Mirrorless camera for street photography

[gsgary]

Any camera can be used...

Have you put any thought into what such a camera would be like?

* Assuming not intended to replace the Nikon system?
* What focal lengths?
* Zooms or primes?
* Eye level viewfinder required? or is the rear LCD ok?
* Is compactness of both the camera and lenses important enough that a sub FF sensor ok?
* Got big hands?... seriously... some of the mirrorless cameras are so small that people with big hands don't like them. How important are dials?

1. Brand is not important
2. 35mm prime
3. just viewfinder, lcd is not important to me and i wouldn't care if it wasn't on it.
4. compactness is a major factor, it needs to be small and discrete.
5. my hands are not too big, but i'll learn to manage. Dials and buttons are pretty important, i want to be able to fiddle around with my camera. Lots of options in its software are a plus too, just like a dslr.

Fuji X pro1

 

[Ron Evers]

The GX7 is a descendant of the GF1 & is slightly smaller. See a comparison here:

Comparing Panasonic Lumix GX7 vs. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 + Lumix G 20mm/ F1.7 ASPH. Specs - 19 Reasons for the Panasonic Lumix GX7 - VERSUS

Since this is not that descriptive of what the cameras are like in hand, here is what the GF1 looks like with a 14mm pancake lens mounted.





The E-PM1/2 mentioned by usayit are even smaller.

 

[cosmonaut]

The the issue is pocketable. There really isn't any mirrorless ones that qualify as pocketable. If money is no object then the Sony RX1 if you need cheaper the Sony RX100. The RX100 is a high end P&S and is pocketable with really nice image quality.

Any camera can be used...

Have you put any thought into what such a camera would be like?

* Assuming not intended to replace the Nikon system?
* What focal lengths?
* Zooms or primes?
* Eye level viewfinder required? or is the rear LCD ok?
* Is compactness of both the camera and lenses important enough that a sub FF sensor ok?
* Got big hands?... seriously... some of the mirrorless cameras are so small that people with big hands don't like them. How important are dials?

1. Brand is not important
2. 35mm prime
3. just viewfinder, lcd is not important to me and i wouldn't care if it wasn't on it.
4. compactness is a major factor, it needs to be small and discrete.
5. my hands are not too big, but i'll learn to manage. Dials and buttons are pretty important, i want to be able to fiddle around with my camera. Lots of options in its software are a plus too, just like a dslr.

 

[The_Traveler]

This is so backwards, worrying about the best camera for street shooting when you already have a functional camera that actually produces images and you don't know yet if street photography is your skill.

Shoot pictures, learn photography, then worry about refining your camera selection.

If I, and many others, can shoot street photography with a FF body and standard size lenses, then the camera isn't the main hurdle.
What is the hurdle is developing the eye and the skill set.

What happens if you buy all this stuff and you discover that you still don't produce decent street pictures?

This is so nuts.
Like deciding you want to buy 4 wheel drive to off-road in the mountains in the winter before you learn how to drive.

 

[Juga]

Very off topic but Lew you are a very entertaining personality here on the forum.

 

[sashbar]

Any camera can be used...

Have you put any thought into what such a camera would be like?

* Assuming not intended to replace the Nikon system?
* What focal lengths?
* Zooms or primes?
* Eye level viewfinder required? or is the rear LCD ok?
* Is compactness of both the camera and lenses important enough that a sub FF sensor ok?
* Got big hands?... seriously... some of the mirrorless cameras are so small that people with big hands don't like them. How important are dials?

1. Brand is not important
2. 35mm prime
3. just viewfinder, lcd is not important to me and i wouldn't care if it wasn't on it.
4. compactness is a major factor, it needs to be small and discrete.
5. my hands are not too big, but i'll learn to manage. Dials and buttons are pretty important, i want to be able to fiddle around with my camera. Lots of options in its software are a plus too, just like a dslr.

Ricoh GR comparative review: Digital Photography Review

 

[Ron Evers]

This is so backwards, worrying about the best camera for street shooting when you already have a functional camera that actually produces images and you don't know yet if street photography is your skill.

Shoot pictures, learn photography, then worry about refining your camera selection.

If I, and many others, can shoot street photography with a FF body and standard size lenses, then the camera isn't the main hurdle.
What is the hurdle is developing the eye and the skill set.

What happens if you buy all this stuff and you discover that you still don't produce decent street pictures?

This is so nuts.
Like deciding you want to buy 4 wheel drive to off-road in the mountains in the winter before you learn how to drive.

True Lew but far more noticeable than one with a compact camera.

 

[usayit]

The the issue is pocketable. There really isn't any mirrorless ones that qualify as pocketable. If money is no object then the Sony RX1 if you need cheaper the Sony RX100. The RX100 is a high end P&S and is pocketable with really nice image quality.

Street photographer needs a pocketable camera? Leica M (film) is far from pocketable. Heck most film cameras until the last few decades (APS) prior to digital popularity were far from pocketable.

Hence...

Any camera can be used...

 

[usayit]

This is so backwards, worrying about the best camera for street shooting when you already have a functional camera that actually produces images and you don't know yet if street photography is your skill.

Shoot pictures, learn photography, then worry about refining your camera selection.

So true.. but then sites like these wouldn't be so popular if everyone was too busy shooting rather than talking cameras...

Let me state this again.

Any camera can be used....

 

[hamlet]

This is so backwards, worrying about the best camera for street shooting when you already have a functional camera that actually produces images and you don't know yet if street photography is your skill.

Shoot pictures, learn photography, then worry about refining your camera selection.

If I, and many others, can shoot street photography with a FF body and standard size lenses, then the camera isn't the main hurdle.
What is the hurdle is developing the eye and the skill set.

What happens if you buy all this stuff and you discover that you still don't produce decent street pictures?

This is so nuts.
Like deciding you want to buy 4 wheel drive to off-road in the mountains in the winter before you learn how to drive.

We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

 

[hamlet]

This is so backwards, worrying about the best camera for street shooting when you already have a functional camera that actually produces images and you don't know yet if street photography is your skill.

Shoot pictures, learn photography, then worry about refining your camera selection.

So true.. but then sites like these wouldn't be so popular if everyone was too busy shooting rather than talking cameras...

Let me state this again.

Any camera can be used....

Just because you can use it doesn't mean its the best suited for that situation. Everything has its time and place.

 

[Juga]

This is so backwards, worrying about the best camera for street shooting when you already have a functional camera that actually produces images and you don't know yet if street photography is your skill.

Shoot pictures, learn photography, then worry about refining your camera selection.

So true.. but then sites like these wouldn't be so popular if everyone was too busy shooting rather than talking cameras...

Let me state this again.

Any camera can be used....

Just because you can use it doesn't mean its the best suited for that situation. Everything has its time and place.

You can always go with this and then NO ONE would ever know you had it.

 

[usayit]

Just because you can use it doesn't mean its the best suited for that situation. Everything has its time and place.

That's a natural response. But its not completely true. Your DSLR system is a versatile tool that isn't designed for a specific purpose... almost no camera is specific short of a dental camera. Most journalists and "street" photographers these days are using a variety of cameras. From my personal observation, I have seen DSLRs and P&S depending on the assignments. Yes, having a discreet camera helps BUT being discreet is as much the photographer and their approach as it is the camera in hand.

Cameras and equipment are enablers no more no less... This means that you DON't need to buy a new camera just to get started shooting street. Listen to Lew. Shoot first, learn... you'll know what camera suites your needs soon enough.


But if you feel compelled, I still strongly suggest considering the Micro 4/3rds system. Very compact systems and between Olympus and Panasonic, there are numerous camera bodies to choose from as well a lenses (both native and adapted).

 

[hamlet]

That is very impressive and very compact.

 

[ronlane]

Get google glass, I hear you can take pictures and video with that and it could be debated that it's inconspicuous.