{"id":153324,"date":"2022-07-05T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2022-07-05T07:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/?p=153324"},"modified":"2022-07-25T10:46:27","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T09:46:27","slug":"best-camera-for-street-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/round-ups\/camera_round_ups\/best-camera-for-street-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Camera For Street Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

Choosing the best camera for street photography for you is a question of narrowing down your priorities, says Damien Demolder. But if you aim for a small, light and quick-to-operate model, that’s a great starting point.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve heard on many occasions that it doesn\u2019t matter what camera you use for street photography, and that any camera will do. On a basic level that is absolutely true. Just as it is true you can get from London to Edinburgh on a donkey, and you can play football in flip flops.<\/p>\n

Why choosing the right camera is crucial<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve shot successful street pictures with medium format digital cameras, my phone and vintage film cameras<\/a>. Actually, pretty much every camera I\u2019ve ever tested has been used at some point to scratch my street photography itch. However, while I have recorded some good pictures with all of these cameras… I\u2019ve also made some pretty bad ones.<\/p>\n

More importantly, there are many, many moments that I missed because the camera got in the way, wasn\u2019t quick enough or was so big that passers-by kept well away to avoid whatever projectile I was about to launch.<\/p>\n

You can use any camera to take street pictures, as is evidenced by the wealth of fabulous pictures taken by the pioneers of the last century.<\/p>\n

But the right modern camera will not only make your life easier, it will also allow you to improve your hit-rate, to react more quickly and to capture moments that might otherwise elude you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Crucially too, the right camera will make you feel more comfortable and confident, and won\u2019t become a drag when you want to spend the whole day shooting with it.<\/p>\n

Key factors to consider<\/h3>\n

There are a number of factors that make a camera particularly suitable for street photography, and of those size and weight are probably the most important<\/strong>. However big and strong you are, a heavy camera system will eventually become a pain… you will get tired and you will stop shooting and go home before you would have done if your camera was lightweight.<\/p>\n

You will also take a small camera with you to more places, take it out more often and actually use it \u2013 because it won\u2019t be a drag to carry around. This is not just my opinion.<\/p>\n

If you are a little apprehensive about street photography (and that\u2019s OK, a lot of people are) a smaller camera will make you feel that you can blend in more<\/strong>, that you are not being obvious and that you aren\u2019t drawing attention to yourself. This will make you feel more confident that you can shoot discretely and not be noticed. This bit is very important for most people.<\/p>\n

A good autofocus system will be useful<\/strong> if you want to shoot moving people close to you, and a camera that reacts immediately when you ask it to take a picture is a must<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Most mirrorless and compact cameras will have a silent mode too<\/strong>, so you don\u2019t make a clatter and give the game away.<\/p>\n

So, keep reading for our best suggestions for a range of cameras that fit the bill and which will help you to reach your street photography goals…<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX9<\/a><\/h2>\n

Price: \u00a3599 with Lumix G Vario 12-32mm f\/3.5-5.6 OIS<\/strong>
\nwww.panasonic.com\/uk<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\"Panasonic\n

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX9 – at a glance<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Sensor: 20.3MP MOS Sensor<\/li>\n
  • Viewfinder: flip-up Live View EVF, 2,760k dot, 0.7x (equiv.), 100%<\/li>\n
  • Screen: 3-inch, 1,240k dot, tiltable TFT LCD<\/li>\n
  • ISO range: 100-25,600 (extended)<\/li>\n
  • 5-Axis Dual IS with 4 stops of stabilisation<\/li>\n
  • Touch screen shutter<\/li>\n
  • Dimensions: 124×72.1×46.8mm<\/li>\n
  • Weight: 450g<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Launched at the beginning of 2018, the Lumix GX9 may well be the oldest camera in this group, but it still holds its own with a number of special features. The rangefinder style reduces the number of sticking-out bits, so it remains compact and easy to fit in a coat pocket or a small bag, and, despite a nice solid build that withstands drops and scrapes, it weighs only 450g.<\/p>\n

    Although not fitted with the same 20MP sensor as is used in the top-of-the-line Lumix G9, the Lumix GX9 produces excellent image quality, plenty of dynamic range, nice colour and it is capable of recording a great deal of fine detail. RAW files are excellent, and JPEG users will enjoy masses of control.<\/p>\n

    The collapsible kit lens is handy and surprisingly sharp, but designed to a price that doesn\u2019t make the most of the camera\u2019s AF system. Street photographers might consider the Leica DG 25mm f\/1.4 or the Leica DG 15mm f\/1.7 as alternatives that will bring out the best in the camera and still keep it very small.<\/p>\n

    Built-in stabilisation helps in street photography not so much for compensating for the wobble of long lenses as much as for holding off camera-shake in low light conditions without us having to crank the ISO too far. The stabilisation is very effective (though the four stops of compensation is a little short of the very latest models) and when combined with a fast aperture lens, it\u2019s surprising how good results can be achieved in very dim conditions.<\/p>\n

    The rear screen flips up and down, which is less useful for uprights than for horizontal compositions, but it is bright, clear and almost always easy to see. The EVF is housed in a hinged chimney affair that also flips up so we can look down into it while shooting at right angles – like a waist-level finder. The viewfinder experience though is only average, and I almost never use it.<\/p>\n\t\t

    \n\t\t\t\"Panasonic<\/a>\t\t\t

    Panasonic Lumix GX9, 1\/2000sec, f\/1.4, ISO 800, -0.7EV. \u00a9 Damien Demolder<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

    Standout feature: Touch Shutter<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The highlight of this camera for street photographers is the quality of the touch screen and touch functions. Users can very quickly adjust the size and position of the AF area, and by touching the screen can focus and trigger the shutter at the same moment.<\/p>\n

    This feature is becoming more common in other cameras, but few I\u2019ve used can compete for the speed of reaction that this little camera manages when fitted with a good lens. The quality of this feature is one of the main reasons I still use the GX9 as my principle street camera \u2013 it allows me to get pictures that would otherwise be impossible.<\/p>\n

    Read our Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 Review<\/a><\/p>\n