I have been doing street on and off for a long while. I discovered that moving to a bigger camera helped me in a few ways. My setup is a DSLR with a 40mm pancake lens.(5DMKii, 6D or a 20D/40D crop) Not a discreet setup, but helpful to get some credibility for my street portraits with subjects permission. I hardly do candid any more these days, so no need for a discrete setup. The other advantage for me is that I have my camera always in one hand, ready to shoot-this setup is to big to fit in my pocket. On the DSLR I can change setting fast with one hand without menu diving (ISO, exposure comp, WB, shutter speed, aperture) My previous, smaller camera's take a few seconds to start or wake up and forgot the settings.

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

I agree to an extent, this larger lens set up kind of removed any possibility of being discreet so just being open and honest about taking photos felt the best way to go

I still love my NEX6 with the 25/2.0 TTartisan. Although thinking about the 27/2.8AF one recently.

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

Nice! I did a video on the NEX5 with the 27mm 2.8 AF and it was a great affordable combo

As you say, there is no one size fits all and everyone is different, both behind the lens, and in front of...and street-photography is so random in many ways. I totally agree with having a camera and lens set up that you're really comfortable with, especially for street. I shoot with a Fuji X-T30ii for street, with either the 18-55mm kit (which is excellent, slightly larger than ideal, but not bad), or a small fast prime, where's it's then very unobtrusive, it's a great set-up....but some people will still notice. Same as you, the zoom allows me to quickly switch between 28mm and 35mm (FF) and sometimes 50, for, say, closer architectural details, or the odd street-portrait. TBH, I'm not really interested in shooting street-portraits, unless I see someone really interesting..Then hopefully I would get a candid shot, or ask them. But, in general, I shoot the 'street', and any people captured are incidental to the actual shot, although obviously important to the overall composition and outcome. My favourite focal length for street has to be 35mm (FF), it's just a classic. The general public out on the streets are obviously a mixed bunch. Most people don't bat an eyelid when every man and his dog is taking snapshots and video on their smartphones, but take out your camera, and that can be a different story altogether. Some people will then view you with very suspicious eyes. It's become this strange dichotomy, when essentially it's not.....I'm same as you, quite tall (6'3"), so probably stand out a little more. But I just go around in a nice calm manner, am polite, don't make any sudden movements or shove my camera in someone's face, and just try to blend in as much as is possible. But it's also important to be aware of your surroundings, from a safety perspective, and stay to areas that you know, know are safe, and where there are plenty of people about, etc...If you want to shoot in new areas, I thinks it's a good idea to scout it first, at a time when you will be shooting, just to suss it out, both from a photography point of view and a safety level, better safe than sorry. Same with night shooting, and ideal if you can team up with a photography buddy for that......Anyone still awake after reading all this, congrats, now go make yourself a nice cuppa!

Nice video! And always nice to see people using zoom lenses :) I started using the kit lens (16-50 at APS-c, so 24-75) on a zfc as a way to find out what my preferred focal length was, and like almost everyone else I shot at great distance and mostly between 40-75 ff-equivalent. With some great coaching and a lot of nervous boundary-pushing I got closer and closer, eventually shooting almost exclusively at 16 (24) and even finding it to be a bit narrow at times. So, I decided to not use a prime but instead going to a 12-28 (16-42 ff) and that covers basically all my needs for street photos. About 14mm (21) seems to be the sweet spot at the moment. The 12-28 and even more so the 16-50 are extremely light and pretty small, unobtrusive lenses which really helps me to come off as non-threatening, as opposed to bringing a larger camera like my Z6 with the 50 1.8s for example. I use f5.6-11 at aps-c and back button focus but pre-focus against the ground, a wall or something when I enter a new environment (crowds, focus close, open squares, focus a bit further away) and since the camera saves both the focus and focal length it's basically a point-and-shoot from that on.

Small, light, not expensive, 36mm gixed lens, great quality....Leica X 2. Made in Germany...man...what a body!!!

I use a z6 II with the 28mm and 40mm prime lenses. I really love the 40mm. I don't know if it's the sharpness or the micro contrast but it has character my other lenses don't have. It's really good for black and white photos because you can see so much texture. I haven't had the 28mm but for a few months and I'm liking that focal length for up close shots. I have the z8 but I think that would be a little too big to carry around. I use zone focus a lot so I don't have to use auto focus. Most of the time I don't even put my camera up to my eye when I'm close to someone.

Hey man, why not to use a manual lens wih zone focus on the apsc sensor, and jus point and shoot like with a film range finder?

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

That is an option! This was one experiment, always try new things

@Fecho33

3 ай бұрын

@@GeorgeHolden yes, ive always wanted to see someone doing that to see how well it works in an affordable camera like the a6400. By the way i love your content i really find value in it, not another "buy this" youtube nonsense

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

@@Fecho33 I have a video doing something similar on a Fuji X Pro 1 from last year, there wasn't any POV but you get to see some results. And thanks so much, really want to focus on the behind the scenes and how to get shots this year too - less on gear purchases!

Please suggest a good compact camera for videography(vlogs and shooting nature) under $300, thanks!

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

Canon 70d

How are you able to get great first person POV videos such as this? Good perspective and rather stable. Am wanting to document stuff I do around the house like composting or clearing clogged drains. Would really appreciate if you share your setup. And thanks for this video.

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

Hello! I recently purchased a DJI action 4, it has an amazing feature called horizon balancing - it crops the image significantly but gives super stable and level footage

I can't really get ahold of my real favourites 30 + 45, so my substitute favourites are 28 and 40 - but I'm also happy with 24 and 35 tbh. 😎 So the fastest way I can switch lenses is jump into aps-c crop mode. It's got me wondering if I could do everything I like with 1x 24mm + 1x 55mm lens + mid to high megapixels. 🤔 The camera industry hates him for this one simple trick 😂

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

I guess the crop route would be an indirect route to your favourites! 28mm and 35mm are definitely my go tos at the moment

Many say the bigger the camera the more it puts off people. I'm starting with street / candid with X-T20 plus 27 2.8 WR pancake, fits into jacket pocket.

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

That is a common saying, I've found it is useful especially if you're just starting out. But I feel it becomes less of an issue the longer you practice

@martingreenberg870

3 ай бұрын

The XT20 plus the 27mm pancake lens is an excellent choice. Some people rave about the sensor in your camera. The body is small and lightweight. For me, a winning combination. The small pancake lens makes your kit pocket size. The 27mm with the crop facto gets you to 40mm in terms of full frame. A Goldilocks focal length. Your setup is like having a X100V with interchangeable lens and significantly less cost. Well done. This past weekend I took my XT30 with the 27mm lens to the St Patrick’s day parade. It was a good choice for working the crowd on the sidewalk. The camera was inconspicuous and so was I. I felt a little like HCH. Any camera can be used for street photography. Any focal length can be used. Either a prime or zoom works. Many people opt for a prime as it typically is faster and sharper than a zoom. Once you get use to the focal length you will see in that focal length. You will know at what distance from your subject you must be to take the shot. This will happen by making mistakes and learning from those mistakes. Besides Fuji I also use Panasonic. I used primes with that setup until I experimented with the P12-60mm lens. I’m liking it. I also use the PL15 & P20mm lenses. As there are no rules you get to make your own rules. Have fun and good luck with your street/candid photography. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

@Heart0rHead

3 ай бұрын

​@@martingreenberg870I had the E-PL8 with a pancake 14-42 zoom and was thinking about getting the 20 f1.7 for it but eventuality I switched to Fuji. The EVF is a nice addition. From the m43 world the GX9 could be a similar setup.

@martingreenberg870

3 ай бұрын

@@Heart0rHead True. I own the GX8/9. Both are super bodies. Love their output. Both are surprisingly good for video. I bought the 20mm pancake lens. The PL15, P20 &25mm primes are the right size on these primes. At least one of these lenses is essential for your kit. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

Where are you walking and taking photos and were you using OP3 for video when you were walking

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

In Manchester UK! And I was using the Action 4

@johnny_bravo9990

3 ай бұрын

@@GeorgeHolden cool 🙌

What lens do you use on your A7s?

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

The specific one I show here is the Canon 35mm L39 - you can see a recent video showing this lens on my channel

I had the 17-28 since 2019 when it was first released, but sold It last week, because on FF the focal length was a bit too limiting for my uses. I have gone for the 17-50 F4 from Tamron and planning on adding the 20 1.8G at some point but already missing my 17-28 Which was my most used lens by a lot

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

That's very interesting, along with the 28-75 it was the first lens I bought when I changed from Canon to Sony. It's probably my most used lens on full frame and APSC, the lack of lens extension makes gimbal work a dream on video jobs too

Oooh! I'm early!

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

Very! Welcome!

What I do is have a 28mm prime on 45mp FF sensor and can crop to 50mm fov and still have 12mp image

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

Oh nice! Do you use an APSC crop mode while shooting or crop in post?

@sensorpainting

3 ай бұрын

@@GeorgeHolden I keep it as simple as I can, so crop in post

What are the laws on taking pictures or random people ?

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

Check your country's specific laws. In the UK it is legal to photograph anyone in a public place, of course, common courtesy comes into play so if someone objects or requests you delete a photo, in my opinion, you should be courteous and respect their wishes. No photo is worth upsetting someone.

@kevinchristopher1443

3 ай бұрын

Legal in u.s. as long as you're in a public space

@martingreenberg870

3 ай бұрын

In the United States, taking photographs of people in the public. There is no reasonable expectation of privacy on the streets. Watch American police programs. The police are able to access CCTV footage. They can download images from ATM machines and other store cameras. We have the same rights as the police. The person does not even need to be on the street. On KZread, we see images of people in stores taken from the street. We take images through glass windows and that’s legal too. In the United States, once you have the image, it belongs to you. You may publish the photograph and not compensate the individual You photographed if you publish the image in a book. This point has been litigated . The limitation is you cannot use the image for commercial use. You can’t take a photograph of somebody, without a models release, and then use that image in a Coca-Cola advertisement. You can photograph the homeless when they are on the street. I don’t. You can photograph children without their parent’s permission. I do but this could be tricky. Above everything discretion is the byeword. If it feels wrong, don’t do it. If you make somebody look bad, don’t do it. If you think the subject might attract you, don’t do it. If a subject asks you politely to delete the image, I do. If the subject threatens me I keep the image. The rule is I may take anybody’s image on the street. The other rule is don’t be stupid about this. No image I take is so important I need to get into a fight over it. Discretion is the better part of valor. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

Thanks for the vid. Don’t you find that this kind of setup kinda sticks out “photographer here, look at me”? I’m looking at the Fuji x100f or Ricoh gr. With my a5100 and sigma 30mm, people do notice me, I don’t use my Fuji XT4 for street photography, I got screamed at by a not so nice lady, who demanded I delete the picture I didn’t take of her.

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

Part of my hesitation to use it as I said at the beginning! However since I've used many smaller more discreet cameras, people notice you anyway. I'm also quite tall so I think I stick out in crowds a bit more than I realise from my perspective so big or small camera it doesn't hide the fact I'm taking photos of people

@RoyAlf

3 ай бұрын

@@GeorgeHolden An idea I'm messing with, though I do need to change a few things, using a telephoto, not a 50 ff equivalent, more like a 120-140mm (80mm + on crop), there are some amazing lenses f1.4 and above. Staying out of the way, finding positions where I'm not as noticeable.

@innercityunit2112

3 ай бұрын

RoyAlf, have you thought about the Fuji X-T30ii?...It's small form factor is ideal for street-shooting and it's a well built, solid camera (not weather sealed though)...It's great with the 18-55 kit and has the exact same sensor and processor as the X-T4, so essentially you get the exact same great image quality as that. It's definitely a photo-centric camera, with the nice tilt-screen, which is great for shooting from the hip. Team it up with a small, fast prime, and it's very discreet. It really is a great camera, IMO....I use mine, one camera, one lens, Black Rapid wrist strap, small cam bag, spare battery, that's it!....oh yeah, the battery life is really quite poor, but one or two spares solves that, and the 18-55 has OIS. Happy days!

@RoyAlf

3 ай бұрын

@@innercityunit2112 Thanks, haven't thought of that. There is an XE-3 + 23mm f2.0 available in my area, though prices of all cameras, new and used are still crazy high, I don't understand why. I will check the T30ii. Thanks. Happy days indeed 🙂

@UKMike2009

3 ай бұрын

The Sony 5100 is at least as discreet as the Fuji and almost as un-noticeable as the Ricoh. Save your money and practice more would be my advice - those other cameras add nothing.

It's not a zoom factor though, it's indeed a crop, the focal stays the same

At 0:02 and 1:16 I "like" that ‘bum proof’ designs of urban furniture... :-(

@GeorgeHolden

Ай бұрын

I don't like their function at all, supposedly it was to stop skateboarders but yes definitely also against homelessness. I only shot for the repetition pattern really

instant click

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

Eyy 🙏

I can afford a Leica M11, so I dont mind

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

Please shower me with your coins papi

Isn't this setup not discrete though? Indeed, the shots worked because you abandoned discretion and directly interacted with your subjects too. Am I missing something?

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

I don't think the set up is necessarily not discrete but agreed I was not going about shooting in a very discreet way

@SourPlanet

3 ай бұрын

@@GeorgeHolden When I think discreet, I don't think LCD use + wide angle zoom + close to people lol. Regardless, just the title that threw me. I do think the approach you used here worked really well. Just getting right up on people and then disarming them with kindness. The way you speak and what you chose to say worked really well, and the shots came out great. Personally, I've been too shy or reserved to do it. It's kind of a super power. I hope you use it regularly!

@GeorgeHolden

3 ай бұрын

@@SourPlanet yeah usually I don't use this camera or LCDs in general unless I have to! I thought it would be useful here for the POV aspect. Usually I'm an EVF or hip shooting guy, and yeah I also find it nerve wracking but trying it makes getting closer easier!

@-grey

3 ай бұрын

​@@SourPlanet LCD is much more discreet than bringing the camera to your eye tbf. As soon as the camera covers my face it's like the dream is collapsing in Inception - everyone is looking at me like I'm the protagonist. 😂 Small gear that blends colour with your clothing helps too.

@SourPlanet

3 ай бұрын

@@-grey LCD at eye level was the context here though. Then the camera is really front and center. It's street tho, there's no wrong way. Even Garry Winogrand just whipped it into people's faces ha. I don't mean to belittle or poke fun. If the shots are good, they good. For me, discrete is zone focusing and popping the camera up to grab a shot before anyone even notices. Tiny prime, decisive moment. That whole bag. But I'm nonconfrontational, so I'm working from my own bias too.