What's Your Favorite Street Photography Camera?

[David Reynolds]

Pentax PC35AF - the one with manua winding. Silent, uses two AAA batteries, pretty sharp lens.

http://kuvau.tuu.fi/kiss/

Great Image

 

[radiant]

Great Image

Thank you! From all the cameras I have I think PC35AF was the only one to get that shot. Automatic for the win! You see a moment and you have one second to execute. And one second to turn 90 degrees and pretend you're shooting something else

 

[Smaug01]

Please guys, street photography doesn’t mean being stealthy or like a ghost. What’s the point? Shooting strangers that don’t know you are present is so uninteresting.
What’s the goal of shooting people walking across a store sign, exactly?

As a photographer, you must engage and be engaged. All the “from the hip” and “stealthy” stuff is a mark of amateurism.

IMO.

I don't understand this. You started by saying what street photography is and isn't. But at the end, you acknowledged it's just your opinion. That acknowledges that there are other opinions, too.

I don’t do street photography....at least I don’t **think** that I do. I confess, I just don’t get it.

What is street photography? Is there some definitive characteristic? It seems like everyone has their own definition/ opinion about what is and what isn’t.

I find some street photos aesthetically pleasing but most of it is crap (I think people who put their work out there as street photography need to be much, much more selective).

As a viewer, I really don’t think that whether or not the photographer was being stealthy, whether or not the subject(s) is aware of the photographer figures into the viewing experience. I’ve seen some great photos where the subject was clearly aware of the photographer, aware of the camera and aware of what was happening and some where that is not the case. Same goes for all of the crappy photos that are posited as “street photography “.

Personally, I don’t think that being stealthy is a necessary or sufficient characteristic.

For someone who admitted he doesn't understand street photography, you sure have a lot of judgments and strong opinions on it!

As to your question as to what it is, here is one definition:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_photography

I find it strange that a thread titled "Whats Your Favorite Street Photography Camera?" is full of insults instead of images and the cameras used to produce them.

+1. Let's remedy that.

Pentax PC35AF - the one with manua winding. Silent, uses two AAA batteries, pretty sharp lens.

http://kuvau.tuu.fi/kiss/

Great shot!
It probably isn't to everyone's taste, but I like it. You captured a nice moment.

 

[warden]

Was curious what everyone favorite cameras are for street photography? Don't get to shoot street photos too often where I live but love my Olympus XA2.

I don't do much street photography but if I had my druthers and a pile of money I'd commission a Paul Strand trick camera. It would be fun to experiment with.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/paul-strands-sense-of-things

 

[awty]

Holga 120 in 4.5x6 and 6x6.

 

[BradS]

....
For someone who admitted he doesn't understand street photography, you sure have a lot of judgments and strong opinions on it!

As to your question as to what it is, here is one definition:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_photography

Is it necessary to know how beer is made to have an opinion about which beer is crap and which is not?

Does a photo need to have special consideration because the photographer that made it says "this is street photography"?

Or, is a crappy photo simply a crappy photo regardless of genre?

 

[Smaug01]

To me, street photography can be cityscapes, architecture or capturing a moment. Here are a few of my recent ones.


Not a masterpiece, but pleasing to me. I liked the shadows, the shopper and her reflection in the windows. This one didn't require any stealth, and I wonder what it would have looked like if I had anticipated better and got her walking through the shadows?
Nikon N80, AF Nikkor 28-105 f/3.5-4.5, HP5+ @ 400 and developed in HC-110C

In this one, I liked the anticipation of this couple about to go into their favorite diner. (The Coffee Pot) I don't know if you can quite see, but the lady is smiling as she looks forward.
Yashica Electro 35 GS, Yashinon 45/1.7, f/11, HP5+ @ 800:

This one was not on the street, but in a museum. Some might consider it 'street photography' and others will not. I like it because it captured the moment of this man taking in some art and learning about its history.
Nikon N80, AF Nikkor 50/1.8D, f/2.8, Ilford Delta 400 @ 1600, HC-110C:

Again, this one required no stealth and no 'decisive moment' was captured. But it says a little about how things work in a big city.
Nikon N80, AF Nikkor 75-300 f/4.5-5.6, HP5+ @ 400. It's grainier than usual because I cropped in a bit:

Interesting signs and/or storefronts are kind of a sub-genre of street photography, to me. Here's a nice little Irish pub. Is it also interesting to you? I hope so, but if not, I'm not devastated either. ;-)
Yashica Electro 35 GS, HP5+ @ 800, Yashinon 45/1.7 @ f/11: (awesome lens on this camera, eh? Though admittedly, most lenses are good at f/11...)

Here's a street photo of myself (right) and a friend partaking in some street photography in Chinatown as they were setting up for the Chinese New Year Parade. My friend is shooting a Holga 120. To me, it's cheap and nasty, to him, it's full of character. He had his Leica M5 with a tired old 50 mm lens in his bag.
Canon EOS Rebel G, Sigma 28-80 f/4-5.6, HP5+ @ 400. A lightweight, inexpensive and sharp-but-slow lens:

Enjoying a flight of beers and photography talk after a tough day of street photography. Is bar photography also street photography or is it its own genre?
Canon EOS Rebel G, 40/2.8 pancake lens, on camera flash for that 90s, blown-out look. Delta 400 @ 1600:

Back to Chinatown. This picture tells a story, I think. This is on the documentary side of street photography
Nikon N80, Tamron 28-300 (not great, optically, but I never miss a shot while changing lenses!) HP5+ @ 1600

This is my favorite from the Chinatown photo walk. I don't know why. I think because the cars are modern, but the Chinese man on the bicycle remind me of 20th century China.
Nikon N80, Tamron 28-300 f/4.5-6.3, HP5+@1600

I also don't think street photography always has to be in a super-urban area. For this shot, I gave up the candid aspect and asked permission. That horrible little dog almost ruined it.
Olympus mju (Stylus), Fuji Superia 400:

A different kind of street.
Nikon N90s, 28-105 f/3.5-4.5, T-Max 100:

 

[Pieter12]

Or, is a crappy photo simply a crappy photo regardless of genre?

You got it. And there are tons of crappy photos parading around out there.

 

[David Reynolds]

JADoss23 said: ↑
Was curious what everyone favorite cameras are for street photography? Don't get to shoot street photos too often where I live but love my Olympus XA2.

I have used Leica M3, 4,& 5's for over 40 years. Hard to beat.
Your above statement got me to go into my storage and get out an Olympus XA ( its been in storage for twenty years) and order new batteries for it. If you want to shoot with a small, easy to handle camera, this is the one. I look forward to using this camera as I can carry it in my pocket and pull it out when needed. The quality of the image is very good considering its weight and size.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Is it necessary to know how beer is made to have an opinion about which beer is crap and which is not?

Does a photo need to have special consideration because the photographer that made it says "this is street photography"?

Or, is a crappy photo simply a crappy photo regardless of genre?

I think, it is matter of taste and sort of education and else. People have all kind of preferences, levels of imagination and acceptance. This is why here is no simply crappy photo, but limited minds...

 

[Pieter12]

There are definitely crappy photos.

 

[David Reynolds]

I think, it is matter of taste and sort of education and else. People have all kind of preferences, levels of imagination and acceptance. This is why here is no simply crappy photo, but limited minds...

Well Said !

 

[Colin Corneau]

I find it strange that a thread titled "Whats Your Favorite Street Photography Camera?" is full of insults instead of images and the cameras used to produce them.

Insults aside, a thread asking 'favourite type of street-photography camera' kinda should have a lot of posts about the cameras used to produce street photography, no?

 

[logan2z]

There are definitely crappy photos.

I can attest to that. I've made many.

 

[logan2z]

I find it strange that a thread titled "Whats Your Favorite Street Photography Camera?" is full of insults instead of images and the cameras used to produce them.

Yeah, this thread does seem to have gone somewhat off the rails

Here's a few recent 'street photographs' all shot with my Leica M-A and a Summarit 35mm/2.4 lens on Tri-X 400 - my favorite street setup.

 

[awty]

T

Cool, a Holga.

 

[awty]

Olympus Trip 35.

 

[NB23]

Upping the street game by a notch.

For fun.

I like it when it’s fun.

 

[radiant]

Olympus Trip 35.

Well executed ones. Good job, but I'm sure you knew this already

Here's a few recent 'street photographs' all shot with my Leica M-A and a Summarit 35mm/2.4 lens on Tri-X 400 - my favorite street setup.

I liked the first two, good vibes of Erwitt's style. Dunno why it is important in any ways whos work someones photos resemble - but it it is a compliment in any case

 

[logan2z]

I liked the first two, good vibes of Erwitt's style. Dunno why it is important in any ways whos work someones photos resemble - but it it is a compliment in any case

Thank you.

 

[awty]

Well executed ones. Good job, but I'm sure you knew this already



I liked the first two, good vibes of Erwitt's style. Dunno why it is important in any ways whos work someones photos resemble - but it it is a compliment in any case

Thanks, lucky shots.
X2 of vedostuu pictures and I also like the boy and sigh in the last. 35mm lens have a nice viewing angle.

 

[CMoore]

Yeah, this thread does seem to have gone somewhat off the rails

Here's a few recent 'street photographs' all shot with my Leica M-A and a Summarit 35mm/2.4 lens on Tri-X 400 - my favorite street setup.

Hilarious..... great frame.!
I shoot several, different, 35mm SLR.
Some are a bit Smaller/Lighter than others, but they are all similar.
Be it OM1n or F2S........ does it really matter.?
The choice of 35mm camera does not effect the way my photos look.... not that i can decipher anyway.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Insults aside, a thread asking 'favourite type of street-photography camera' kinda should have a lot of posts about the cameras used to produce street photography, no?

Insults? I have missed it. I don't follow this thread everyday. Just as with bashing different photos for different tastes as bad photos, "which camera for the street" number million one threads are often leads to bashing of Leica. Are we here yet? Must be, giving age of this particular thread about well beaten horse.

Every camera could be used on the street. I have tried D(SLR), P&S, TLRs, Minox, Speed Graphics, Lomography cameras, pinhole and else. Including android phone. I'm taking pictures on the street every time I'm on the street, since 2007 or so. Personally, I came to Leica M series.
I was recognized and published in IE:

Taken with film M.

I was spotted by one of the IE publishers on Leica forum, by my digital M image. IE is one of the best on-line magazines for street photography. By now most of photographers reviewed, published by IE are using all kinds of digital cameras. Total majority of them. I like it as street photography, a lot, but not like something I would like to see on the print.
Still, this person is Master of street photography. https://www.instagram.com/dcim.ru/?hl=en All is shot on the iPhone.
http://www.artfixdaily.com/calendar/details/745-#draft-#russia-by-dmitry-markov

 

[awty]

Leica 3b
VOIGTLANDER 25MM f3.5

Elmar 50mm f3.5. (scanner cropped the boots.)

 

[Smaug01]

How about this guy? Bit of "spray and pray" but his final results are good.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2008988399314590/permalink/2497716827108409/