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Camera Choices - No look shooting, day and night

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ArtieD

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I'm looking to buy a new camera that will be suitable for my style of photogaphy which is mostly no-look street shooting. The camera's belt high, or slightly higher, and I basically aim and press the shutter.

Of prime importance is auto focus capability that will somewhat reliably select a subject (obviously an art) and attain quick and reliable focus, both in daylight and at night. Focus priority (only tripping the shutter when the camera has attained focus) and face detection are also priorities.

Contenders (within my price range) are

Panasonic LX100

Panasonic DMC-G7

Panasonic DMC-GX85

Sony SLT A68

Nikon D5500

All ILCs will be purchased with the kit lens. (The LX-100 has a fixed lens).

Other considerations - The Panasonics are generally light and compact (a plus). The LX100 has a significantly faster lens (should be able to focus better in low light and use lower ISO?), The Sony and Nikon have the biggest sensors; LX100 has the smallest. The Sony has hybrid (phase and contrast) focusing but is the heaviest. The Nikon is loud (almost disqualifying, but I've left it in)

Thoughts?
 
am still looking at your photographs and postcards Artie ...but can I just let you know the link to Printfection is broken.

Can I tell you I am really enjoying myself too. Terrific photographs

I won't be much help with your question I don't think, I look, I use the viewfinder and manually focus on primes. I use dslr and the closest I can get to you is a medium format Mamiya RB67 with waist-level finder (grin) I do shoot day and night but I use manual or aperture on the camera body, no IS or anything like that ...we are like chalk and cheesecake Artie.

How did you go last time with the question ...
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56254693

last time, you asked about the lens, this time you didn't ...?

I hope the others can help, I'll just listen in ...and look at your photographs some more.

ant.
 
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actually one thing, I'm a Nikon user (just to get that out of the way), can I suggest you take it off your list unless you intend to put something expensive on it as a lens.

But I will say the loudness is only heard if you listen ...but I do understand you have your own requirements.

ant.
 
namatet said:
am still looking at your photographs and postcards Artie ...but can I just let you know the link to Printfection is broken.

Can I tell you I am really enjoying myself too. Terrific photographs

I won't be much help with your question I don't think, I look, I use the viewfinder and manually focus on primes. I use dslr and the closest I can get to you is a medium format Mamiya RB67 with waist-level finder (grin) I do shoot day and night but I use manual or aperture on the camera body, no IS or anything like that ...we are like chalk and cheesecake Artie.

How did you go last time with the question ...
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56254693

last time, you asked about the lens, this time you didn't ...?

I hope the others can help, I'll just listen in ...and look at your photographs some more.

ant.
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Chalk and cheesecake ;>^ That's a good one.

Yes, Printfection is out of business, or at least out of the small batch, print on demand business. I've been lax in updating my website.

Last time, I ultimately went with the Samsung NX500. It was a mixed, but ultimately unsatisfying experience. The final straw was when I went out Halloween night and, standing still, photographed a number of parade goers. Shots were almost uniformly out of focus, so I bit the bullet and sent it to Amazon for trade in value.

Thanks for the complements on my pix. Flickr is definitely the place to see them.
 
Thank you. Several years ago, I shot with an Olympus E-510. I try to be inconspicuous when I shoot, and the absence of noise helps that, especially in close quarters. The mirror slap and/or shutter noise, while perhaps inaudible in a noisy environment, was quite noticeable to me, and perhaps to subjects. If nothing else, it made me uncomfortable, but I suspect it also called attention to my activities.

Thank you for your thoughts on the Nikon.
 
Artie

great shots - Unlike Ant , think we are photographically less like chalk and cheese, more like Cream cheese and Brie :-)

I would put a shout out for Olympus E-PL7 or Pen F

I almost exclusively use an E-M1 and and eP-l6 which i got at a blow out price for 300 dollars new.

There is a great range of prime lenses from both Olympus and Panasonic covering the wide to normal ranges.

My flickr page (link in sig) is also somewhat uncurated, and I do shoot other genres beyond street, but if you rifle through my albums/photostream you will find plenty of shots made with the Olympus

Another avenue to check out is the Ricoh GRD range, though they tend to be fixed lens, single FL

K

--
if you really must see my photos then try
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinparis2007/
 
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ArtieD said:
I'm looking to buy a new camera that will be suitable for my style of photogaphy which is mostly no-look street shooting. The camera's belt high, or slightly higher, and I basically aim and press the shutter.

Of prime importance is auto focus capability that will somewhat reliably select a subject (obviously an art) and attain quick and reliable focus, both in daylight and at night. Focus priority (only tripping the shutter when the camera has attained focus) and face detection are also priorities.

Contenders (within my price range) are

Panasonic LX100

Panasonic DMC-G7

Panasonic DMC-GX85

Sony SLT A68

Nikon D5500

All ILCs will be purchased with the kit lens. (The LX-100 has a fixed lens).

Other considerations - The Panasonics are generally light and compact (a plus). The LX100 has a significantly faster lens (should be able to focus better in low light and use lower ISO?), The Sony and Nikon have the biggest sensors; LX100 has the smallest. The Sony has hybrid (phase and contrast) focusing but is the heaviest. The Nikon is loud (almost disqualifying, but I've left it in)

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
 
ArtieD said:
I'm looking to buy a new camera that will be suitable for my style of photogaphy which is mostly no-look street shooting. The camera's belt high, or slightly higher, and I basically aim and press the shutter.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I shoot street with the Sony a6000 and 16-50 kit lens. Very small, light, tilting LCD or VF, super-fast AF, APS-C 24 MP. For me - ideal for street.

Newer a6300 and a6500 are more expensive options with some newer features.

--
Sam K., NYC
http://skanter.smugmug.com/NYC-Street-Photography
“A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.”
-Dorothea Lange
 
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I'd get a Ricoh GR if VF not important and fixed lens okay and wanted no look stealth kind of shooting.

Or a Panasonic GX7 and 20mm F1.7 pancake if want ILC.

The Olympus OM-D range (em-5, em-10, em1 - em-10 M1 would be my choice) some have tilting screens and silent shutters. The mark 1 models can be had for a steal and work with the above pancake lens.

I'd always prefer a larger high rez sensor for Low light so APS-C options are A-6000 as skanter mentioned or Fuji X series or Ricoh.

I have a D5300 which is close to the D5500 and whilst an excellent camera, not the type for that style of shooting. It has a loud shutter, Live view is abysmal and there are no small lenses for it. Closest you'd get is the 35mm F1.8G and it's a very tight view for SP.

I wouldn't personally buy either the Ricoh GR or the Panasonic GX7 for myself but they would seem to suit your needs and both have excellent reputations for low light and AF and excellent reputations as SP and documentary cameras and the GX7 good reputation as photojournalist camera too.

Canon 100D is cheap as chips now and there is the 24mm F2,8 pancake lens. Smallest DSLR on the planet and nice small lens. IQ nothing to write home about but 18MP APS-C should see you good for most situations.

My biggest piece of advice is always this - do the research, make a list and narrow it down to a few and then try them out in store first to see which you like the feel of as it's a massive part of photography of any kind for most people. Good stores will let you take them outside for a bit so you can get a feel of them in the street. Maybe even take your own sd card and shoot a few fast shots, dark shots, fast moving subject shots, panning shots etc and see how the files are when you get home. Go on Flickr and look at SP taken with those cameras etc.

Good luck, black Friday this week.....
 
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Are you sure you'll maintain a long-term interest in the hip-shooting technique? It's a bit low-on-the-ladder in terms of skills available for street...not that there's anything wrong with the approach.

The fear is, once you've picked the ultimate hip-shot system, you'll graduate into techniques requiring greater degrees of self-discipline. If that happens, having a camera system that can grow with you would seem the wisest path to pursue.
 
I thought about trying one of these Sony ILC-QX1 20 megapixels or the other ones they make they are cheap could be mounted to an over shoulder bag strap on a peak design capture clip and for all intents and purposes it looks like you are on your phone when really you are taking photos :-)
 
CreationLover said:
I thought about trying one of these Sony ILC-QX1 20 megapixels or the other ones they make they are cheap could be mounted to an over shoulder bag strap on a peak design capture clip and for all intents and purposes it looks like you are on your phone when really you are taking photos :-)
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An interesting approach, though not for me. Could it be that half the people walking around with their heads in a smartphone are really street photographers? Not as oblivious as they look? The mind boggles.
 
I agree with Jeff. Look through some galleries of hip shooters. After a few shots no matter how good the light, the moment, etc they all look the same... all off kilter

I decided to try with my camera to learn how to use it from the chest or hip without off kilter / wonky framing. Literally cannot do it.

Better to use a tilting LCD if you don't want to use a VF.

Just my tuppence worth, we all find our own tools and methods and they all vary...
 
Easy Rider said:
I agree with Jeff. Look through some galleries of hip shooters. After a few shots no matter how good the light, the moment, etc they all look the same... all off kilter

I decided to try with my camera to learn how to use it from the chest or hip without off kilter / wonky framing. Literally cannot do it.

Better to use a tilting LCD if you don't want to use a VF.

Just my tuppence worth, we all find our own tools and methods and they all vary...
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As with anything else its all about practise and developing the skills.
 
jeff hladun said:
Are you sure you'll maintain a long-term interest in the hip-shooting technique? It's a bit low-on-the-ladder in terms of skills available for street...not that there's anything wrong with the approach.

The fear is, once you've picked the ultimate hip-shot system, you'll graduate into techniques requiring greater degrees of self-discipline. If that happens, having a camera system that can grow with you would seem the wisest path to pursue.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12191517@N05/
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This is really bad advice, and I'm made happier that it was your mistake.

There is a major change coming to Street Photography, the genuine Street Photographers already know it is in the air ...and I don't care how magnificent a person feels that they can troll, or make a funny regard of my suggestion, but the end of Street Photography is not that far off, and coming sooner for some (hello Frank) you will all have to adapt or else take up some other activity that includes walking ...in a city.

Besides, did anyone look at Artie's beautiful photography. He does not need this kind of help from others that don't know what they are talking about. You don't know how powerful hip shooting is because you cannot do it ...is all. It is hugely powerful but who of you knew that ...well apparently none, not one, well maybe except one or two including the OP.

Don't you like his photographs already, I do and don't want them spoilt for him and for me or anyone else when they look at them ...further and you can whine as much as you want about my use of the word "genuine" but I will speak my mind and not have it directed by a (cough) (cough) empty majority.

ant.
 
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namatet said:
Member said:
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This is really bad advice, and I'm made happier that it was your mistake.

There is a major change coming to Street Photography, the genuine Street Photographers already know it is in the air ...and I don't care how magnificent a person feels that they can troll, or make a funny regard of my suggestion, but the end of Street Photography is not that far off, and coming sooner for some (hello Frank) you will all have to adapt or else take up some other activity that includes walking ...in a city.

Besides, did anyone look at Artie's beautiful photography. He does not need this kind of help from others that don't know what they are talking about. You don't know how powerful hip shooting is because you cannot do it ...is all. It is hugely powerful but who of you knew that ...well apparently none, not one, well maybe except one or two including the OP.

Don't you like his photographs already, I do and don't want them spoilt for him and for me or anyone else when they look at them ...further and you can whine as much as you want about my use of the word "genuine" but I will speak my mind and not have it directed by a (cough) (cough) empty majority.

ant.
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If you think Artie's hip-shots are superior to his non hip-shots, you should be telling him, not me.
 
jeff hladun said:
namatet said:
This is really bad advice, and I'm made happier that it was your mistake.

There is a major change coming to Street Photography, the genuine Street Photographers already know it is in the air ...and I don't care how magnificent a person feels that they can troll, or make a funny regard of my suggestion, but the end of Street Photography is not that far off, and coming sooner for some (hello Frank) you will all have to adapt or else take up some other activity that includes walking ...in a city.

Besides, did anyone look at Artie's beautiful photography. He does not need this kind of help from others that don't know what they are talking about. You don't know how powerful hip shooting is because you cannot do it ...is all. It is hugely powerful but who of you knew that ...well apparently none, not one, well maybe except one or two including the OP.

Don't you like his photographs already, I do and don't want them spoilt for him and for me or anyone else when they look at them ...further and you can whine as much as you want about my use of the word "genuine" but I will speak my mind and not have it directed by a (cough) (cough) empty majority.

ant.
Click to expand...
If you think Artie's hip-shots are superior to his non hip-shots, you should be telling him, not me.
Click to expand...
It was your advice we were discussing not Artie's photographs (his name is right there by the way)

Oh look, you got a thumb, you must have found another street photographer Jeff ...and here of all places. Who gave you that lonesome one, surely you will get some more, hopefully will give me something to count ...lol

(apologies Artie, is about the quality of the advice is all, maybe just pointing out the inherent problem with forums, well one of the problems)
 
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namatet said:
jeff hladun said:
namatet said:
This is really bad advice, and I'm made happier that it was your mistake.

There is a major change coming to Street Photography, the genuine Street Photographers already know it is in the air ...and I don't care how magnificent a person feels that they can troll, or make a funny regard of my suggestion, but the end of Street Photography is not that far off, and coming sooner for some (hello Frank) you will all have to adapt or else take up some other activity that includes walking ...in a city.

Besides, did anyone look at Artie's beautiful photography. He does not need this kind of help from others that don't know what they are talking about. You don't know how powerful hip shooting is because you cannot do it ...is all. It is hugely powerful but who of you knew that ...well apparently none, not one, well maybe except one or two including the OP.

Don't you like his photographs already, I do and don't want them spoilt for him and for me or anyone else when they look at them ...further and you can whine as much as you want about my use of the word "genuine" but I will speak my mind and not have it directed by a (cough) (cough) empty majority.

ant.
Click to expand...
If you think Artie's hip-shots are superior to his non hip-shots, you should be telling him, not me.
Click to expand...
It was your advice we were discussing not Artie's photographs (his name is right there by the way)

Oh look, you got a thumb, you must have found another street photographer Jeff ...and here of all places. Who gave you that ...lol
Click to expand...
No, there was no discussion regarding my advice, just a judgement - for some unexplained reason - that it was bad. If you care to expand on how it is so, I'm all ears.
 
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