a good picture you and others can appreciate. The lens has more relevance than the camera, but the operator is by far the most important aspect of equation.

I remember another forum use to have a "post your duck picture" thread for when you got new gear.

If you say Seagulls are included then I will go with that....there are people there, but are blurred out, so I get both blurred people and birdie shot in one.
Nikon f2 and 105mm.

 

[Smaug01]

This is totally off-topic but is there any ways we could embrace the "seeing" part? A sub-forum where technique (mentioning of camera models, films etc.) is forbidden? Just for kicks? @Sean here is an idea for the forum!

I bought a book on this topic. It doesn't TOTALLY preclude gear discussion, but it is definitely not the focus. I realized that my gear is as good as it needs to be to make the best images in the world. What's missing is SEEING things differently and looking differently. I'll come back with the ISBN # later for you.

 

[Pieter12]

A book you might find useful is Street Photography: Creative Vision Behind the Lens by Valerie Jardin.

 

[Smaug01]

I bought a book on this topic. It doesn't TOTALLY preclude gear discussion, but it is definitely not the focus. I realized that my gear is as good as it needs to be to make the best images in the world. What's missing is SEEING things differently and looking differently. I'll come back with the ISBN # later for you.

Here's the book I was talking about. I found a used copy on Amazon some months back:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0817441816/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_ETavEbTK4DGYY

I see there's a newer version out now:
https://smile.amazon.com/Learning-S...words=seeing+creatively&qid=1582566199&sr=8-1

I like how the author assigns exercises to help the learning. Almost like he's teaching a class.

 

[Smaug01]

A book you might find useful is Street Photography: Creative Vision Behind the Lens by Valerie Jardin.

That looks like a good book. (Amazon has a nice chunk of it for preview)
https://smile.amazon.com/Street-Pho...Vision+Behind+the+Lens+&qid=1582566345&sr=8-2

 

[radiant]

I'm too easy, bought both books. Thanks @Smaug01 and @Pieter12 for the tips!

 

[drkhalsa]

Nikon F5

 

[Smaug01]

I'm too easy, bought both books. Thanks @Smaug01 and @Pieter12 for the tips!

Not at all. Our photography will improve more from reading these books and practicing than buying more gear we don't need. ;-)

 

[Pieter12]

I'm too easy, bought both books. Thanks @Smaug01 and @Pieter12 for the tips!

Despite what my wife says, you can never have (and read) too many books, especially photo and art books!

 

[k.hendrik]

Please !! after 7 pages; show don't tell;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77846450@N00/47407105081/in/dateposted-public/

 

[Pieter12]

Mostly shot with a Fuji XPro2.
https://pdekoninck.cargo.site/Street

 

[k.hendrik]

thanks.... & after 32 years of teaching art nobody is interested in the gear you use when the image is 'right'.

 

[awty]

thanks.... & after 32 years of teaching art nobody is interested in the gear you use when the image is 'right'.

Clearly you have not hung out with "street photographers". Its all about the gear and past photo stars, to reach its full art form you need a M camera or Fuji or both.
Which type do you use?
I have turned up to meet ups with $10, 70 year old box cameras held together with tape and black tar, to sniggers and banter about proper cameras. If you want to be a serious artistic street photographer you must have the gear!

 

[Pieter12]

thanks.... & after 32 years of teaching art nobody is interested in the gear you use when the image is 'right'.

I know, but the title of the thread is about your favorite camera for street photography, so I thought it should be mentioned.

 

[awty]

argus seventyfive with inverted lens.

 

[Smaug01]

Nikon N80, AF Nikkor 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 D, Ilford Delta 400
^ This is one of my favorite street combos. I had only a few seconds to prepare for this moment; if I had to set exposure or focus manually, I likely would have missed it.

 

[bluechromis]

My fav's are:

1. Minolta XD-11, often using a 28 mm f/2.8 Rokkor lens. It's a small SLR and rather quiet.

2. Mamiya C330 f, most often with the 55 mm lens.

I most often zone focus and often shoot the Minolta from the hip. With the WLF on C330 f I can't use it to focus fast moving scenes but I can often sneak a peak at it to adjust the framing of the scene.

 

[R.Gould]

Rolleiflex/Rolleicord or Microcord,nobody here takesany notice of the camera hanging at my waist, and the shutter is so quite,

 

[dmr]

I know some of you are gonna poo-poo this one, but this is something I picked up on a whim at a trade show a while back.

It's really a "sports" camera, but I've found that it can also work for candid street shots.

In daylight it actually performs quite respectfully, but in available light it's only so-so.

It has an app that can make it incredibly inconspicuous. Compose on the phone and tap to shoot. That part works, mostly, but it's kinda clumsy.

And yes, yes, I know ...

 

[Dave Ludwig]

Depends on my mood, usually Koni100 or Bronica GS1 , sometimes the 4x5 Super Speed Graphic

 

[Russ - SVP]

There is no need to be stealthy and secretive. Just know your gear and be quick with it. I prefer rangefinders or an SLR with a wide (35mm) prime. Use whatever you are comfortable with. Long lenses are the exception. They rarely produce decent results (that’s another discussion).

 

[Paul Howell]

I know some of you are gonna poo-poo this one, but this is something I picked up on a whim at a trade show a while back.

It's really a "sports" camera, but I've found that it can also work for candid street shots.

In daylight it actually performs quite respectfully, but in available light it's only so-so.

It has an app that can make it incredibly inconspicuous. Compose on the phone and tap to shoot. That part works, mostly, but it's kinda clumsy.

And yes, yes, I know ...

This is a analog only thread.

 

[dmr]

This is a analog only thread.

Well ex-cuuuuuuuse me!

 

[Smaug01]

View attachment 241647 View attachment 241647 View attachment 241646 There is no need to be stealthy and secretive. Just know your gear and be quick with it. I prefer rangefinders or an SLR with a wide (35mm) prime. Use whatever you are comfortable with. Long lenses are the exception. They rarely produce decent results (that’s another discussion).

It's uncomfortable being challenged by people who think they're entitled to order you to delete their photo you just took.

 

[Sirius Glass]

It's uncomfortable being challenged by people who think they're entitled to order you to delete their photo you just took.

Use a film camera and just tell them that you deleted the photograph.