Camera/kit options

And honestly, I do not understand all that hype and rave around iphones . 10 year - old upper tier PS cameras (top Lumixes or alike) do better, much better job. :D

 

Some of us photograph more than eye charts. Not much of a fan of Ansel Adams' photographs, but he did have some great things to say about photography, here's a few quotes:

 

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.”

 

“There’s nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”

 

“A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety.”

 

Equipment fetishism has nothing to do with photography.

Please feel free to make your own assessment.

They look good for b&w and tiny size.

Did you use built in artificial bokeh effect with "dog photo" or just did it in PS?

I llike the fact that you like your iphone but an entry level camera like Olympus E-M10 has a huge advantage in quality and speed. Especially in large size and in colour (as for quality). Those who want to continue debate look at Dpreview samples and their analysis.

Honeastly I have a $60 Finepix 280 and it does shoot on par with iphones.

"Artist" is hardly an insult - IMO it is a term which most would not use to describe themselves but would not be displeased to receive as an accolade.

 

As to phones, that is a matter of taste and choice of tools. I don't own one, but when I did, used them on occasion to take photos. They were more than adequate for the task at hand. There are a variety of talented photographers who use only phones

 

Frankly anything that lacks a viewfinder is off my list for photo usage except in an emergency...but that is just my preference.

Edited December 9, 2018 by Sandy Vongries

Some of us photograph more than eye charts. Not much of a fan of Ansel Adams' photographs, but he did have some great things to say about photography, here's a few quotes:

 

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.”

 

“There’s nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”

 

“A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety.”

 

Equipment fetishism has nothing to do with photography.

Each of us has his/her tastes (wines, cars, writing instruments, music, women, etc). I did not want to offend anybody but looked for useful practical talk and discussion.

Choosing a pol. filter I wrote a letter to Zeiss company headquarters (they responded) having examined lenstip first - this is my approach.

I will add... my mentor, a very good photojournalist Loboda (he is 72, he knows in person Gulnara Samoilova who took 11th of September pictures and he was also an apprentice of Syomin Vladimir)), used such definitions as flowing, delicate, transparent, coarse, ugly and many words discussing rendering of lenses, bokeh; and all alike stuff... So tastes differ so do approaches. He uses EOS 5 Mk2 Canon with a 24/1.4 L lens for street genre. He makes calls by means of the simplest 15-dollar button phone.

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” Yes.

“The single most important component is the twelve inches behind it" .rusian;)

 

Okay, got it.....some folk just like to boast;)

^

 

exactly! camera is whatever makes you happy. once upon a time i walked the streets with an RB67 over my shoulder.

 

as time went on i wanted something light... yashicamat!

 

not happy with squares, 645 was my answer n still a preference most times.

 

for speed n imediate gratification as well as color for a change... my cannon 20d rescued from the closet of someone that would eventually forget its in there.

once upon a time i walked the streets with an RB67 over my shoulder.

Really cool!

Any camera can be used to make street photos. However...what produces strong/compelling photographs has so very little to do with gear.

 

Rather, it's about the photographer, his/her curiosity, imagination, life experiences, understanding of light, composition, gesture, context, visual tension, potential for narrative, being comfortable around and able to connect with people, avoiding deceptive practices when making photos on the street, and much more.

 

If you're more into camera ownership, that's fine. But please don't confuse that with having anything to do with making decent street photos. That's just a trap that will get in the way and distract from what should be your real objective, assuming that's making good street pix.

 

Also...you might have noticed I always try to use the phrase "making photographs" instead of "taking photographs." There's a reason for that. Think about it.

Each of us has his/her tastes (wines, cars, writing instruments, music, women, etc). I did not want to offend anybody but looked for useful practical talk and discussion.

 

Not true. You have spent plenty of time telling other people their choices are not appropriate .

"Do be indifferent to praise and slander and do not dispute with a fool" © Alexander Pushkin.

 

are not appropriate

just for my choice, only for my choice and task.

Use whatever works for you. Bruce Davidson used an 8x10 view camera for his book "East 100th Street". It worked very well for him.

Sorry. I made a mistake. Bruce Davidson used a 4x5 view camera for "East 100th Street" not a 8x10 camera. I was not thinking straight before my morning coffee.

I disagree. While I know today's entry level Nikon can out perform my Nikon D300 in every meaningful way, there is just special about the D300 that makes you want to push that button over and over. Leica owners know what I'm talkin about.

makes you want to push that button over and over.

That’s not necessarily a good thing to do.

 

I find I sometimes get better pictures when I push the button less.

 

Of course, to each his own.

 

The particular camera I use has rarely if ever inspired me to push the button. It’s usually what I’m seeing or foreseeing that inspires that.

Have a walk with a big DSLR alone in shanty town or favelas in the evening alone.

 

 

I have done this plenty of times -- not always intentionally. o_O

I work on a five percent "worth a second look" theory, so the more the better!

For me, whatever it is has to have a viewfinder. There is one advantage to a big DSLR on a good strap over a phone. Worst case, you can really smack someone with the camera - the phone, not so much! ;)

For me, it’s not a matter of the camera being all-important on one hand or the camera never mattering, ever, on the other. It’s a matter of street photography not being monolithic and there not being a “best” camera to use for a genre that is as diverse and can accommodate as many approaches as street shooting. There’s a whole lot of room for all kinds of cameras to be used effectively.

 

iPhones are better not measured against other cameras and what those other cameras can do, which will mostly be up to whose holding those cameras. They are what the photographer can make of them.

 

A creative mind like Lucas Samaras didn’t set out to prove that a Polaroid could do just what other cameras could do. He explored some of their unique characteristics and abilities. He didn’t feel limited by his new camera. He opened doors with it.

Worst case, you can really smack someone with the camera - the phone, not so much! ;)

I won't question the resident martial artist's reasoning, but I see an issue: Weaponizing an afterwards broken camera might become a tough case in court. Anything self defense should be successful around here, to go unpunished. - Sacrificing one's camera, to safe & defend it might appear a bit absurd, unless you carry D2Hs, to whack Leica robbers. ( IANL, but I think I was taught to see problems.)

( IANL, but I think I was taught to see problems.)

Mostly joking - first thought about it after a street encounter my wife & I had with a very drunken guy and apparently angry / violent guy on the way back to our hotel after a nice dinner. I wasn't even taking pictures, just carrying the DF low profile against my hip on a Black Rapid strap. I still have a trick or two up my sleeve from the old days, but a bit long in the tooth to have any interest in trying to use them. In the face of violence, you do what you need to do - I can get always another camera. In re: court of law, my old instructor used to quote the old "Rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6" .

Worst case, you can really smack someone with the camera

 

My old Nikon hard case (FB-8) holding 2 cameras and lenses was very heavy and could easily be deployed when someone crowded you in line.:rolleyes:

My old Nikon hard case (FB-8)

As you know one of my favorites to this day. I could cram 2 Nikons, 4 lenses, my Vivitar 283 flash, 8 filters and better than a dozen rolls of film into that case, and you could still work out of it.

Whatever instrument you choose, it is more of a question of skill and demeanour than device. just my opinion.

There’s an old saying among musicians: it ain’t what you play, it’s how you play it. And then there’s the blues version: it ain’t the meat, it’s the motion :)