[rbefly]

Hello all,
It seems like there may be enough interest in 'street' photography to start a thread with recommendations for a basic kit and other advice.
Of course, it's entirely possible to grab a camera with one lens (prime or zoom) and head out. Happens all the time, in fact, often with great results. But it's also nice to be prepared for the unusual, things sometimes don't go just as planned.
Anyway, I've got two smaller bags dedicated for street, a small and medium size. The small is a cheap military-style shoulder bag, for one body(no BG) with short lens mounted and room for 2 primes or a small zoom.
The other is a Pentax Sling bag, this holds quite a bit more, a K-5 with grip, at least 3 small primes and a short zoom, or flash. Probably any decent camera sling bag would be about the same in size.
Lenses? Whatever you like, there's advocates for ultra-wides, WA, normal, zooms, primes, etc. Most of my personal keepers seem to fall into the 24mm-35mm range, but for some reason I seldom go wider, often longer. The DA50 gets plenty of use and my favorite M-series lens, the M85/2.0, doesn't get lonely either.
Others would surely trade both those for a 21Ltd or wider. Find 2 or three you like and occasionally try a 'wild card' is my advice.
Or, a quality f/2.8 zoom. My feeling is that a large zoom creates more of a distraction, or self-conscious reaction than a short prime. YMMV.
One point here; Street shooting involves quick decisions, fast reactions and absolute faith in your gear. There's no 'fiddling' time, use it or lose it. So the better you know the approximate DoF @ f/4.0 on your 24mm, the more chances you'll nail the shot you want, exactly the way you want it.
Same with camera settings. Grab a table or bench or rock, get comfortable and set your camera up for what you expect to be shooting. I take a test shot to chimp exposure, DoF, and general angle of view. Sometimes I'll spot a bad backround clash and adjust my position. But the 'exposure triangle' should be set before serious shooting begins. Set and checked.
A few essentials should be packed away and easy to find. CPL for all lenses, same for hoods. A blower, lens cloth/pen and medium plastic bag (the original WR!) and one of my favorite accessories, a tabletop mini-tripod. That's for time-exposures of people walking past a building, cars and busses moving, trails of lights, lighted fountains, etc. Street photography happens at all hours and you'll find some of your twilight/night photos have a magical quality. With the tabletop, I can use under 1/50s shutter speeds with no fear of camera shake. Subject motion blur? Sometimes good, other times not. It's fun to try, anyway.
I don't normally bring a hot-shoe flash, but it could be handy for fill or night work. I do bring a remote shutter release and one 49mm #16 ND filter, too.
Usually no extra battery or card, my street excursions rarely run either one down.
Those are my recommendations, feel free to comment or add your suggestions!
Ron

[VoiceOfReason]

I wandered around San Luis Potosí in Mexico one night with my K5 and 18-135wr and was extremely well surprised at the look and sharpness of what I got, and since it was sprinkling off and on I think for a super light kit that is my go to for simple wandering around street shots. Of course my Tamron 17-50 would likely work very well for it, and my collapsible monopod is a good addition. That to me is a good street kit. I don't bring extra lenses because I want to take shots, not miss any.

[OregonJim]

For me, street photography means....a camera and ONE lens, nothing else. No flash, no reflectors, no filters or hoods, no bag, no tripod. If I spend time fumbling around with any of that stuff, shots get missed. Lens choice varies, but (for me) a 70-210 zoom is usually what works best during the day.

[carrrlangas]

K-5 plus the limiteds in my pockets. If I´m carrying a bag (never a camera bag), I´ll throw the 10-17. I usually just use one lens but I never know which one until I start shooting. then I won´t change it, generally.

[schnitzer79]

if im wondering in the streets in my city,its usually just my 18-135 lens during the day or the da35mm f2.4 (or A-50mm f1.4) at night. However, when im travelling abroad or on holiday, I usually take my Lowepro messenger bag (the large one) which fits my K-50 and a mounted lens, usually the DA 18-135mm, and have room for 4 more lenses, the samyang 8mm, the DA55-300mm, the DA35mm f2.4 and A-50mm f1.4. Usually have my camera on one side hanging from my optech sling strap, and my bag on the other side. in the bag theres also a couple of cpl's, a spare battery, blower, lenspen and a couple of microfibre cloths.
I only leave behind my sigma 24-70mm f2.8 which even though its amazing, its really heavy and I only use it for special occasions like weddings,christenings, stage photography etc.... if i plan in renting a car during my holiday, I also take my tripod with me as well.
I do like to be walking around light but sometimes for street photography you do need a few lenses, especially a long telephoto, since you can't really go up to people and starting taking pictures...or at least i cant (yet)!
however i do need to add a couple of more primes to my collection

[peterjcb]

I do a lot of street shooting and generally find that I lean towards the wider and normal lenses as you are generally right in the center of the action.
Telephoto lenses can be handy to have but I can't see carrying around more than 2 lenses. I generally shoot with whatever is on the camera. For me it's like I put myself into the frame of mind of the lens that's on the camera that day. I don't even own a camera bag so I don't carry anything else.

My fav's are my DA15, FA31, DA16-45 or my DA35 Macro limited....I also like my FA28-105 (full frame) which will give me an effectve 42mm-158mm range on my K-5 crop sensor.