
Street Photographers Camera and Lens Combinations.
My Personal Choice.
Markus Andersen.
Leica MP with 28mm F2.8 Elmarit lens.
Ricoh GR1 v/s compact film camera with GR 28mm lens.
Why?
The Leica MP is a mechanical film camera that is exceptional for capturing the motion and chaos of the street.
Using the Elmarit 28mm, the photographer can set the lens for hyper focal distance, allowing the shooter to get in very close to subjects whilst still retaining elements of the environment that adding interest to your composition.
The Ricoh GR1 is the perfect back up for the Leica MP / 28mm combination. It has a sharp and punchy fixed wide Ricoh GR 28mm lens, is moderately small, has auto exposure and contains the SNAP focus feature (set at approximate 2 meters) which allows for reactive shooting.
This combination allows the photographer to shoot with a ‘field” view of a scene. The Leica MP camera and Elmarit 28mm lens equips the shooter to include multiple elements with the frame, resulting in dynamic and complex street imagery.
Leica M4 with 35mm Summicron F2 APSH lens.
Olympus XA compact film camera with F-Zuiko 35mm F2.8 lens.
Why?
The Leica M4 is a film camera without a meter, without batteries and is purely a tool designed to be a street workhorse. Combined with the Leica 35mm Summicron F2 ASPH lens (again set at hyper focal distance of approximately 2 meters) it allows the photographer to maintain tighter composition within the frame whilst allowing the shooter to stand back a little further from the subjects (drawing less attention to the photographer).
The Olympus XA film camera with the with F-Zuiko 35mm F2.8 lens is a brilliant companion to the Leica M4 with a Summicron 35mm lens. The XA is very small compact camera with great 35mm F2.8 lens, a simple rangefinder (which allows the photographer to set focus distance very easily; usually .09 meters), an ultra responsive exposure button and auto exposure. The XA is a very simple camera, allowing the photographer to set a specific focal distance and just keep shooting; only concentrating on the composition, the light and the rhythm of the street scene.
Fuji x100T digital camera with fixed Fujinon 23mm F2 lens (35mm equivalent). (using OVF). Colour Work Only.
Fuji XT1 digital camera with Fuji Fujinon XF 23mm F1.4 lens (35mm equivalent). (using EVF). Colour Work Only.
Why?
The Fuji x100T is a great digital camera and 35mm lens for street images. Using manual focus set at approximately 2 meters, plus using manual exposure (to control the ambient light) the camera has practically zero shutter lag and makes for a dynamic street shooters camera. I find the colours produced by the camera to be saturated and dense.
The Fuji XT1 with the Fuji Fujinon XF 23mm F1.4 lens (35mm equivalent) is a good companion camera and lens to the x100T. The XT1 is perhaps more suitable for documentary photography (as opposed to classic street imagery) however with the Fuji 35mm 1.4 lens attached, an incredible EVF and its small size, photographing urban found objects / abstract street imagery is a pleasure.
markusandersen.net
japancamerahunter.com (For a great selection of Ricoh, Contax and Leica cameras).
Artigo de Markus Andersen.