Need a digital street camera...

Im using a Leica M6TTL and a 35mm Summicron ASPH.

 

Im looking for a digital camera thats small simple, doesn't power off, I dont want the screen on all the

time, fixed lens ie one thats doesn't open every-time the thing is powered on, want a prime lens. Is there

a camera out there for me?

 

Lookin at;

Ricoh GRD

Sigma DP-1 where is that was it ever released?

Canon G9

Samsung L77

 

 

Any other suggestions regardless of my criteria would be extremely helpful, also examples.

 

Thank you in advance.

Joe

The DP1 has not been released. Sigma has recently stated the camera is being redesigned.

 

he GRD II and G9 have many happy owners. There are a number of threads in the archives, though less of the GRD II as it's only recently been released. No clue regarding the Samsung L77.

I'm happy with my Fuji Z1, very small form factor, newer ones should be better. Tape over the LCD works at night, after you learn how to point it based on some practice. There are other ways to mask/reduce the LCD brightness.

 

What digital will match the "35mm Summicron ASPH"? Maybe a new Pentax and a "pancake" lens? Close but no cigar. Regards.

Try a used Canon 20D or 30D and Canon's 24mm F2.8 lens which is small, light weight, cheap and sharp.

Street camera are responsive and fast. No P&S is fast, but the G9 is best.

 

Being a Nikon guy, D80 with one prime lens 24/28/35. Take your pick. Translated to film they ar 35/40/50. I suggest autofocus ones.

 

P&S frustrated the heck out of me as they simply do not work well. At least old film camera worked reponsively and had more accurate viewfinders. I bought a D200, but the 80 is cheaper and smaller. Maybe wait for the upcoming D60

The Canon G9 looks like a winner for a street P&S camera. I still use the Canon G6 but I'm looking at the G9. I think a great street combination would be the Canon XTi with the new 18-55mm IS lens. I've been using the 18-55mm IS with my 20D.

 

>>>

Street camera are responsive and fast. No P&S is fast, but the G9 is best.

<<<

It seems like a lot of people wants technology to replace skill and technique. These little P&S cameras will teach you a lot about skills like anticipation, estimation with the 80% viewfinder, patience and committment to a picture. No camera is perfect. They are just tools to make images with. Good pictures happen 3-4" behind the lens. Good luck! Canon G6 - <center><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/6592996-md.jpg"></center>

I'd go with any of those el-cheapo dslr kits - better focusing/image quality than p&s digicams.

 

(re current digi p&s vs. dslr): while technology can't replace skills and techniques, it can certainly reduce pointless extra work.

Prime lens ? In a compact, that pretty much leaves you at the Ricoh GR-D or the new GR-D II, both with 28mm (equiv) prime lens.<p>

 

Can't comment personally on the camera, as I haven't used it, but a number of very capable street shooters are using it and getting fine results.<p>

 

Take a look at <a href=http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Nq6G>this thread</a> for further discussion, a few examples, and some links.<p>

 

In terms of a straight Leica M replacement, note that BDS (scroll down on that thread for his post) has gone that route. Brian offers a link to some of his photos, which are in my view consistently excellent ... but that would be true of his photos with any camera, I suspect. <p>

 

Other photogs whose street photos I like very much are also using compact Ricoh cameras. Guys like Jeff Spirer, Thomas Sullivan, John Doane, Trevor Hare (not as much street, but very good photos), Travis (not sure which Ricoh), Mitch Alland (has more than one Ricoh I believe), are also using these cameras, among others, and doing very well with them.<p>

 

Don't want this to sound like a promo for Ricoh, so I'll repeat: these very capable photographers would no doubt do well -- and have done well -- with other cameras, too.<p>

 

If you're willing to consider a small dslr, you've got more choices: Pentax K100D (with one of several fine Pentax prime lenses, perhaps the 21mm or the 31mm or 35mm) comes to mind immediately. Olympus has small dslr's but fewer lens choices right now, unless you'd consider manual focus lenses. Andy Kochanowski uses such a combo very effectively for a number of his street shots. <p>

 

The smallest Nikon dslr will mount all kinds of lenses, but will autofocus only with AF-S or AFI lenses and a few of the newer Sigma lenses as well. And there's Canon .... and Sony ....<p>

 

No shortage of cameras, Joe. :-) <P>

 

Good luck.

Gil P -- Good shot.

I would have to say the ricohs are a level ahead of Canon's P&S regarding shutter lag. With

the Canons, you have to half-press the shutter constantly whether or not you are in AF or

fixed focus else there is a substantial lag.

BTW the DP1 is officially released today.

Hello Joe:

 

There is a pretty good review of the G9 (from a photographers point of view) here:

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/G9-Japan.shtml

 

Cheers! Jay

I love my 21mm pentax on either the K100D or the K10D. If I could change one thing on that lens it would be to increase the focus throw to make it easier to mark for zone focusing. I could do with a little less barrel distortion too, but it's not a summicron after all and the wee bit that is noticeable is fixed easily in software. The K10D bodies are being discounted like crazy now. Just saw one for 550.

And there's the M8, of course. Fits all your requirements. I use mine a great deal and (IMHO) it's close to the perfect street camera.

Joe, I really recomand the Ricoh GRDII with an external viewfinder. I have mine set in snap-mode, f=5.6 and 400ASA. This way everything between 4 feet and infinity is sharp. Shooting jpgs this is a very fast little camera. I'm a Leica M6 photographer since a long time. But this little Ricoh-camera comes very close to the M6 in handling and feeling. Rent one for a test weekend if you can. Best Michael

"BTW the DP1 is officially released today."

 

It's officially *re-announced* today, after a significant delay for redesign. It won't be available until "Spring 2008". Nicely vague statement on the part of Sigma, there.

 

As promising as the large-sensor DP1 seems, plenty of people are getting excellent results right now from tiny-sensor digicams by Ricoh, Sony, Canon, etc.

 

Don't fall into the trap of stifling your creativity while you wait for the "next big thing" in digital street cameras. I've been in that trap before myself - it's lonely, and there are hungry tigers! :)

 

Get to work now, with whatever you can find, and upgrade later if the next thing comes along and is sufficiently compelling to be worth the transition.

 

Right now, it sounds like the GRD or GRD-II is most in line with what you are looking for. Go for it, and have fun.

>>> Don't fall into the trap of stifling your creativity while you wait for the "next big thing"

in digital street cameras.

 

Outstanding advice...

Very interesting. You all suggest in bulk, just three cameras specifically G9 and Ricoh GRD.

 

Short focus throw on manual lenses are essential because you want to be able to flick your

finger from one focus point to the other partially using the actual visual of the rangefinder

and partially using mental mapping of where your focus points. Using a leica makes you

extremely fast thinker. Think and react are one when using a manual rangefinder.

 

I cannot go back to using an SLR, mainly because my eyesight is not good enough to give

me the kind of accuracy a rangefinder gives me even though I have bad vision (spectacles

or not). The best SLR lens Ive ever used was the first series of Pentax AF primes, the 50mm

f1.4 is an outstanding optic, as is the Canon EF35f1.4 most other SLR lenses do not even

register my my brain as being anything to shout about in comparison to my snobbishly

over priced Leica M optics.

 

The G9 is a consideration as it those others I mentioned, Im looking for alternatives to

these i mentioned.

 

I have had and used an Epson R-D1 which I can honestly say has to be the very finest in

digital photography for me (photography for me is as much to do with the pleasure of acquisition as the pleasure of the capture). Its intrinsically respectable, however its physical build quality helps it to fail, and failure is not an option when dealing with Epson

as a company.

 

I cannot deal with autofocus, I am the brain behind the lens, I do not want the camera to

counter what I command the tool to do for me.

Joe,

 

Just as an exercise, you may want to play with the Online DoF calculator for these cameras.

 

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

 

You might find the results interesting :)

The camera you want doesn't exist yet. We all want one of these. Don't waste your money on the latest flavor point & shoot...you won't be happy.

<p>

I'd use what you have and at least wait to see what the Sigma DP-1 has to offer

<< ... <i>The camera you want doesn't exist yet.</i> ... >><p>

 

Well, there is <a href=http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00OFXQ>this new one</a>. ... :)

Why do you need a digital street camera?