Famous Classic Cameras and the Street Photographers Who Used Them
By Michael Ernest Sweet
A camera is a tool – a means to an end; the photograph. That said, it is still a tool that is intimately connected to the photographer – it is their “main” tool. As photographers, we form a special bond with our cameras. For many photographers, it is hard to change cameras. The camera, with its specific lens, feel, and “way of operating”, all feed into our visual signature. For example, for many years now I have exclusively used the Ricoh GRD IV. My best-known body of street photography, The Human Fragment, was shot with this camera. Its 28mm lens and full-press “snap focus” allowed me to make this body of work in a way that many cameras simply could not achieve. Likely, I will always be associated with the Ricoh GRD IV. It is my camera. Other photographers have other cameras, but they too become known for their camera of choice. Let’s look at a few popular street photography cameras and the famous photographers most associated with them.
Ricoh GR Series
The Ricoh GR series began back in 1996 as a 35mm film camera. It was compact, had a wide, fast lens, 28mm or 21mm, and sported very quick autofocus. This made the camera a favorite of street shooters. Many street photographers became attached to this camera and many would evolve with the brand and, eventually, end up using the digital versions. The original 35mm analog GR, however, will always be linked to Daido Moriyama. It was his camera of choice. Some cameras just produce a “signature look” and the Ricoh GR series of cameras certainly has its own visual signature. Today, the latest digital version of the Ricoh GR is so popular that Ricoh cannot even keep them in stock! In many ways, the Ricoh GR is the “ultimate” compact street photography camera, perhaps second only to the Leica M (which is much less compact and quite a bit heavier). The other big positive about this camera is that Ricoh has maintained the same design and user interface, more or less, since the beginning. The camera remains familiar to its users.
Rollei 35
The Rollei 35 is another favorite, in general, among street photographers. This is likely due to two main factors – the camera’s overall size (it is very compact for a 35mm camera, indeed it was the smallest when it was introduced at Photokina in 1966) and the zone focus lens. The “very” sharp Zeiss 40mm lens on the Rollei 35 is easily focused with a zone focus system, which allows for fast, “quick snap” street shooting – capturing that “decisive” moment. With a stopped down aperture and the zone “more or less” correct, a photographer is able to simply “snap” a photo without having to worry about (or wait for) an autofocus system. This is a huge advantage on the streets. This camera was the choice for photographer Stephen Shore during his now-famous American Surfaces project. Stephen tells me, “I wanted a camera that would not seem intimidating If I approached a stranger and asked if I could take their picture.” He adds, “The Rollei 35 was the only camera of which I am aware that had the flash mounted under the camera instead of on top. The flash was actually several inches below the lens and it was off to the side, as well. It produced a shadow that outlined figures in a way that no other system did. I found it very satisfying.”
Copyright ⓒ Stephen Shore, Courtesy of Stephen Shore
On a related note, Mint Camera will be releasing a new version of the Rollei 35 in 2024. The camera will sport the Rollei branding and be a more or less faithful reproduction with a few modern upgrades like an autofocus system (which Shore says he would welcome) and a small onboard flash. The camera, on paper, promises to be the most impressive compact 35mm camera so far this century!
The Olympus MJU II
The MJU II by Olympus is certainly a “cult classic” in the 35mm compact camera world. No longer in production, the prices have risen sharply over the past decade. The camera, introduced in 1997, sports a fast f2.8, 35mm lens, compact design, lightning-fast autofocus (for its time), and a certain amount of reliability. The MJU II is also “weatherproofed” and can be used in a full-on rainstorm! Today, prices for this camera on the used market often exceed $300 USD. I remember about a decade ago being able to buy them “unused” on eBay a dozen at a time for about $125 per unit. I did buy a few, but have since moved them on. Yes, I regret it. I loved the MJU II for its portability and speed. The lens was also highly capable – frames were sharp right to the edges. When I think of the MJU II I think of Robert Frank, who was often seen using one in his later years. What I love about Frank is that he was game for just about any camera. He used a Leica, sure, but also an Instax, a Diana, a Konica Big Mini, a Bell & Howell ($10 piece of plastic equivalent to a disposable camera), and even medium format cameras like the Mamiya. Frank’s life-long playful attitude toward the camera allowed him to continually experiment – an important part of creating art!
Copyright ⓒ Chad Tobin
Leica M Series
Perhaps the Grand Poobah of all street photography cameras, the Leica M was the favorite of so many 20th century masters we cannot name them all. I’m going to highlight Joel Meyerowitz here, as Joel was so kind as to tell me all about why he prefers the M series on the street.
Joel told me “one of the special qualities of the Leica M is that the Leica has the viewfinder window all the way over on the left, and not in the center as a single lens reflex camera does. When you put a single lens reflex camera to your eye you essentially block out the world and only see what the lens sees. But when you put the M up to your eye your right eye sees in the viewfinder what the camera sees, while your left eye continues to see the rest of the world outside the frame. So, you are seeing the unfolding photographic moment, and the context. We all are gifted with binocular vision, which the Leica allows us to use, and that asset – seeing the frame and the continuing flow of action – is what gives all Leica users a special advantage.” Of course, the Leica M is not the only rangefinder in existence, but it is a well-built body and, of course, I need not say anything about Leica glass. Together, the Leica M was and remains the rangefinder to beat.
Copyright ⓒ Photo Courtesy of Joel Meyerowitz
Mark Cohen told me, for him, the space between the camera and the print dissolved when he began using the Leica M. He says, “With the life-size view in the bright-line frame the picture’s composition and focus were no longer an issue and concentration on the finished photograph jumped forward.”
Although the 35mm Leica M series is still in production, the digital versions are more popular today. Although they are certainly good cameras, their value is a bit more dubious for me in the age of digital obsolescence. Analog Leica cameras were worth the investment as they could be passed from one generation to another. I’m not sure this will be the case with the digital variants. This, together with more robust camera competition, has caused the Leica M series to lose some of its splendor. The strength of the branding is now their main asset.
Copyright ⓒ Mark Melnicove, 1977. Courtesy of Mark Cohen
Nikon D3 Series
Some street photographers don’t opt for small, pocketable cameras. For example, Jay Maisel prefers the behemoth Nikon D3 Series with a telephoto lens (often in the 150-300mm range). It is a myth that street photographers only use compact cameras with wide, fixed lenses. Of course, many do and it is easy to understand why. But that’s not to say that many famous street photographers didn’t/don’t use bigger cameras with heavy, long lenses. So much of Maisel’s massive body of work could not have been made with a compact, fixed-lens camera. In this way, using a big camera with a long lens was a critical element to his visual signature. The Nikon D3 is an incredibly fast camera with the ability to make full-frame images and use a variety of lenses. Long preferred among sports photographers and news photojournalists, the D3 simply makes great photos in a variety of situations with speed and dependability.
Rolleiflex
Vivian Meyer preferred the Rolleiflex – certainly not a pocket camera! The Rolleiflex was, however, a relatively small camera for a medium format, highly reliable, simple to use, and very durable. I think an added benefit for Meyer was that the camera was not lightning fast on the street, which allowed her to make some “tacit” contact with her subjects. Her work is still considered candid, but often her subjects were aware of her presence, which gives her work a unique depth of character not found in the work of many other street photographers. Meyer and her subjects often shared an “unspoken moment” and these interactions translated into her frames. Being a naturally shy person, Meyer would have been often looking down into the camera and, whilst having a certain kind of interaction with her subjects, she would have been able to avert direct eye contact. All of this combines to make her work unique to her. The Rolleiflex was a critical part of the recipe.
Contax T3
When I think of the Contax T3 I think of Swedish photographer Anders Petersen. If you don’t know him, you should. His work is amazing. While not strictly a street photographer, he has certainly made many candid frames in the public space. His camera of choice has long been the Contax T3. Petersen prefers the camera because “it is small, relatively simple, and has a very good, sharp lens.” Petersen reports that he has made prints from the camera at sizes of up to 2 meters wide and he still achieved sharpness across the frame. Petersen also lauds the ability to easily carry the camera in his pocket. While the Contax T3 is certainly a great camera, it is also an old camera. The camera is loaded with electronics and even the newest ones are now two decades old. Add to this the sky-high sticker price on the used market – often approaching or even surpassing $2k – and I can’t really recommend this camera to most photographers. Parts are scarce and repair costs reach into the stratosphere. If money isn’t an issue, have at it, but expect to encounter issues and require repairs at some point during ownership.
Pentax 17
The Pentax 17 was just released this month. So, there is no one associated with this camera yet, but I wanted to mention it because I think it holds promise for street photographers. The Pentax 17 is the first 35mm newly made compact camera in nearly two decades. It is a half-frame camera, which I am not a huge fan of but it has other redeeming qualities. Most importantly the camera is a zone focus camera, which will allow one to take photos on the street without the lag commonly associated with autofocus cameras. Even cameras with really fast autofocus can be cumbersome in street photography. This is why the Leica M and such are so much preferred. Aside from zone focus, the Pentax 17 is light, well built, and will allow street photographers to experiment with shooting film while not worrying about the reliability of older cameras. Additionally, in the photos I have seen, the lens looks remarkably sharp, putting the camera well ahead of all the other “new” 35mm “fantastic plastic” cameras. Given a few years, I am sure some photographer’s name will come to mind when we think of the Pentax 17.
In the end, remember, a camera is only your tool. Your vision, your determination to find and capture unique subject matter, and your endurance to persevere in one of the most difficult artistic endeavors will be what makes or breaks your career as a photographer. Too many young photographers get caught up in the gear rat race. Don’t be one of them. Spend your time and money chasing photographs, not cameras.
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