Don, I read on another thread that you sold the Panny GX1, now I see this fine shots with the GRD4. What are you thoughts now on the best street camera. I know you cannot speak for everyone, but I am always interested to hear what a veteran street shooter has to say on the subject. For me it is plainly my growing interest in street photography that has moved me into the small mirrorless camera field.
Dan,
Good question and I'll answer to the best of my experience. I differ from most shooters in the fact that I feel the camera is a very important part of my process.
Here's why. When I go to work I am in a zone. It's not a trance but a zone of focus that incorporates my eyes, mind and heart. It's like a triangle of emotion, energy and light.
So, as I'm walking and waiting for the next image to find me, I love to feel the camera in my hand.
The GX1 is a great camera but it has a few technical flaws that killed it for me. Most cameras do. The touch screen is a no no for the street. I know you can turn it off but why get a camera with a touch screen if it's going to be off?
There are no real good ways of doing Hyperfocal Distance or Zone Focusing in most cameras. This of course sets me away from m43 all together. That's a shame because it's all good stuff, just not for me.
A very important aspect in a good camera is how you and it work together to get exposure. I use M mode most times with the camera set to Auto ISO high at 3200.
So, I could set the exposure for 125/f8 and the camera computes the proper ISO.
The Ricoh GXR and GRD both have the best UI in the business, bar none. I use the GXR A28 for most things as it just does everything so well. What it doesnt do well is make grit. I mean natural grit. It's so clean that you have to work to destroy the quality and make it look right.
The GRD is a True Grit machine. I have a few different models around the house but made the mistake of selling the GRD3 last year.
The new WHITE GRD4 is an incredible camera. It;s small, fits in my jeans pocket with room to spare. It has great power management and it just feels like a friend in the hand.
It's small but not to small.
So, I dumped the GX1 and no longer have any m43 cameras, again. The GXR is waiting on the shelf but not upset because I am not asking it to make dirty images.
It's little sister is doing fine on that note.
People talk about the decisive moment. Bresson would roll over in his grave if he heard all the hub bub that is mistakingly called the decisive moment.
All I know is this Dan. When I'm working I don't want any stupid IPOD crap playing music in my ears. I want to hear the sounds of life as if I will never hear it again. I want to smell life on the street as if it were the fruits of mankind. I want to see the humanity and feel human as if I could find my soul on the street.
Most importantly, I want to photograph the things that call to me and I don't want a camera making decisions or intruding on my process of being a streetshooter.
Don