If you’re eager get outside and start shooting again, here are some of the best cameras and lenses for street photography. From pocket-sized point-and-shoots to serious full-frame mirrorless models, there’s something bound to match your shooting style – and your budget.
Since its debut about a decade ago, Ricoh’s GR line of compact point-and-shoot cameras have earned high praise from street photographers – both hobbyists and professionals – for their streamlined pocketability and reliable performance. Ricoh claims that with a large 24MP APS-C-sized CMOS sensor and powerful processor, these cameras can deliver highly detailed DSLR-like image quality. The GR III boasts an 18.3mm f/2.8 prime lens with a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 28mm, while the GR IIIx features a 26.1mm lens with a 40mm equivalent in the 35mm format. Both are perfectly suited to capturing superb street photography with plenty of background to give your subject ample context.
Both of these models got a refreshing update earlier this year. The new Ricoh GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF also feature a built-in Highlight Diffusion Filter that softens highlight areas in an image to create a cool vintage filmic blur. And you can easily turn the filter off with the flip of a switch when you’d rather shoot with a more conventional – ie. sharper and clearer – focus.
Sony’s feature-packed RX100 VII is another strong contender, both for its slim, lightweight proportions and ability to capture stunning still. Of the many factors that combine to make this an ideal choice for street photography, two features really stand out: the Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm lens and the fast hybrid AF system. Spanning a wide-angle to mid-telephoto range, the lens offers incomparable focal-length versatility that’s complemented by four stops of Optical SteadyShot image stabilization. The in-camera Clear Image Zoom function lets you extend the effective reach of the zoom with up to two-times magnification and minimal image degradation. And with 357 focal-plane phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points, the RX100 VII offers the world’s fastest autofocus-acquisition speed in just 0.02 seconds.
Packing a 20MP stacked CMOS sensor and Canon’s powerful DIGIC 8 image processor, the G5X Mark II offers a street photographer both fast continuous shooting and fast autofocus to ensure that you never miss a decisive moment. The five-times optical zoom lens is designed to work in tandem with the sensor and processor to deliver edge-to-edge resolution throughout its wide-angle to telephoto range. The G5X Mark II has a couple other neat tricks up its sleeve, including a built-in pop-up 2.36-million-dot EVF and touch-and-drag AF: you can keep your eye on the viewfinder while selecting an autofocus point on the touchscreen LCD, which is then displayed in the EVF for quick confirmation.
For those who prefer the flexibility of an interchangeable-lens system without the bulk of a hefty DSLR, Nikon’s mirrorless Z5 gives street photographers a nice lightweight choice packed with heavy-duty features. The 24.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor gives your roughly 50-percent more image area than a crop sensor, and Nikon’s famous Z mount offers the additional advantages of a large inner diameter and short flange focal distance that combine to allow more light in and reach the sensor. Boasting an ISO range expandable up to 102400, the Z5 makes low-light shooting a snap and the perfect choice for anyone who prefers to do their street photography at dusk or dawn – or anytime in between.
To complete this package, the NIKKOR Z 26mm f/2.8 pancake prime offers a versatile focal length and aperture range that are ideally suited to street photography. It’s also the slimmest and lightest Z series lens currently available – another bonus when an inconspicuous setup gives a photographer a definite edge out on the streets.
The mirrorless X-T5 packs a whopping 40.2 megapixels onto its APS-C sensor to deliver outstanding image quality in a relatively compact form factor – and a classic body design that looks pretty sharp too. The tilting LCD screen makes it easy to shoot from difficult angles, and the 5-axis IBIS delivers up to seven stops of shake compensation. As with many of its recent models, Fujifilm’s X-T5 gives you the ability to choose from a wide range of its legacy film-simulation modes, including Provia, Velvia and Astia, to give your street shots a cool retro filmic vibe.
Designed for APS-C sensors, the Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR lens is a logical choice for shooting street photography with the X-T5. It’s highly portable and unobtrusive, as well as dust and weather resistant. It offers the additional benefit of near-silent AF, which comes in handy when quiet and stealthy shooting matters most.
Cover Image Credit: Brett Sayles
