What lens for street photography

ndwgolf

ndwgolf

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Neil Williams
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Guys,
Plan to spend the next month taking pictures and was wanting to try my hand at street photography. What would you recommend as a lens to get started with, as if I am walking about I don’t want to lug around a bag of lens's all day.
 
Nothing longer than a 50, and if you are daring.....35mm...:)
 
I'd go for something small and discrete as possible, seeing as you dont want to point a massive white 'L' series lens in someones face.
 
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17-40 on a 5D2. Practice shooting from the hip!
 
24-70 is massive though and probably a bit intimidating for real street photography i'd say. A 50mm on full frame is nice :D
 
Don't think a 24-70 is going to make a D3s any more noticeable than it already is. :)
 
Just checked out the prices of the PRIME 24 1.4 and the 35 1.4........big chunk of change but wondering why the 24 is 400 quid dearer???
 
24-105 f4 IS L it's a nice sharp lens with good Zoom Range and has Image Stabilisation. Best of all it's light.

However the 24-70 2.8 is also a good shout but be warned its pretty heavy and has no image stabilisation.

Hard To choose between the 2.

Used 24-105 is around 500-600
Used 24-70 is around 700-800

Matt
 
For full frame Street Photography I'd say 28mm/2.8D is pretty much ideal, but I plan to get the 28mm 2.8 AIS when funds permit as the build quality is much better and auto focus is not really needed for street.

I started shooting with the D700 & 50/1.4G, then got the 35mm/2.8D but still not quite wide enough for the look I was after so have now settled on 28mm. I sold the 50 & 35 as they ended up never getting used once I got the 28.
 
Oxford_Matt said:
24-105 f4 IS L it's a nice sharp lens with good Zoom Range and has Image Stabilisation. Best of all it's light.

However the 24-70 2.8 is also a good shout but be warned its pretty heavy and has no image stabilisation.

Hard To choose between the 2.

Used 24-105 is around 500-600
Used 24-70 is around 700-800

Matt
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Bit of a b****r to bolt any of those onto a D3s though :naughty:
 
I'd say use any lens you feel comfortable with. There are no rules with street photography. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong :D
 
FruitFlakes said:
50mm. All of your zooms are massive!
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QFT ^

ndwgolf said:
Just checked out the prices of the PRIME 24 1.4 and the 35 1.4........big chunk of change but wondering why the 24 is 400 quid dearer???
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24 is too wide so scratch that, 35 is where its at but street is little holes not 1.4, so you don't need that.
The 24-70 is too big whatever camera you shoot, the 50 is the only logical choice...app priority, f/8 or smaller....shoot away..:thumbs:
 
norters said:
I'd say use any lens you feel comfortable with. There are no rules with street photography. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong :D
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whiteflyer said:
:plusone:
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There are rules, and basic equipment, Street is its own genre, saying there are no rules is a ruse to try make shooting Street more convenient, to water it down in to anything that happens to be shot IN the street.
Unfortunately, we don't get to change rules for convenience, some things are what they are.
 
Kinda depends on the streets...here in HK streets are pretty cramped and usually you're no more than a metre or two from your subject, so you want wider than say, London, with it's wider pavements and more open spaces.

The 35mm equivalent on the X100 is just about perfect for me.
 
joxby said:
There are rules, and basic equipment, Street is its own genre, saying there are no rules is a ruse to try make shooting Street more convenient, to water it down in to anything that happens to be shot IN the street.
Unfortunately, we don't get to change rules for convenience, some things are what they are.
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That's interesting! I didn't know there were rules. Can you let us know what they are, please? (And who drew them up)
 
I wasn't trying to be confrontational :)

All I meant was, the general definition of street photography is taking photographs of strangers on the street. That can be done just as effective with a 200mm as it can with a 35mm. No matter how much these street photography 'celebs' (Eric Kim, Nick Turpin et al) bang on about 'decisive moments' and 'delving deep into the human mind' etc etc, it is still ONLY about taking photographs if strangers in the street.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it, but I take umbrage when people tell me that using the 200mm end of a lens isn't 'pure street'. I was on the street when I took it and there is a stranger. There is something about that stranger that made me want to take their photograph and the lens I had on my camera had a 200mm max zoom.

All these street photography 'police' are hilarious :D Not on here I should add. Just read some of the threads on the absolutely cringe-worthy HCSP group on Flickr. Total insanity :bonk:
 
norters said:
All I meant was, the general definition of street photography is taking photographs of strangers on the street. That can be done just as effective with a 200mm as it can with a 35mm. No matter how much these street photography 'celebs' (Eric Kim, Nick Turpin et al) bang on about 'decisive moments' and 'delving deep into the human mind' etc etc, it is still ONLY about taking photographs if strangers in the street.
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Sadly that does seem to be the case. Any thought of composition or a captured glance or gesture appears to be irrelevant these days. Any old snapshot of a stranger on a street is good enough.

But then I'm old enough to remember the days before 'street photography' became the genre it is today.

As to the OP's question, stick that 50mm on and get out there. You'll soon find out if it's too short, too long or not flexible enough to suit your style. :)
 
I think I will go out with the 24/70 on the camera and put the 50 in my pocket and see how I get on..................to be honest I can afford to fork out another 1200 quid on a lens right now so will play with what I have already got
 
The other forum I go to in Malaysia are saying to look at a rangefinder like the Leica M-9 ……. but WOW that is one sweet looking travel companion
 
ndwgolf said:
The other forum I go to in Malaysia are saying to look at a rangefinder like the Leica M-9 ……. but WOW that is one sweet looking travel companion
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Or that new Fuji rangefinderr that's coming out soon ;)
 
I have just googled the Lecia M9 and # one its bloody expensive and # 2 I still havent mastered the D3's (not that I think I will master it).
Anyway I will just stick with the D3s and see how I get on at taking some street shots........of course i will post up when I get some.
Leaving the rig tomorrow for 28 days fo golf and photography.............cant wait:):):)
 
Voigtlander 40mm f/2 SL II is what I'm getting...
 
jon ryan said:
That's interesting! I didn't know there were rules. Can you let us know what they are, please? (And who drew them up)
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who is we ?

you mean there are more peeps than you that do not draw distinction between Street and pictures shot in the street...:thinking:

Shirley not..


:)
 
joxby said:
who is we ?

you mean there are more peeps than you that do not draw distinction between Street and pictures shot in the street...:thinking:

Shirley not..


:)
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Well, possibly I am the only photographer on the planet - or at least on this forum - who wasn't aware that

Originally Posted by joxby
There are rules, and basic equipment, Street is its own genre, saying there are no rules is a ruse to try make shooting Street more convenient, to water it down in to anything that happens to be shot IN the street.
Unfortunately, we don't get to change rules for convenience, some things are what they are.
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So perhaps you would be so kind as to aid my education? What are the rules, and what is the `basic equipment`? I have some cameras and lenses and stuff, but do the `rules` say that they must be of a particular type?

Thanks in anticipation!
 
There is nothing more dull than photos taken at 200mm of boring people walking with shopping bags, or standing talking on a phone. At long focal lengths don't get any of the background or context in the frame, and what there is will be so OOF it doesn't lend any interest. You do get the odd character on the street who through appearance or pose can make a mundane activity interesting, but most of the time, it's duuuullll.

Get wide. Get close. Your pictures will be better.
 
jon ryan said:
That's interesting! I didn't know there were rules. Can you let us know what they are, please? (And who drew them up)
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You need to wear a silly hat, wear sandals, and have some sort kind of confrontation or encounter with the police whilst you're out :lol:
 
joxby said:
I'm not that kind and you're not here for a discussion, so that ends that.
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*sigh*

So, there are in fact no `rules`, I can take it.

As it happens, I was here for a discussion. I'm starting a new practical photography course tonight, and this may well come up over the next few weeks. It would have been interesting to hear from someone who does a lot of this type of thing and knows a bit about it, but never mind - I'm sure I'll find someone who can throw some light on this.
 
jon ryan said:
*sigh*

So, there are in fact no `rules`, I can take it.

As it happens, I was here for a discussion. I'm starting a new practical photography course tonight, and this may well come up over the next few weeks. It would have been interesting to hear from someone who does a lot of this type of thing and knows a bit about it, but never mind - I'm sure I'll find someone who can throw some light on this.
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There are no 'rules', people do things in different ways but there is a difference between 'street' (more contextual) and maybe 'street candid' (more person specific).
Of course there will always be people who say it's only right if it's done this way or that way but it's safe to ignore them and get on with enjoying what you like in the way you like doing it, possibly being guided by what you see from others that appeals to you.
As for these shots of blown town centres with heads cut off and people doing nothing classed as 'street' ... give me a break! :gag:
 
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