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Sayo
Guys-

So I read Chris Week's "Street Photography for the Purist" over at dA.

It's made me hate my life and want to kill myself.

Because I own a Nikon D50 with a Sigma f/3.5-5.6 28-90mm and not a rangefinder Leica.

Is his shit bullshit, can I run decent street photography with a D50 with maybe, better glass? Does my glass suck that much? Or is the problem not with the glass but the inherent D50 itself just cannot perform great, wall-at-the-museum photography?
EXIF data available. Clickhereto show/hide.
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>> Depressed Cheesecake !wFh1Fw9wBU
Uh oh. I felt the same way. Buy a 50mm prime, it's sex for street photography. Or a 35 for a crop body, if you can afford it.
>> Anonymous
No, in a nutshell, the problem with dSLRs and your lens is simple: theyre fucking huge. Leicas are much more inconspicuous. To the uneducated eye, they look like toy cameras. It's all about discretion there, really. Also, not using a zoom would seem to open up much more possibilities to you than it takes away, oddly enough.
>> Anonymous
>>201862

+1
The rational pro-rangefinder argument is that they're 100x more inconspicuous than a giant SLR. The pdf you're talking about goes on to bitch about "BLAH BLAH LECIA M FRAMELINES PURITY AWESOME" but it does show the number one reason.

Nobody recognizes rangefinders anymore.
Oh, and they're quiet as shit too.
>> Anonymous
fuck DSLRs, get a real camera
>> Anonymous
>>201883

0/10
>> Anonymous
Get a little 28 or something and it shouldn't be too bad.

Ideal solution: Leica M8 with lens of your choice.
Solution that doesn't require selling your firstborn: Leica M3 if you plan on using 50mm or longer more, Leica M2 if you plan on using 35mm more. Lens of your choice, with viewfinder if needed.
Other solution that doesn't require selling your firstborn: a small sensor digital camera.
>> linkiE !ei5A1FPDuk
I've had very few real problems doing street photography with a big ol' SLR (EOS 3/40D). You just need to know how to mask yourself. Do everything you can to delay your subject's reaction to your camera.
>> Anonymous
>>201883
This guy has nothing to say.

Both DSLRs and Rangefinders have their purposes, no such thing as "get a real camera".

In the case of OP however, probably a good route to bridge the gap between a dslr and a rangefinder is to:

- Use a prime as DC suggested. 35 or 28 are good, depending on your taste.
- Learn to shoot in full manual mode at nearly all times.
- Learn to never chimp.
>> Haddock !!xREx2m9lgBs
Chris is kinda overdramatic in that piece, but he knows his shit and makes awesome photos.
>> Anonymous
>>201887
Fuck the M8 man... or has the sensor issue been fixed yet?

Personally, I'd grab an M6.
>> Haddock !!xREx2m9lgBs
>>201894
"sensor issue?"
If you mean the IR problem, it's got a band-aid, the filter.
Personally I don't think an M8 is worth the cash, with the same amount of money you'd pay for the body alone I'd either get an RD-1 or an M6TTL and some lenses.
>> Sayo
>>201864

Grazie. Though I don't really care at this time in my photography endevours if someone notices me or not, I'm more about the dual use single camera rather than buying an M3 soley for use with street photography.

I'll probably opt for that 50mm prime to be honest with you, I never even considered the idea of a fixed length lens because like>>201862said, you'd think it would take a lot of possibilities away.

I'll probably invest in new glass first then, and keep the D50. It's actually not that big to me, not for the application I'm using it in.
>> Sayo
>>201889
Never chimp?
>> Anonymous
>>201894
The "sensor issue" was a necessary design ompromise. Digital sensors don't work well at short flange focal distances; among other isues, internal flare is one result. Slimming down (and thus making weaker) the IR filter on the sensor prevents the problem, and in some people's opinion produces better results in black and white.

The RD-1, with a "normal" IR filter and the same mount, will sometimes get this problem. Oh, and guess what? It'll sometimes have problems with IR contamination too, why I don't know.
>> Haddock !!xREx2m9lgBs
>>201901you'd think it would take a lot of possibilities away.
You'd think that, but then you'd be an idiot.
>> Anonymous
Bullshit. You don't need a leica. Any camera, as long as you know what you're doing, will do.

I see a lot of people hoarding Leicas because "it's the perfect camera for street photography. It's silent and small and INCONSPICUOUS", but I have never seen any good street photos from these guys.

D100 with zoom lens:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sakuralove/

A Mamiya Medium Format:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hinius/

A Canon 5D
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffhammond/

A Nikkomat:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tranquil_thumb/

Polaroids:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sikost/
>> Anonymous
a prime and a canon rebel are pretty small and inconspicuous (everyone has them)
>> Anonymous
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>>201918
Dude with the D100 is the only win in that bunch.
Great work from him though.

Rangefinders are pretty win for street work though.
But AF I'd say is more helpful.
I use a HEXAR and it is unbelievable.
>> Sayo
>>201918

excellent links man, thanks!
>> Anonymous
op photo is awful
>> Anonymous
>>201925Girl with the D100

fix'd
>> Haddock !!xREx2m9lgBs
>>201925
Pre-focusing + actually knowing what you're doing > AF
>> Anonymous
Street + D50:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/finden/sets/72157594587592998/
>> Anonymous
>but I have never seen any good street photos from these guys.

Henri Cartier-Bresson
Josef Koudelka
David Alan Harvey
Garry Winogrand
Robert Frank
Alfred Eisenstaedt

Etc. Etc.

>>201931
Fucking signed.
>> Anonymous
>>201942
I'm not talking about these guys, obviously. I'm talking about the fuckers who usually hang out in online forums and post all their gears in their signatures.
>> Anonymous
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>>201925
>>201925

not the only win.. the 5D has some great shots

<
>> Anonymous
Buy a ricoh gr.
>> Anonymous
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>>201956
It takes a small bit of digging to get to the good stuff from the links

Camera-Specific Properties:Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution196 dpiVertical Resolution196 dpiImage Created2007:11:30 21:42:07Color Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width400Image Height606
>> Anonymous
>>201954
Yeah, and the ones who have "Canon EOS 1Ds Mk. III 24-70/2.8L 16-35/2.8L 14/2.8L 85/1.2L" or whatever are just as big of douchebags.
>> Anonymous
>>201967

that looks terrible...
>> Anonymous
'HE'S' A JAPANESE GIRL YOU TWATS
>> Anonymous
>>202030
Chinese girl...
>> Serenar !m827jEgWi.
If you must have a rangefinder:
Canon 7 (two are going for cheap on rangefinderforum.com now) $200-300
Jupiter 8 50/2 $100 for a good one if you can look around

But really just use your D50.