What camera should you choose for street photography in 2019? If money wasn’t an option, most of us would likely be running around with Leicas and Summiluxes. Below however, are the more realistic options for those of us with a lower budget. Myself included.
Take note: The suggestions in this post are based on my own hands-on experiences with each camera. I’ve tried countless cameras over the years, and these are the ones that stuck with me. They all have something I find of value when it comes to street photography: like image quality, usability, fun-factor, discreetness, build quality, low price or a combination of these.
The $100 Olympus E-P2
I got my E-P2 for approximately 100 dollars US on eBay, in pristine condition. Then I sanded and scratched the whole thing down to the point where it now looks like garbage. Why? I love the thought of a garbage-looking camera that can capture great photos. It’s also less intimidating for your subjects, and a lot less tempting to steal.
I love the thought of a garbage-looking camera that captures great photos. It’s also less intimidating for your subjects, and a lot less tempting to steal.
The Olympus E-P2 was released in 2009 as the successor to the E-P1 (duh). Despite its small size, it feels both heavy and solidly built. It packs a four thirds-sized 12 megapixel sensor. That’s about the same pixel count as a typical smartphone camera, but don’t be tricked by that: The files from this thing are amazing. The images have a punch and glow I have rarely seen elsewhere. And because we’re talking a mere 12 megapixels, the RAW-files are less taxing on your computer or smartphone when editing.
Friendly neighborhood dog. Shot on my E-P2.
Surrounding the sensor is the popular M43-mount. A mount I’m familiar with from the Olympus Pen-F. That means you have a huge selection of lenses to chose from, and many of them can be had for cheap second hand. It’s also well suited for adapting vintage lenses, as long as you can live with the 2x crop compared to full frame cameras. That means an old nifty fifty-lens will act more like a 100mm portrait lens on this cam.
Some of it’s main selling points for street photography are:
- Tiny size, but built like a brick
- Images with amazing color and “glow”
- Huge library of good, tiny and affordable lenses
Buy the Olympus E-P2 on eBay »
Forgotten $300 flagship: The original Olympus E-M1
The E-M1. Still one of my favorite street cameras.
This is a weird one. Not a weird camera per say, but a weird camera to put in a list of cheap cameras for street photography. Nonetheless, I would argue it’s a great choice for several reasons. Firstly you can get a used one in great condition for about $300 on eBay. There’s usually many to pick from, from serious Japanese sellers. It also uses a M43 sized sensor with 16 megapixels, along with same mount as the E-P2 further up, meaning tons of tiny lenses are available at good prices in the used market.
Secondly the camera itself is super sturdy, with great feeling knobs and wheels, making it feel like a proper tool. It is also weatherproof as long as you have a weatherproof lens as well. Those lenses can be expensive, but it’s still nice to know the camera can handle a bit of bad weather.
Thirdly, the stabilization system in this camera is great. That means it’s well suited for street photography at night. I can pretty consistently get sharp photos with a shutter speed of 0.5 seconds with this thing.
My favorite shot from 2018. Shot on the E-M1.
Some of it’s main selling points for street photography are:
- Compact body for a flagship
- Solid, weather proof body, perfect for rainy days
- Great image stabilization for shooting at night
Buy the Olympus E-M1 on eBay »
Still the street photography king in 2019: Ricoh GR II
Ricoh GR II. A Classic.
Ricoh has a bit of a legacy when it comes to street photography. The Ricoh series started out in the analog world, and did a switch to digital with the original Ricoh GR Digital in 2005. But it wasn’t before 2013, when the first GR with an APS-C sized sensor was introduced, that things really kicked into high gear.
I’ve bought the GR/GR II three times in total. Every time I sold it, I wanted it back shortly after. So trust me when I say: The grass isn’t greener on the other side. Stick with your GR.
With it’s full frame equivalent 28mm f.2.8 lens, you’re stuck with a fairly wide angle of view. That means you can fit your whole subject in the frame, even without pointing the camera straight to their face. Another plus of this camera is the snap focus-function that let’s you preset focus to a certain distance before shooting.
Shot with my first Ricoh GR.
The snap focus-function alone is enough for me to highly recommend this camera, and that’s before we even mention the amazing lens- and image quality. The 16 megapixel images from this camera are stellar, with beautiful colors and astounding sharpness. Admittedly the high-ISO capabilities are not great, but if you’re reading this I’m assuming you like a bit of grain anyways.
Also shot with my first Ricoh GR.
Being the most expensive camera on this list, it will cost you a bit more than the others. Usually around $350 and upwards on eBay. But that extra money gets you the best street camera out there in my humble opinion. And if you can live without WiFi, you can go for the original GR instead of the GR II.
Some of it’s main selling points for street photography are:
- Snap-focus is a game changer for street shooting
- Razor-sharp 28mm equivalent lens
- The muted looks and leaf shutter let you shoot up close without being noticed
GR and GR II vs. the newly released GR III
Between the GR I and II the only notable difference is the II’s addition of a WiFi-antenna for wireless transfers of photos to your phone. If you don’t need that, the original GR from 2013 will do just fine. But what about the new GR III you ask? The new sensor is probably great, but it also omits some of the strong points from previous iterations. Actually, some people say the previous versions have some considerable advantages compared to their newer sibling. I’m one of those people.
Why choose the GR or GR II over the GR III
- Built in pop-up flash
- Better battery life (320 vs. 200 images per charge, according to the CIPA-rating)
- Dedicated, physical exposure comp. buttons
No budget at all? Use your smartphone!
The moment you decide to take your smartphone camera seriously is the moment your smartphone will start giving you great images in return.
If you’re living on pasta and oxygen sauce right now, you probably can’t afford buying a dedicated camera to get into street photography. As long as you have a smartphone you’re good to go. Surely most smartphones are inferior to dedicated cameras when it comes to pure image quality, but you’ll be surprised how much you can actually eke out of a smartphone camera if you just give it a chance. After all, the subject matter is most important. If your phone has a pro-mode, that’s a great place to start.
Oslo Central Station. Shot on Huawei P20 Pro.
Shooting street photography with your smartphone is a good idea for many reasons: For one, your smartphone is incredibly inconspicuous. Everyone and their aunt has a smartphone pointed in any general direction most of the time, so your phone is unlikely to make a difference. Another plus with smartphone photography is the sharing aspect. Since most of us are sharing our images via our phones anyway, it makes total sense to shoot with our smartphones as well.
If for some reason you don’t have a camera (/with you), don’t be afraid to make great imagery with your phone.
Smartphone street photography, main selling points:
- It’s always with you
- Capturing and sharing made easy
- Small, quiet and inconspicuous
Buying street cameras used gives the best value for money
If you’re looking for a cheap camera for street photography, the used market will definitely get you the most bang for your buck. A lot of people go out and buy a brand new, expensive camera with every intention to use it. Next thing you know, the camera is gathering dust in a drawer somewhere for a couple of years, before it’s sold cheaply online with 500 or so exposures in it. That’s the type of camera you want to buy.
Check the listing carefully before buying
It’s important to gather as much information about a listing as possible before buying. Look at the images of the camera, and be on the lookout for scratches, bumps and other imperfections.
Also, be sure to check the amount of exposures the camera has. A lot of times the seller will mention this in the listing. If not, be sure to ask. In certain instances cameras don’t have a built in shutter count, in which case you’ll have to trust the seller and judge the camera by it’s looks.
I’ve bought countless used cameras from eBay over the years, and I’ve never ever had a problem when buying from an experienced seller.
Buying used makes you care less about gear and more about photos
Have you ever bought something brand new, shiny and expensive? Saved up for a long time and splurged on something that’s normally completely out of your price range? I’ve fallen into this trap countless times when it comes to cameras.
What usually happens is the camera ends up on a shelf somewhere in the house, looking pretty. I literally get scared to take my camera out if it’s too expensive. What happens if I drop it? What happens if I get a scratch? How much will the value have dropped when I sell it again? Will I be able to afford a new one if I lose it?
With a cheap used camera (that might already have a few scratches) this will be way less of a problem. And that’s why, for me, these old beat up cameras are a lot easier to pick up and take everywhere. Food for thought.
Do you have a favorite street camera? If so, what is it and why do you like it? Leave a comment below!