Street photography is one of the most exciting and challenging genres of the medium. You have to be inconspicuous, quick, able to manoeuvre the streets with ease, and be convincing when the need arises. At the end of the day, what matters is if you were able to get the spectacular shot that you had seen in a fraction of a second. To be able to help you achieve this dream, we bring to you a few small, stealthy cameras that are perfect for aspiring and professional street photographers.
Fujifilm X100V
One of the best cameras for street photography, the Fujifilm X100V features a 26MP sensor, produces 14-bit RAW files, and comes with a 23mm f2 lens for bright images. It has weather sealing, is built really well, the dials are fun to use, and there is a built-in ND filter. In terms of performance, it is also exceptional. As we stated in our review. “It’s got great autofocus capabilities, wonderful image quality, weather sealing, a revamped lens, and a simple interface.”
We’ve chosen this over its newer variant because it’s mostly the same camera.
Ricoh GR IIIx
Ricoh has been perfect for street photography. The GR IIIx is the latest camera that features a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor, an integrated 40mm f2.8, 3-axis shake reduction, and a 3-inch 1.037 m-dot. It sports a new processor and can capture Full HD video at 60fps. With this device, you will not just get a beautifully built device but also great, sharp images, versatile RAW, and multiple in-camera black-and-white profiles.
Sony RX1R MK II
Sony has some truly great mirrorless cameras under its belt. The RX1R Mk II is a full-frame camera with a 42MP sensor, BIONZ X image processor, a 35mm f2 Zeiss lens, and 399 phase-detect AF points. You also get WiFi, ISO up to 102,400, and uncompressed 14-bit RAW files. With this device, you get guaranteed great image quality, but also fast autofocus, decent battery, and a small design. However, the ergonomics will need to get some getting used to.
Olympus Pen F
It is a dream camera for many street photographers. The Pen F is special because it offers a retro ergonomics, along with a 20.3MP Live MOS sensor, 5-axis image stabilization, 81 autofocus points, and an 80MP high-res shot option. While it is not weather-sealed, the camera offers the best image quality in the Olympus system, it feels amazing in the hand, the autofocus performance is decent, and it offers good high ISO output. Overall, it is quite a perfect camera, if you overlook the weather sealing.
We know, we know — it’s not really a compact camera. But it’s close, right?
Leica Q3
One of Leica’s best cameras for street photography, the Q3 is a full-frame compact camera featuring a 60MP sensor and a fixed Summilux 28mm f1.7 lens. It can record 8K 30p videos, has a Maestro IV processor, and has a continuous shooting speed of up to 15 fps. The build of the camera is exceptional; you get beautiful images, and the lens gives you a sharp subject with great bokeh. The colors are magnificent, and so are the black and white profiles. However, the continuous autofocus tops out at 4fps, which means this camera is ideal for slow shooting scenarios.