In my days as a ski instructor, I used to get asked alot by my friends which skis they should buy. My advice was always the same always: “Do a demo day and try them out. Or, if you can’t get to a demo day, then just bite the bullet and hire them.” People hate that advice because it involves effort. But if you want to put in zero effort into your gear selection then you’re not really putting serious effort into your endeavour, whatever field it is in. So my advice on which camera to buy is similar: “Try before you buy.”

It's worth spending time to get the right gear for street photography.

The time and money that you spend on renting camera gear will be repaid in better purchasing decisions and educating your taste in what you like and why. So, how can you get access to street photography gear to try out before you buy:

Friends, family and fools
First stop is to try and borrow gear from your friends. You may find that there is more gear available to borrow than you expected. Try friends of friends and putting the word out that your are interested in gear. The advantage is that it’s free (although it’d be polite to buy them a beer or loan them some of your kit in return). The disadvantage is that you won’t get much choice, so the kit available might not be stuff that you’re considering buying.

Professional Photography Gear Hire
Professional hire companies serving photographers are overwhelmingly stocked with Canikon DSLR kit and studio photo shoot gear so not much there for a street photographer. Occasionally you’ll luck into a small company with a little micro four thirds gear for rent but it’s usually an old model. If you’re in the USA then Lens Rentals has a good range of Micro Four Thirds kit.

Film Industry Hire
Professional hire companies serving the film industry often have micro four thirds lenses as part of the kit for GH2s. The rentals can be expensive but if there is a company close by and you can get a deal from them then you’ll get access to some seriously high-end gear.

Review samples
Manufacturers often offer journalist review samples that blogger. You can contact their PR departments via the “media” contact page on their websites. Some camera shops have demo units that you can try out. Ask around your small local camera shops.

Loan programmes
Local groups and clubs sometimes have loan gear. This can be a great source of street photography gear for you to try out. It’s also a great way to meet people that are interested in the same type of photography that you are.

E-Hire UK
In the UK we are lucky enough to have a partnership between Olympus and the old four thirds format E System User Group. That club has evolved and now includes both four thirds and micro four thirds. The gear hire part of the collaboration is administered by a PR company called the Write Group. I’ve hired some of the gear that I’ve reviewed on this site from the Olympus E-Group hire and I can highly recommend it.

They have the full range of Olympus Micro Four Thirds Cameras. The excellent micro four thirds primes in 12mm, 17mm and 45mm. Along with wide zooms like the 9-18mm and the longer kit lenses.

It’s best to join the E-System User Group first and get to know the community a little. Read some of the threads about lens hire and comments on the new cameras. You can dive into the hire list as a PDF from their information page.

Why I hire
I have a process that I followed with ski gear when I was an instructor and have since applied to photography:

1. Decide your five year plan for building a tool kit (Jared Polin has a great video on this step).
2. Prioritise the order you need to build the kit in so that you get the most versatile items first.
3. Read reviews and choose 2 best products that are candidates for your next step.
4. Try them out (most people skip this step).
5. Buy.

Try and keep your trial gear focussed on either things you’re considering buying or on kit that will help you learn. For example, it will be a long time before I invest in the 12mm Olympus wide angle prime. But I learnt a lot about framing and depth of field from spending time with it.

I’ve had a few more questions from readers about the GX1 about elements specific to street photography. I think the GX1 is going to be an important camera for street photographers. It meets my main criteria of fast, light and discrete. It also takes great quality photos.

With the GX1 you are buying into a standard that is growing and developing with ever more lenses and a community of passionate street photographers. However, no camera is perfect and you need to pick a tool that suits your usage. A couple of common questions so far have been:

External Viewfinder
The external EVF is not really any better than the G3, so if you really want an EVF then just get a G3. The GX1 with viewfinder attached is taller than a G3. On the street this will mean bumping the EVF against your chest, pulling it off to fit in your coat pocket and generally flaffing around. Not conducive to the decisive moment.

The external EVF on the GX1 adds more bulk than I expected.

The G3 is smaller and more subtle than most people realise. It can be used perfectly well on the street. The X100 also has a great viewfinder. Or plump for what you really want and get a Leica.

The G3 is suprisingly slim in the hand. So if you really need an EVF then try it out.

The real problem is that whatever EVF you use, it’ll never be as clear as an OVF. Kai from DigitalRev put it best (although he was comparing a Sony transparent mirror to a Canon mirror SLR); “The [EVF] feels like looking at what the camera sees, the [OVF] feels like looking at the subject.“ So until EVFs improve I’d take that off the table as a reason for or against the GX1.

As a street photographer you’ll want to experiment with hotshoe OVFs, EVFs and maybe even an SLR style like the GH2 or G3. But in the end you may find that an LCD is just fine.

Build quality
As tough as it is, the GX1 is not a weather-proof camera. The build quality is better than the GF series. But not by much. I said in my original review that I’d be happy dropping the GX1 in a puddle or using it in the rain. But this is more about the fact that it’s good value and if it broke, then it’s not too expensive to replace.

The GX1 is built pretty tough.

I also think that the GX1 will be like the GF1 in that it’s not technically waterproof, mud proof or dust proof. But that it’ll stand up to most of those pretty comfortably. So test it out for yourself. I think the all metal body will pleasantly surprise most street photographers.

High ISO noise
From what I can tell so far, the JPG engine is better, but the high ISO RAW files will still be pretty noisy over 800. I’m starting to think that this is just the curse of M43 because the EP-3 is no better. ISO noise isn’t a reason not to get a GX1, but if you’re upgrading from another M43 camera just to get better ISO, I’d be wary. On the street, better ISO is great because it gives you more options, but I’ve found that I can live with up to 800 in almost any conditions.

Conclusion
In the end, I’m a street photographer and can only comment on the GX1 for that purpose. I’m guessing that the GX1 would kick all kinds of ass as a travel camera. Especially paired with the X lenes. As a street camera, the GX1 is a worthy successor to the GF1. If you’re new to street photography, the GX1 is a camera that will grow with you and you’ll get years of good shooting out of.

The GX1 is a real contender for best street photographer’s camera of 2011/2012. One of the keys to good street shooting is to find a lens that works with your style. So when I got my hands on the GX1 at a launch event I ran it through a couple of lenses that you might be interested in for street photography.

14-42mm X Lens
I tried the GX1 first with the 14-42mm X lens (available at a kit in Dec/Jan). The X lens is nicer than you’d expect. It feels a bit like a point and shoot but it’s so easy and nice to use that after a moment you let go and just enjoy the toggle-to-zoom power steering. The GX1 and 14-42mm are well proportioned and the focus is fast.

Small, fast, discrete and well built

As for how the toggle zoom performs on the street, it is fast enough to let you frame the shot, even when things are moving fast. For a prime shooter like myself, it still feels a bit like cheating. I also don’t like the point and shoot aesthetic. Yet somehow it all seems to come together and using the GX1 with the 14-42mm on the street is effortlessly cool.

The GX1 with 14-42mm X lens

45-175mm X Lens
The GX1 and 45-175mm X lens feel like a great combination. The lens doesn’t overpower the camera and the weight balance makes for easy shooting. The 45-175mm X lens is the unsung hero of micro four thirds. I predict big things for this lens. It has semi-manual zoom-by-wire and focus-by-wire (twist controls on the barrel) giving you the feel of a good manual control lens. Like the touch screen on the GX1, the toggle to zoom on the X lens is only there if you want it. If you want to run manual, you can.

The GX1 pairs nicely with the 45-175mm lens

The X 45-175mm gets you up close and personal with your subject (from a distance). It’s a bit over powered for street shooting but I think you’d get used to it. The quality at the long end isn’t perfect but it packs so much into a small space that you’ll forgive it alot. I didn’t encounter the focus hunting or incurable softness that some have complained of. For street shooting the small size of the 45-175mm means that you can reach out and touch your subject.

GX1 with Lumix 45-175mm lens street photo

Summary
GX1 Pros:
1. Small, light, subtle for use on the street
2. Good manual controls
3. Image quality

GX1 Cons:
1. Sensor seems like it hasn’t caught up with competitors
2. No EVF or tilty-swivelly LCD
3. Can wash out highlights

Bottom line:
The GF1 reborn as a modern street shooter.

Ps. Panasonic UK are running more demo events in London. I wrote a separate mini-post on the GX1 Launch Event Review. The Lumix GX1 is a camera you have to try in person to appreciate.

I had a chance to drop by the Panasonic launch event for the GX1 at Jacobs Digital today. The GX1 is a great little camera. If you liked the GF1 you are going to love the GX1. Panasonic are excited about the camera but have positioned it at the high end so it’s not going to be for everyone. They admitted that they’ve had lots of feedback about the lack of built in EVF (so they are listening). Even so, the GX1 is an important part of Panasonic’s future vision for semi-pro micro four thirds cameras. Of course, my main question was “What is it like as a camera for street photographers?”

Panasonic GX1 launch event at Jacobs Digital on Oxford Street London

The touch screen, thumb wheel and overall style owe a lot to the GF2. Which as you know, I think is heavily underrated. My prediction is that the GX1 will be underrated as well, until it gets into the hands of enough people. Then it will become a roaring success. It’s a try before you buy camera. You’ll know instantly if you love it or hate it.

The Jacobs Digital staff were nice enough, but obviously not used to reviewers, journos and bloggers invading their store. They’ve recently redone the store layout so that things are more open plan. They also have lots more Micro Four Thirds lenses on display so it’ll become a bit of a mecca for street shooters. If you’re in London then do drop by. These guys know their kit.

Jacobs Digital on Oxford Street hosted the launch event for the GX1

For me, the GX1 itself is pretty much perfect. The autofocus is fast (not EP3 fast) but it’s fast enough for most street photography. The build quality is solid so it’s a bit heavier than it looks. Every dial, button and lever is tight.

I tried out the GX1 with my trusty 14mm Lumix prime. It’s a match made in heaven. Fast to focus, wide aperture, nice wide field of view. These two would fit into a coat pocket. – And pack a serious punch. The 14-45mm X lens and 45-175mm X lens balance nicely on the Panasonic GX1 but it will do its best work with primes.

GX1 with 14mm lens and filter

I got to take a lap with the GX1 on Oxford Street. The thumbwheel gives you instant full manual control of shutter speed and aperture. The ISO is easy to change.  It’s a nod to the LC1 and the GF1 all rolled into one. The GX1 does suffer the GF1 and GF2’s tendency to wash out the highlights a little. But on balance the image quality was impressive.

GX1 sample shot on Oxford Street, London with the 14mm Lumix prime lens

There are some video previews of the GX1 across the web and I also wrote up a mini-review of the GX1 using the new X lenses: GX1 Review

As much as you love your DSLR, it makes you look like a tourist, or even worse a hipster.

There is a long history of anthropologists, archaeologists and bad-ass photojournalists carrying cameras that were small enough to keep a low profile but big enough to get the job done. The micro four thirds standard is a successor to that legacy.

Micro four thirds is a collaboration between Olympus and Panasonic to provide for compatibility of cameras, lenses and accessories. Olympus provide the standard with photographic history, integrity and credibility. Panasonic provide the system with cutting edge video tech, great pancake lenses and a sense of possibility for the future.

Cameras that meet the standard include mini-slr types like the GH1 from Panasonic and range-finder style bricks like the Lumix GF1 and the new Olympus EP3.

The sensor is large enough to capture a lot of light which provides for fast shutter speeds (less blur with moving subjects), wider apertures (nice shallow depth of field) and lower ISO (less noise).

The standard also now has a wide range of lenses from various manufacturers. You can get fish-eye lenses, mount old OM Olympus legacy lenses from the 1970s or specialist video lenses.

The Leica M series and the Sony NEX prove that you can put big sensors in small cameras. But both of these have their drawbacks, price in one case and lens choice in the other. This leaves micro43 as the natural standard.

For impromptu street photography the micro four thirds cameras provide light weight and low profile. For ‘stop a stranger’ street portraits, the micro four thirds says:

“I’m a serious enough photographer that I’m not just taking this photo for my own weird purposes to look at home. I’m also not so serious that I’m going to put this in a magazine and embarrass you.”

The retro micro four thirds cameras pretty much say, “I’m a blogger who understands the importance of good photos, but isn’t pretentious.”

The friends I have with micro four thirds cameras all got them when they got frustrated that a point-and-shoot just wasn’t quite enough, and a DSLR was too much. For street portraits and street photography there is nothing quite like it.

You can find the full range of camera bodies at http://www.four-thirds.org/en/microft/body.html

What really makes the system so dynamic is the range of lenses. You can see the official micro-four-thirds lenses at http://www.four-thirds.org/en/microft/lense.html These are just the tip of the iceberg.

First look at the 9-18mm Olympus wide angle lens on the GF2. So far it seems to be a great lens for street photography. Full review to come soon.

The GF2 gets consistently negative or indifferent reviews around the internet. But what I started to notice was that these negative reviews are never from anyone that actually owns a GF2. So this review takes the form of an extended rebuttal to the most common complaints:

“The touchscreen removed the manual control”
– The only manual control removed was the mode dial. In day-to-day shooting the modes you use will be either manual (M) or full auto (iA). To switch between these you just set the camera to manual and then use the blue iA button to turn iA on and off. So no real loss with the removal of the mode dial. The complaints about the loss of the mode dial are a classic tip that a reviewer only played with a camera in the store (where you want to check out the modes).

“There are no dials to control Shutter, Aperture and Iso”
– The dial on the GF2 is on the top right of the back of the camera (under your thumb). It is a nice smooth dial with a robust click for each step. When you press in the dial it clicks from changing Aperture to changing Shutter Speed. This is so easy and fast for manual control that I now prefer it to 2 dials because I can do it one handed. The Iso is changed using the dedicated Iso button on the back of the camera.

“The touchscreen is useless in day-to-day shooting”
– It takes about 5 mins to tweak the quick menu which appears on the touchscreen (accessed from a dedicated button) I chose Shutter Speed, Aperture, Iso and Focus mode as the shortcuts but you could choose whichever you wanted. The touchscreen is also excellent for reviewing images by flicking through them. But most of the time you forget that it’s there because you can run the camera from the buttons and dial.

“JPG’s are cr_p”
– Yes they are, if you are pixel peeping. In which case, what are you doing shooting JPGs? Shoot RAW. For the occasional quick happy-snap the jpgs are nice and the intelligent dynamic plus intelligent sharpness make for easy and tidy JPGs. But you really got into micro 43 to shoot RAW didn’t you?

Why the GF2 is so important:
– Micro 43 is all about the ‘prosumer’ market. It’s amateurs that want professional style kit and professionals that want a fast/light kit for a particular need. The GH and G are great mini-slrs but they let us sometimes forget that the micro 43 is a rebirth of the rangefinder ethos. Micro 43 was born for street photography and the GF2 feels like a no nonsense street camera. The PENs have their moments as street cameras but if you harbour a residual Panasonic/Leica association then the GF2 is going to deliver a solid street photography experience and will pair well with the Panasonic Prime lenses.

Shoot Wide, Shoot Prime, Shoot Raw.

Photo samples from the first week with the GF2:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjthomson/sets/72157627241615711/