[Kerrowdown]

K-5 + DA21 (self portrait)

Those shapely legs had nothing to do with it right.

[crewl1]

Pesky people getting in my photo

[twitch]

I think my new Sony RX100 would make a pretty good street camera. P&S form factor, quiet, super fast AF and great IQ.

[Fontan]

LOL so would i but I got the feeling the M9P or MM may be out of the budget, not to mention the lenses

You know, it is not that bad to get into M8 at the moment. With something like Zeiss biogon 28/2.8 for about a grand, it comes pretty close to buying this and that with Pentax or Sony or whatever. Sure, you won't be able to get multiple lenses, but so what? You really learn about the footworks of photography, which comes pretty difficult when shooting off with zoom lenses.

Off the subject here a bit, but you cannot just go out and shoot around in random and call it street photography. Cartier-Bresson Would die of excessive laughter.

[kenafein]

Sony NEX 5N(or F3) with the Sigma 19mm(a steal at $200) or the Contax(Zeiss) G 28/2.8. These are small combos, with excellent IQ. I sold my K-5 after buying the NEX. I will miss the K-5 for many things, but the NEX is a great size and form factor and covers most of my needs. The sunlight mode for the lcd works very well in bright sunlight. The F3 is supposed to be even better.

[sheld]

That's the bottom line. Even a small lens on a DSLR can still be problematic. I feel the general public's perception of small, non-DSLR looking cameras is one of casualness and a sightseeing amateur just taking snaps as it stands today. The black DLSR, pro level or not, projects a very different message to many.

It was already said. About any current crop of mirrorless will do. Just learn to use and ignore gear-head talk about buttons not in the perfect spot or some other stupid thing that really doesn't stop you from getting the shot when you learn to use it.

I shoot with a Pentax K-x, using a 21mm pancake and a 70mm pancake. That works really well for me. I used to use primarily a Tamron 28-75mm zoom lens. When you use a DSLR with a big lens, people notice. Shooting with the pancake is a lot more discreet, and works really well for me. Maybe I'll get a 40mm pancake sometime too, dunno. I would prefer a 30mm pancake focal length.

Anyway, I haven't used an m4/3rds. Has anyone used both a pentax DSLR with pancakes, and an m4/3rds, and can they comment on how reactions differ to the dslr pancake combo, vs the m4/3rds camera? I really love my DSLR through the lens viewfinder, and prefer it to using a live-view screen, but using the live-view screen is probably considered more casual and discreet now. Before I got my pentax DSLR, I used a Canon G6, which was really nice, but the DSLR+pancake is the same size. Also, can anyone comment on DSLR+pancake vs K-01+pancake?
- Sheldon

[goldpopper]

Same as Sheld, I use a k-x with DA21 , FA50 or DA70. Very small package and works well. Else I use my x100.

[sheld]

Same as Sheld, I use a k-x with DA21 , FA50 or DA70. Very small package and works well. Else I use my x100.

The DA21 is a perfect focal length for people photos. The DA70 is perfect for portraits. I shot my niece's 1st birthday party using those two lenses over the weekend, which of course wasn't discreet street photography. But I was shooting w/out a flash, so it was more discreet than your average dslr. Originally, I thought I would use the Tamron 28-75mm, but I found the two lens pancake combo worked pretty well, with very fast autofocus. With the in camera SR, and ISO1600 or ISO3200, lighting was never a problem. For my next event, I'll skip the Tamron 28-75mm entirely, and bring along the DA21, DA70, and the Sigma 30mm/1.4 (which I already own). I know I won't use the Sigma much, but sometimes you need a "normal" lens, plus its very fast. I also own the DA15mm, but that's mostly for outdoor street shots of tall buildings, and fun perspective stuff, and is less ideal for people photos.

Here's a website with some of my own street photography, mostly using the DA70, with a few DA21 shots and a few DA15 shots. South Congress walk The shallow DOF of the DA70 makes for really neat street street shots, so its my favorite. But the DA21 also works great.

I'd like to hear other opinions on the DSLR+pancake versus the m4/3rds or Sony Nex plus pancake and/or zoom, and what works well for discreet street photography. I really think Pentax has something unique, in the camera business.
- Sheldon

[UnknownVT]

I'm much busier now and my chances to carry my camera with me are very poor, the K20D I own is big and heavy.

I could change the K20D for a K-01 but it's not very small.

Here's a suggestion that's a bit different.

Unless you are really unhappy with your K20D
(other than for the new interest in street photography)
- for all your other photography over the years -
using your K20D - hang on to it.

For street photography try a p&s compact -
they are purpose built for snap-shooting -
and they can be very small and light - these can be relatively inexpensive.

It depends on whether you can use the LCD screen as a viewfinder -
if so, then the choice is overwhelming - try an ultra-compact like the Canon S100
with manual controls and RAW capability.

But if an optical viewfinder is a must then unfortunately the choice is much more restricted - the older Canon G12
or the G1x (a bit expensive).....

But for cheap there are the Canon A1200 or A1300 - they are auto-everything p&s with some limited control - but have real optical viewfinders - once one gets used to some of the restrictions - these are quite capable of giving more than adequate results - especially in daylight.....
Please see: $80 p&s compact thread

[NickLarsson]

A nice article on the subject by Alex Coghe: http://www.alexcoghe.com/best-cameras-for-street-photography-an-update/

Interestingly, he recommends the K-30 for the DSLR category

[Sandy Hancock]

I would echo those who have suggested the K-01 with any or all of the DA21 (my favourite), DA40 or DA70.

[KungPOW]

I picked up the NEX-5N about a month ago.

I use it primarily to shoot street, but I have found I use it more often then my DSLR (D300).

I thought I would really miss having a viewfinder, truth is that I don't. For street, people pay less attention to me when I don't have the camera at my face. Holding a camera and shooting iphone style is far less of an issue for people then shoot while looking through a viewfinder.

With a pk-nex adaptor, the NEX-5N is still smaller then my MX. The grip is FANTASTIC to hold. The controls, while small, are very good. The camera can be easily customised. I don't think the camera is at all awkward to hold, even though the lens looks disproportionately large. It is as nice to hold as any of the old film cameras (think MX, LX, KX).

I usually shoot with a Pentax-M 28mm f2.8 set to the hyperfocal point (f11 and 3m), so there is no need to rely on the autofocus. I set the camera to shutter priority, auto ISO, and that's it. I dial in a shutter speed I want, usually 1/60 or so, and I allow the camera to select ISO. Matrix metering works with adapted lenses. The metering is FAR better then my old K10D when used with M lenses.

The screen shows a live histogram, and because the lens stopped down, the screen shows actual DOF.

The shutter release is crazy fast. Faster then the K10D. It might be faster then my D300. I can't tell.

It has the same sensor as the K-5, and once I got Lightroom dialed in for the NEX-5N, processing RAW became a breeze.

There are two negatives for me with the camera. One, it is slow to wake up. With the M lens, it wakes up faster then with the Sony 18-55, but it is not DSLR instant ready to go. Two, it eats through battery life like no other camera I have ever owned.

I might get a viewfinder for it. I might not. Right now it is not stopping me from enjoying the camera.

I'm going to go as far as to claim that the NEX-7 and the NEX-5N are the digital LX and MX cameras Pentax should have made.

I'm actually happier with the NEX-5N then I had expected to be.

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

Most of my street shots I take with the K-5 and the DA21 ltd, with the DA70ltd in the pocket. Small, silent, extremely good combo of speed and low light capacity for street shots. In that way you don't have to split system. When I put on the DA*16-50 and battery grip on the K-5 it is a full size DSLR. Take it off and put on a ltd pancake, and it is small and discrete. Anything smaller you have to give up the viewfinder, split into two lens systems and I doubt you can match the IQ of the K-5.

street - a set on Flickr

SMC Pentax-DA 21mm 1:3.2 limited - a set on Flickr

SMC Pentax-DA 70mm 1:2.4 limited - a set on Flickr

[grhazelton]

I have a black ME-Super with winder. Small, fast, not too conspicuous, and with a speed 50 good for low light.

[Hertizel]

Honestly any camera will do. Its ones apporach or ability to be unnoticed that needs pratice.

I second that. I've done street photography with just about anything, from android phone to big noisy mirror slap medium format cameras. It's the attitude.

Having said that, if you're ok with no viewfinder (I'm not), K01 will allow you tu use your lens. If not, depending on the budget, I'd go for nex7 or some random m43 with external VF (I'm not up to date with latest models).