The best camera for needs to be several things at once. Fast – to acquire focus and capture shots seamlessly, as street photography is all about the moment. It should be unobtrusive so that you, as photographer, are a discreet observer of the urban drama unfolding before you.
(A hefty SLR with a giant telephoto lens will more likely make you the main attraction!) A street camera should be comfortable to hold, simple to use, and able to deliver clean, sharp pictures consistently. Easy! I’ve shot street pictures with , , , and more. Like many of the AP team, almost every camera I’ve tested has been used in some form of urban photography – which was effectively the research behind our formation of this list.
The cameras that follow are a mix of ones I’ve tested, and models endorsed by other members of the team. You can scroll to the bottom of this page for a more detailed breakdown of how the team and I made our choices, including explanations of the key criteria behind them. For now, read on for our suggestions of the finest street photography cameras we’ve ever used.
Launched at the beginning of 2018, the Panasonic Lumix GX9 may well be the oldest camera in this group, yet still holds its own with a number of special features. The rangefinder style trims off protruding parts, so it remains compact and easy to fit in a coat pocket or a small bag, and, despite a nice solid build that withstands drops and scrapes, it weighs only 450g. Although not fitted with the same.