Category: Equipment

  • Why Sharpness is a Bourgeoise Concept in Street Photography

    “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept” – Henri Cartier Bresson In the modern age of photography, everyone seems to have an unhealthy obsession with how sharp lenses are, how much bokeh they produce, and how “3d” they can make their images appear. Ignore these statements. Anyone who talks at excessive length about any of these topics are…

  • 10 Reasons Why You Should Shoot Street Photography With Film

    10 Reasons Why You Should Shoot Street Photography With Film

    (Above image by Devin Yalkin) Recently when I went to Tokyo, I had a ton of fun shooting in the streets with Charlie Kirk and Bellamy Hunt—both who shoot film. I never really understood the rationale why people shot with film. To me at the time, it seemed like a burden. First of all, you…

  • Smaller Is Better: Why You Should Use a Compact Camera for Street Photography

    Smaller Is Better: Why You Should Use a Compact Camera for Street Photography

    Eric’s Note: This is article is part of an on-going weekly column by Japancamerahunter (Bellamy Hunt) where he talks about vintage cameras, film, and street photography. You can check out his part articles here or if you need to get hooked up with a lens or camera, contact him here!  Well well, good old Uncle Eric has asked me to…

  • Shooting a Film Leica M6 vs Digital Leica M9 in Tokyo

    My good friend Todd Hatakeyama (and sponsor over at SimpleStudioLighting.com) and owner of the Hatakeyama Gallery (grand opening in Downtown LA this Saturday from 5pm-10pm) recently gave me a his old Leica M6 to shoot with and have. It has been great shooting with it–as it helps me slow down and be more critical when…

  • The Leica M9: The Ultimate Street Photography Camera or Just Hype? My Practical Review

    The Leica M9: The Ultimate Street Photography Camera or Just Hype? My Practical Review

    My Leica M9P* (gaffer tape upgrade) and 35mm Summilux 1.4.  Background About a few months ago, I finally achieved one of my lifetime goals: purchasing a digital Leica (the Leica M9 to be specific). Although I was enthralled by the camera the first month I tested it (when Leica loaned me one for my Paris…

  • How to Shoot with the Fujifilm FinePix X100 for Street Photography

    How to Shoot with the Fujifilm FinePix X100 for Street Photography

    Note: This blog post is by Kaushal Parikh, a street photographer from Mumbai, India.  Although this is an article about a camera, I don’t believe that gear alone can create good photographs. But I do believe that a good photographer can be inspired to make good images with the right gear.  I recently acquired a…

  • Hands-on with the Olympus EPM-1 (and other thoughts about cameras)

    Hands-on with the Olympus EPM-1 (and other thoughts about cameras)

    Recently I have had the huge pleasure of being invited to the PEN Ready Project, in which Olympus gave away 1000 Olympus EPM-1 cameras for people to shoot and review. I have always been a big fan of the Micro 4/3rds cameras, as they are small, compact, and take great photos. I tested an Olympus…

  • The Benefits of Shooting Street Photography with a Leica (or rangefinder)

    The Benefits of Shooting Street Photography with a Leica (or rangefinder)

    Eric’s Note: This is article is part of an on-going weekly column by Japancamerahunter (Bellamy Hunt) where he talks about vintage cameras, film, and street photography. You can check out his part articles here.  So, it looks like Eric has got himself a Leica M9, the lucky little so and so. So I thought that this would be as…

  • Another Viewpoint of the Fuji X100 by Steve Foon

    Another Viewpoint of the Fuji X100 by Steve Foon

    Eric’s note: Steve Foon, a street photographer from the Bay Area, recently offered to write this comparison of the Fujifilm FinePix X100 versus the Leica M9 (which he owns as well). Read his thoughts on the camera and how it stacks up against the M9!  Every photographer has a style of photography that just calls…

  • A Review of the Clik Elite Magnesian 20 Camera Bag

    A Review of the Clik Elite Magnesian 20 Camera Bag

    For my recent Intermediate Street Photography Workshop in Downtown LA, Todd from Lighting Leica and the kind folks from Clik hooked it up with a Clik Elite Magnesian 20 Camera Bag to test out. When I am out shooting, I typically use the Think Tank Retrospective 5 Camera bag, but at times found it a bit…

  • Is Your Glass Half Empty? What You Should Be Thinking When Buying a Lens

    Is Your Glass Half Empty? What You Should Be Thinking When Buying a Lens

    Eric’s Note: This post is by Bellamy Hunt (aka Japan Camera Hunter) who has a weekly column on camera gear, lenses, film, and other topics every Tuesday on my blog. The question that everyone asks me when they have decided to buy a camera is usually “which camera should I buy, oh wise one?“ (Well,…

  • Street Photography Camera Porn

    Street Photography Camera Porn

    Pictured above: Ryan Cabal’s Street Photography Camera Collection After Ryan uploaded a picture of his awesome street photography camera collection on my Facebook fan page, I asked you guys on Facebook and Twitter to send me photos of what was in your bag. Thanks to everyone who submitted photos of their awesome cameras and equipment! Keep…

  • Fujifilm FinePix X100 First Impressions Review with Jon Savage

    Today I had the great pleasure of meeting with Jon Savage, an active street photographer in my Facebook community. He let me play around his Fujifilm FinePix X100 for a few hours and I gotta say– I am impressed. Not only does the camera feel good in the hands, but the optical viewfinder paired with…

  • Leica X1 First Impressions Review

    Although I am very sad to say goodbye to my Leica M9, I just received a Leica X1 in the mail to test and review for about a week. Check out my first impressions in the video above, and please leave me any questions you may have about the camera by leaving a comment below!…

  • BREAKING: Olympus Announces PEN EP-3 and Zuiko 12mm f2.0 lens (24mm equivalent)

    BREAKING: Olympus Announces PEN EP-3 and Zuiko 12mm f2.0 lens (24mm equivalent)

    Recently I reviewed the Olympus PEN EP-2 on The Phoblographer, and was quite impressed with this micro 4/3rd camera for street photography. Little do I know that about a week later, Olympus announces their new PEN EP-3 along with their new Zuiko 12mm f/2.0 Lens (24mm equivalent). From the looks of it, the camera looks…

  • Micro 4/3rd Street Photographers Rejoice: New LEICA DG Summilux 25mm / F1.4 ASPH Announced

    Micro 4/3rd Street Photographers Rejoice: New LEICA DG Summilux 25mm / F1.4 ASPH Announced

    I am a huge fan of micro 4/3rds cameras, as I think they are a wonderful compromise between DSLR’s and point and shoots for street photography. Therefore it is great news to see that Leica has just announced a new 25mm f/1.4 lens (which equates to 50mm on a 2x crop factor). This can be…

  • First Test Shots of the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux Shot Wide Open

    First Test Shots of the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux Shot Wide Open

    Hey guys, I have been able to do a few test shots of the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux wide-open at f/1.4 and the shots truly blow me away. The images are tack-sharp, and the bokeh is so deliciously creamy. All of the shots are taken in RAW, and unedited straight out of the camera. Check…

  • Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux Unboxing and First Impressions

    You guys may have heard that Leica has generously sent me a Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux to test out and review. Here is a quick and dirty video I put together unboxing the work of art, and giving my first impressions. I have already taken a ton of great images, and have many…

  • The Ricoh GRIII: The Ultimate Compact Camera for Street Photography Review

    The Ricoh GRIII: The Ultimate Compact Camera for Street Photography Review

    Hey guys, you might have heard me doing all my raves for the Ricoh GRIII for street photography. I put together my thoughts and review over on The Phoblographer, and have put in some of my best images as well. Long story short, I highly recommend everyone to purchase one, as it can be a…

  • Fujifilm FinePix X100 Available at B&H Right Now, Act Quick! [Edit: SOLD OUT!]

    Hey guys just wanted to let you know that the Fujifilm FinePix X100 is available RIGHT NOW at B&H Photo! Act quick before it’s sold out! Check out some of our great Fujifilm FinePix X100 reviews below: Can the Fujifilm FinePix X100 be a Primary Street Photographer’s Camera? The Poor Man’s Leica: Fujifilm FinePix X100…

  • How Would You Change the Fujifilm FinePix X100?

    The Fujifilm FinePix X100 has definitely got to be one of the most hyped-up cameras for street photography? What could we complain on? It has an optical viewfinder, has the looks of a retro rangefinder, and is pretty solid on price. From recent reviews there has been disappointments in terms of the auto-focusing speed, the manual focusing,…

  • Leica Rangefinder for Street Photography – Good Things Come In Small Packages

    Leica Rangefinder for Street Photography – Good Things Come In Small Packages

    Eric’s Note: For this guest blog post, I am honored to have Adam Marelli talk about his experiences shooting with a Leica M9/M6 for street photography. This blog post will be especially helpful for those of you who currently shoot with a DSLR or are currently thinking about making the jump to a rangefinder. Make…

  • The Sexiest Bag for Street Photography: The Think Tank Retrospective 30 Review

    The Sexiest Bag for Street Photography: The Think Tank Retrospective 30 Review

    As a street photographer who is always trying to capture fleeting moments, its important to always have your camera by your side. With the craziness of everyday life this can often be extremely difficult. That’s why I highly recommend everybody to get a messenger bag for their street photography, as it is a casual way…

  • What Would Happen if the iPhone 4 and Leica M9 Had a Baby?

    What Would Happen if the iPhone 4 and Leica M9 Had a Baby?

    A design company based out of Los Angeles called Black Design Associates, LLC, just posted some sexy photos of a Leica M9/iPhone 4 Hybrid concept. They imagined the i90 to take any regular iPhone 4 and make it something more powerful and did I say sexy? The imaginary specs and images are below.

  • The Ideal Street Photography Camera – Nikon S1 Concept

    The Ideal Street Photography Camera – Nikon S1 Concept

    Recently one of my readers, David Cohen de Lara, showed me some awesome mocks of what would be his “ideal street photography camera.” I love the clean and minimalistic design, and the nice viewfinder in the middle as well. Make sure to click below to see a bigger version, and check out his website as well. What…

  • Street Photography Messenger Bag Review: The Timbuk 2 Commute 2.0

    As a street photographer, having a good messenger bag is essential to ensure you will always have your camera and equipment by your side. Often people ask me what bag I use, which is the Timbuk 2 Commute 2.0 Messenger Bag. It is not a camera bag per-se, but I have found out it works…

  • Can the Fujifilm FinePix X100 be a Primary Street Photographer’s Camera?

    Can the Fujifilm FinePix X100 be a Primary Street Photographer’s Camera?

    Eric’s note: Below is a guest post from MarkB over at X100photo.co.uk. He is not only a talented street photographer, but he is passionate about the new Fujifilm FinePix X100. Check out his awesome review and thoughts below. Question, can the X100 replace a DSLR or point & shoot and be a primary street photography…

  • Fujifilm FinePix X100 Release Delayed Until Late March/Early April

    Fujifilm FinePix X100 Release Delayed Until Late March/Early April

    Want to snag a hot Fujifilm FinePix X100 as soon as you can? Well unfortunately according to Engadget,  these bad boys won’t be shipping until late March/early April in the US due to production shortages (they sold too many pre-orders). Looks like we have to wait and twiddle our thumbs until it comes out. In…

  • The Poor Man’s Leica: Fujifilm FinePix X100 Sample Photos, Unboxing, and Review

    The Poor Man’s Leica: Fujifilm FinePix X100 Sample Photos, Unboxing, and Review

    Over at Steve Huff’s blog, street photographer Pieter Franken gave his first impressions about the Fujifilm FinePix X100. He is originally from Holland and currently lives in Tokyo (where he was able to get the camera). Although he already has the Leica M8 and the Leica M9, he comments that it is a great companion…

  • Hot or Not? Leica Mirrorless ASPC-C Compact Concept Camera

    Hot or Not? Leica Mirrorless ASPC-C Compact Concept Camera

    Recently I was browsing the Leica Rumor blog and saw these renders for a Leica concept camera (not affiliated with Leica). So what do you think about the images and the concept–are they hot or not? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

  • Leica M9 Titanium Unboxed In All Its Sexiness

    Leica M9 Titanium Unboxed In All Its Sexiness

    If you thought that the Leica M9 was expensive, check out the limited edition Leica M9 Titanium. The difference? There has only been a limited quantity of 500 Leica M9’s produced, and each are individually numbered and packaged with a Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 titanium lens. Oh yeah, and it costs $26,500 (compared to the $6900…

  • Why You Should Always Use and Abuse Your Gear

    Why You Should Always Use and Abuse Your Gear

    I have always been a firm believer that photographers should use and abuse their gear. This means that you shouldn’t be scared to get little scratches and minor nicks in your camera when you are out exploring for photos. This means that you shouldn’t handle your camera like a newborn child. This means that you…

  • Fujifilm FinePix x100 Sample Photos Live!

    Fujifilm FinePix x100 Sample Photos Live!

    My good friend and fellow street photographer Tom Kaszuba just informed me that Fujifilm has their FinePix x100 Sample Photos live on their site. I have taken the liberty of showing you some photo samples which show how awesome a camera it can be for street photography with its pancake 35mm f/2 lens. Keep reading to…

  • 3D Street Photography: The Future?

    3D Street Photography: The Future?

    Recently my friend Jimmy Hahn sent me a link of the new Panasonic Lumix 12.5mm f/12 3D lens for the Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras: the GF2, G2 and GH2. When he first posted the link on my Facebook, I was taken back by how odd and funny it looked. Upon closer inspection, I was…

  • The Street Photographer’s Ultimate Christmas List

    The Street Photographer’s Ultimate Christmas List

    So Christmas is around the corner and you have been a good boy/girl this year. So you want to buy a new camera and/or some new lenses? Sure we know that it is the street photographer, not the camera that makes his/her photos amazing. But hey– it is always fun to experiment with new cameras…

  • The Best Camera for Street Photography

    The Best Camera for Street Photography

    Haha–tricked you. As there is no “best” paintbrush for a painter, there is no “best” camera when it comes to the street photographer. The camera is merely a tool, and there are different tools required for different situations and tasks at hand. In street photography as well as general photography, photographers can sometimes become more…