THE BEST Street Photography Cameras under 1000$ RATED (2021)

[@SamuelStreetlife]

Share your top three Camera choices for Street Photography below! :) Also, if we get to 2000 likes in the first week, I will do a "Money no object" version of this video. Must be nice!

[@piketubeman]

You Missed the Sony RX100, you can get those 1/2/3's for less than $1000 CAD :)

[@SamuelStreetlife]

@@piketubeman Yes I did! I actually mention them in another take but ended up not editing it into the video. I have zero experience with them but I am sure they do the job!

[@piketubeman]

@@SamuelStreetlife their biggest downside is they have a beep on focus that you can't turn off 😂

[@piketubeman]

Such an enjoyable video to watch, and I appreciate hearing your insights.

[@SamuelStreetlife]

@@piketubeman Haha wow I didn't know that! That makes them harder to recommend now : D

[@andyjones5192]

Isn’t this a great time to be alive? So much choice of great cameras for reasonable money.😎 Good selection of cameras though. I use the Canon M200 a lot. It’s a camera that is totally under rated and has slipped somehow under the radar. Lot of bang for the buck at a small size.

[@unbroken1010]

And a industry where days rates are crashing , people reposting other photographers work without financial compensation or outright stealing it. Yes a great time ffs

[@paulroyle-grimes]

All of canons cameras are pretty great. 😀

[@kaushaltiwari9773]

That GX9 is a great M43 camera along with the EM5 MK3. The EM5 mk3 with the 20mm f1.4 is awesome. Fully sealed, fast and fully featured. The GX9 with the 15mm Leica is a bloody good combo too. Both these have very effective stabilisation. Better in that regard than all other options here. The EM5 MK3 must be bought used though. Then it is under £1000. I have an A6400 but I must say that the best lens line up belongs to the M43 cameras.

[@mortenthesbl5535]

GX9 has no weather sealing - GX8 does though

[@b.s.4478]

Agree. I also own a GX9 with the 20mm f1.7 II, and it's an amazing street photography combo. Small and light, and around 750€ new (body + lens).

[@unbroken1010]

Gx9 was a let down to me

[@Invintius]

@@unbroken1010why?

[@gabrielstreet8476]

I use Sony 6400+ sigma 30mm 1.4 combo for street photography. It is fantastic.

[@housemusic325]

Olympus' user here. I did start street photo with an Em10 MK2. It's more or less a tiny DSLR styled camera with tilty screen image stabilization and 16 mpx sensor. It's now a cheap camera and I use it with a 20 mm F1.7 Lumix lens. Great result. Compact size and full control with 2 dials. Fit in my pocket. as well. I want to buy the new 40mm GR, but the price is a little too high for me at the moment. To be honest, I do use an Olympus XA as a "small EDC camera" at the moment when I want a compact camera with me.

[@mackigator]

Love the XA. I still shoot some with an XA and XA4.

[@jensarne5773]

Olympus E-PM2; small, very good af, even in low light. I use it with a 45mm f 1,8 and 12mm f2 Sony nex 5n; very good IQ in low light, small, flip up screen. I use it with a 35 mm f1,8 OSS and an old Zuiko 55mm f1.2 Iphone 7 plus. I use it with the Hipstamatic app, love it These are my 3 cameras I have been using for streetphotograpy this fall. They are (very) old but they do work just fine. Greetings!

[@RichardRamhoff]

So glad to see you mention the Nikon 1 J5. It’s an excellent street and travel camera. So small with the benefit of a fantastic lens system and a flip-up screen. The autofocus was way ahead of its time! The J5 got a new sensor that really made a huge difference in IQ. So sad that Nikon gave up on the system right after they got it right. If only they had put this sensor in a V4 with an EVF and a hot shoe. That would have been the perfect camera. Nikon never got the credit they deserved for this little system. It was priced a little high when new, but it’s a bargain on the second-hand market.

[@billr6983]

I found a Nikon1j1 with a 10mm (27mm equiv) and an 18.5( 50mm equiv) at a thrift store for under $100. I almost didn't buy it because there was no charger with it, and had no idea if it even worked or not. I had never heard of this line but took a chance and bought it and ordered a charger and extra batteries, . I am very pleased I got it, I think it's an amazing little camera, very pocketable and quick, and takes great photos even with just a 10mpxl sensor. I can only imagine how much better the J5 is. Like you said it's a shame Nikon gave up on this system.

[@RichardRamhoff]

@@billr6983 I started with the J1. Worked with that for a long time and loved it until I got the J5 years later. If you get the chance, try the 30-110mm zoom lens. So tiny but incredible reach (297mm equivalent in full-frame terms) and I love the photos from it. Nice and sharp. The J5 is better, twice the resolution and better with noise at higher ISO. But I still love the photos I got from the J1, especially with the popup flash. Excellent at parties!

[@unbroken1010]

Even the mark one was great

[@r.c8756]

Fell on this video in 2024. Unfortunately many of these cameras have become either impossible to find on sale or overpriced...

[@ReginaldEsque]

Nikon Coolpix A is a very underrated APSC street camera. I wish Nikon would make a new version of it.

[@BLEEJazz]

I use Lumix GX85 + Leica 15mm F1.7 combo for street photography. It is fantastic.

[@SamuelStreetlife]

yes definitely a nice combo for street! :)

[@martingreenberg870]

@@SamuelStreetlife I also like this combination. I primarily use Fuji but some things to consider about the Panasonic setup are IBIS. LOVE IBIS. Once you try it it is hard to be without it. Small and lite. Very nice B&W simulation. Very good video I use for short video clips. Also relatively cheap. Yes it has only 16MP but it is good enough. Mask on Nurse Marty

[@LyndonPatrickSmith]

GX85 plus Olympus 17 1.8 for me, or Panasonic-Leica 25 1.4. Amazing little rig, RAW only with some LR presets as I’m not really a fan of the default Panasonic colours.

[@kontraen]

The same can be said for the GX9 + Lumix G 14mm f/2.5 ... my favourite setup for hitting the streets with a digital camera :)

[@BLEEJazz]

@@kontraen I don't mind buying GX9 in the future. For now, I am ok with GX85. Lumix lenses are great in general!

[@Dennis94913]

The sony A6000 with kit lens is a great beginner camera in my opinion since its very cheap where I live, about 250 usd used.

[@jtpettersen378]

I shoot street photography with: FujiFilm X100V and Sony A7r4 with either 24mm, 85mm or the 70-200mm. And I want the 14mm. They all work. The best street photography camera is the one that makes you take street photos.

[@thisdadslife8957]

Kudos to including some micro four thirds cameras in your list. Personally, I'd put the GX9 on amazing row for a few reasons: 1) Startup/shutdown time is faster than the PEN-F, 2) has a tilting rear screen which is more useful for chest/waist level shooting, vs the PEN-F which has a side-hinged swing-out rear screen, 3) it has its power switch on the right which makes it faster to turn on/off than the PEN-F's power switch which is on the left deck and 4) it has faster AF than the PEN-F.

[@SamuelStreetlife]

I almost bought a second hand GX9 today haha. I gave myself some serious GAS while editing this video. I ended up picking up a GX80/GX85 for 250€! Excited to play with M43

[@AlejandroRamos-im4to]

@@SamuelStreetlife M43 is a whole different experience !

[@JavierGutierrez-yl2fs]

The gx9 is a great camera. With the panaleica 15mm 1.7 makes a great combo for street. The lumix gx series is very underrated among street photographers... but it is better so, this way the prices will stay low... ;-)

[@stoneroses8818]

I second this 🙋🏻 been using it for a couple of months now its so much fun. The only downside is when recording videos, but that doesnt bother me at all since im not into videography and i dont think this camera is for that purpose. The black and white and grain simulation on L.Mono D is awesome. Also on M43 i can carry a number of lens around since theyre really compact

[@thisdadslife8957]

I suppose that's only fair since YOUR videos were partly responsible for me buying an X100V (if Ricoh ever puts a tilt screen on their GR, I might succumb to that as well)! I still carry my GX9 as well but usually pair it with a 35-100/2.8 for when I want to flatten the perspective. I shoot both cameras using zone focusing although with the GX9, I found that the only reliable way for it to stay at a fixed focus distance all the time was to use a MF lens. I ended up buying a Laowa 17/1.8 for it. BTW for street shooting, I like the fact that I get a decent amount of depth-of-field at f/4 or 5.6. It narrows the gap in performance between m43 and the larger sensors.

[@Renzsu]

The Nikon Z50 / Zfc might be an interesting option, with some classic manual focus lenses, it can be a nice one to eventually upgrade to a full frame body.

[@-grey]

They also just relased two great compact lenses for the 28 and 40 focal lengths too. If they made a compact fullframe like the A7C, I think they would really have a top tier rival here.

[@Renzsu]

@@-grey I think the Z5 is still pretty compact. The Z6 I have is full metal body and quite heavy, so the plastic body of the Z5 is probably a bit more suitable.

[@detectivejonesw]

Even the kit lens is crazy sharp and has great stabilization

[@Zatanxxx]

@@detectivejonesw Oh yes, its so light but when you shoot your first few pictures ->😲👌. Ans i love it in silver.

[@joe_tographer]

ZFC and the 16-50 retro version is a pretty solid street kit. That kit lens is super underrated

[@pauelabe]

In my opinion the Fuji X70 is the best for MY street photography. - Pocketable - Great for zone focusing - Tilt screen - Built in Flash - Leaf shutter - 28mm equivalent - Stealthy (the black one) - No annoying blackout after each shot (looking at ya GRII and III..) - Better burst than the GRs (when needed) The GRII would be my second choice, and where I think it's superior to the X70 is in the colors. Those colors of the GRII were really special, and they were lost in the GRIII. Damn ricoh what did you do.. and no flash!? The main selling point is how incredibly pocketable it is, but if you wanna shoot with flash you need 2 pockets? Awful decision because the buit in flash + a leaf shutter is an incredible combo!

[@JeffWernerIthacaNY]

Wow, so much micro four thirds!! My Olympus E-M5 ii died a few months ago and I just bought another of the same camera ($300 used) simply because it's super rugged and totally rain-proof and snow-proof and it's tiny, much smaller in real life than it looks in product images. I love it with the Panny-Leica 25mm 1.4 ii (the mark ii lens is weather sealed, but the cheaper original version was not) because I don't need a camera bag even on a rainy day, it can just let it bang around on my side all day. And f/1.4 is actually useful on MFT, not too thin of a depth of field. The fold-to-the-side screen is annoying but the EVF is big and nice. I'm curious about the Panny GX8 - it is weather sealed as well (though the GX9 is not). I haven't gotten to the point where I'd want to spend big bucks on a camera, mostly because I want to be able to carry it with me without having to worry about the replacement cost if I break it or it gets stolen or whatever.

[@dedclownsRfunny]

It’s a fantastic camera! Try vintage lenses on it 👌

[@ldelcarmen]

I’ve been shooting the Leica D-Lux Typ 109 (Lumix LX 100 mk1) for a couple of years and it’s the best overall camera I own hands down. Practically checks all the boxes especially for street, travel and daily carry

[@jasonwrites9186]

The Olympus EM10 Mark 4 deserves a nod. The tilty screen, viewfinder, decent battery, small, light, mechanical shutter up to 1/4000, in-body stabilization, and access to a lot of very affordable lenses. The EM5 Mark 3 is even better with weather sealing, and 1/8000 mechanical shutter. I think it's $900 USD. Anyway, the EM10 Mark 4 is cheaper of course, leaving more in the budget for a fast prime lens.

[@kaushaltiwari9773]

That Em5 mk3 along with the new 20mm f1.4 can be THE one lens, one camera, go anywhere option. It's class- leading weather sealing, stabilisation, fast AF punches way above its weight.

[@bowenzhang5137]

Where would you rank these cameras in the tier list?

[@tmstms9941]

Great video, one question what is the video with the secret camera, I’ve watched alot of your videos but still I haven’t found it

[@lorenschwiderski]

The Olympus e-m10 mark II + Olympus 45mm f1.8 lens is awesome for street. It is tight, as a 90mm equivalent, but works well for many a case. You can always go 25mm, 30mm, 17mm, 15mm or 14mm primes or a zoom with an MFT camera -- loads of choices.

[@MM-zm9lh]

Yes MFT is definitely overlooked nowadays. You should try one and make a video about it! I personally use an Olympus E-P5 ;)

[@MichaelGerrard]

Thanks for mentioning m43 and putting the GX9 in there, it is my current camera, I had the GX80 and GX7 before it. The GX is a classic range (to my eyes 😉). You really should try m43. KZbinrs moan about Lumix AF because of video AF, *not* stills. Lumix stills AF is excellent. For older Lumix models, try a GM if you want a tiny body. Try the Olympus PEN E-PL models too, small but with IBIS, tilt and touch screen, even very old models. The advantage of m43 is in the lenses, they are high quality for a low price. I use the Oly 17mm f1.8 (34mm equiv.) you mentioned, it has excellent image quality, it even has a MF clutch with a distance scale for zone focussing.

[@Poverello2001]

I have the Fuji X70 and absolutely love it. It has its quirks, but it has a great sensor that takes some great photos.

[@AlpacoFilms]

Awesome video! I would actually recommend the Olympus E-M1. These cameras have converted me from my Ricoh. It’s fast, feature rich, and I personally love the styling. More important for me is the handling. The grip is perfect! I carry it all day with no problems! If size is of utmost importance than the Ricoh GR can’t be beat. But if your willing to sacrifice a little size without going to larger APSC and Full Frame Lenses I’d easily recommend Micro Four Thirds cameras.

[@edinnezovic8997]

where can i watch the top mystery secret camera?

[@izustun9851]

I was using Sony RX100 markIII and it was a great camera actually

[@mirrorless_mirror]

I think you've underrated Canon G7X. To my experience as owner of that (G7X MK3) for 4 years, it's very handy for street photography. 1 inch matrix, 20 MP in RAW (Canon CR3 format), 18 MP max camera JPEG, image effects, zoom lens (and even very adequate digital zoom), exposure correction wheel, PASM ring, tilt screen, which allows easily shoot the sophisticated perspectives, compact in size. To me, ideal one for its price. Actually, it is very similar to RICOH in size. However, of course, RICOH has better matrix, hot shoe, and many more.

[@lorenzocatena6377]

Hahah this unexpected feature totally got me by surprise! Thanks Samuel, great list and great cameras!!!

[@SamuelStreetlife]

Haha, I had a feeling you might watch :D Happy to share your work man

[@lorenzocatena6377]

@@SamuelStreetlife thanks 💥 and if it can be helpful to someone out here: I’m still using it and at the moment is my only camera. I use it also for commissioned work (events and architecture) soon I’ll get a new camera, maybe also a Ricoh! this is consumed a little bit hahah 🤌🏼😅 but it served me well I think

[@Ostblockjunge]

For me it would be RIcoh GR3, Fujifilm X-T20 and Sony A6000

[@slevinkelavra7037]

The em-5 is my first digital camera and it's great, far more than the pen-f for the price. It's basically a tank (I had one for nearly 6 years in my everyday bag during my student years, and he died because of the shutter) , very discrete and quite reactive even today.

[@powodzenia]

Died in what shutter count?

[@sebvz89]

Samuel. The XE-4 or the Ricoh? I want to use my M Mount lenses but i don't know if the XE-4 it's worth. Regards from Chile!!!

[@giles1222]

I would have stuck the X-E3 in this list. Great little camera

[@junkokinoko7277]

Ok liked your options, now I am a senior traveling in autumn 2023 what do you recommend I had an old analog canon F1 with 5 lenses trying to sell them don't know where? So tell me Thank you

[@juanco7773]

A few weeks ago I bought a mint XF10 for really cheap, has it's quirks but definitely loving it. A cheap way to try a pocketable aps-c sensor camera, and with 24 mp, I'm able to crop with no problem. And the flash implementation is pretty good. In terms of one handed operation is better than the x70. A GR is probably better, but for the price you can get it is a no brainer.

[@axelbengsch3657]

XF10 is not very comfortable (no memorized settings like most Fujis or GRs, lack of controls and buttons), but it is incredibily sharp and even usable at ISO 6400 and below. You can can crop a lot out of these 24 Megapixels. I like it, even if the colours from its Bayer (!)-sensor are less pleasant in some situations (i.e. nature, but this is a question of personal taste).

[@ruberedfield8349]

Another very nice street machine is the SONY a5100. The difference between this model and the 6000 series is that it is smaller, and does not have an EVF. Paired with the super small SONY 20 (30mme) it gives you a great street combo.

[@DeyvsonMoutinhoCaliman]

I use a G7X II, the one that was rated the worst, the older version yet. But I like it a lot, can't complain. The lens has a great zoom and it still fits in my pocket. Also the G7X II has a dedicated exposure dial, it's quite good for street photography. A Ricoh Gr costs a fortune here in Brazil.

[@axelbengsch3657]

In C on the control ring the G7Xii remembers even settings like zoom position, focus type and in MF a preselected distance. For example 28 mm (equivalent) + MF 3 meters ... that’s a bit of GR, at least quite SNAPpy. Most cameras shown in this competition are unable to do this - even those hyped X100 Fujis. Close focus is not great, but better than again all X100 (except 100v?). Never detected unsharp corners at all focal length in real life images. Someone wrote about this, years ago, and all tests seem to repeat it :-D

[@Dahrenhorst]

I'm a Pen-F user. To me it's the best street shooting camera and I wouldn't trade it for any of the other cameras ranked in your list. Even if you would put some money on top of it. There is no camera with more flexibility in color or b&w output directly out of camera, and it comes with probably the best color science (what is a matter of taste, though) and outstanding computational features. It actually makes the use of RAW and/or editing at computers obsolete, and thus safes an immense amount of time.

I have both GR III and Lumix LX100 II, apart being more pocketable I'd choose LX100 II every time. Faster, better BW results out of camera, better lens, multiaspect ratio sensor, on lens ring for manual focusing, better focus peeking, EVF, longer battery life, insane 4K videos etc. No comparison. I use GR only when have not big enough pockets. That is where it wins. You should definitely try one and it will probably change your ranking. 😀👍

[@bitsandblocks7826]

I have both and agree especially if you’re a RAW shooter. However those GR positive film JPGs are something special and hard to recreate in post (GR/GRII pos film is better than GRIII though).I’d find it hard to give up either camera. Both GR and LX have dust issues. I’ve had to have both cleaned of trapped dust out of warranty, which is annoying and something that doesn’t really affect interchangeable lens cameras. The price we pay for portability.

[@Pmike404]

I got pretty lucky and won a Leica M8 with a voigtlander 35mm Norton lens on eBay for $1200 USD I haven’t seen one that cheap since. Especially one that includes a lens. My top 3 for street 1) Leica M8 2) Ricoh GXR with the M Mount 3) Panasonic GX85 with the Leica branded 15mm and 25mm lenses

[@DanPandrea]

The best street photography lens for the Sony a6400 is the E 20mm f/2.8. Small, light, decent image quality and not a bad price tag.

[@kostyafedot551]

I have used many cameras on the street since 2007. 5D shutter is so loud, kids where turning their heads to see what it is. This year I used several cameras, including digital and film M. Looking at results…. GRD III is at the top. And in colours.

[@robertgarbacz3904]

What is the mystery camera

[@JamilLeslie]

The CANON EOS M6 MK i.. with the 22mm pancake…. Man, i loved that camera for street photography. Small and sturdy.

[@sivens6209]

I use the G7x II. It's a great camera with only 2 issues. With the lens fully zoomed out, you can definitely see the inside of the barrel, which is corrected in jpg. The second issue is that the manual focus is borderline unusable. I think that the camera thinks it knows more and effects the manual focus slider which is a pain to set.

[@kriXoff75]

22:38 what is his name? I can't remember. All i remember, he was so creative and loved his b&w postprocessing.

[@SamuelStreetlife]

Thomas Leuthard :)

[@tomfreda7107]

This video is 2 years old so not sure if it matters, but you have two errors. At 8:15, you said the Fujifilm X70 has the same sensor as the XPro2, that's incorrect. The X70 is 16.3MP, the Xpro2 is 24MP. Also, at 12:13, the Panasonic Lumix LX100 II is 17MP, not 21MP. A camera that I think belongs on your list is actually a series: the Sony RX100. Versions 1 through 5 are all under $1000 and have the same sensor, just different features. All are excellent street photography cameras that have a very dedicated following.

[@flagger2020]

Nice video. The j5 with a good prime is seriously underestimated, super fast AF and the small BSI 20MP sensor gives good IQ with wide depth of field.. and 120fps helps gets keepers.. still my GR is my daily driver when not sneaking in my Pentax Qs

[@jonathanparkes8977]

bit harsh on the XF10! It's very compact and easy to use.

[@fenrisulfr88]

I have the XF10, bought new for 350€. Nice little pocket camera.

[@zuidveenjake]

I used a second hand Lumix gx80 (300€) with the Helios M44-2 58mm F2 (becomes 116mm) (€50) for street. I was only zone focusing. recommend getting the grip and thumb grip. Combined with dxo software the flaws of the camera disappears. Low light terrible but is a lovely limitations.

[@dirkstadil8621]

Ranking cameras you never used.... But ok, I enjoyed the video nonetheless. A little info for the fuji - cameras : They have not the same sonsors: X70: 16 MPix X-Trans XF10: 24 MPix Bayer Sensor X100f, X-T20 and X-Pro2: 24 MPix X-Trans

[@SamuelStreetlife]

Yes, I forgot to mention the different sensor types (many pointed it out already). But X-pro 2, X-T20 and X100F still share the same sensor and except the x70 you can expect similar image quality. Also, would be pretty boring if I only rate cameras I personally owned... People want to know what I think about cameras even if I haven't used them myself before :)

[@tumivn]

If you used all the camera like what I do, I will put the Panasonic GX9 to the Amazing ranking, because the 20mm f/1.7 II is amazing, and the color production from the GX9 is absolutely good. And I would like to put the X70 to the OK ranking, it's not as the same league as the ricoh GR (even the GR1, to be honest). PEN-F is an amazing one, and I think it is better than the Sony A6400 in term of ergonomic and Olympus color is one of the best. I'm mainly a Sony & Ricoh GR shooter but the the Olympus Color is top notch, as good as the GR. You should try with Olympus camera, especially the PEN-F and Olympus E-M1 Mark II, you will love them. For the other rankings, I do agree with you.

[@SamuelStreetlife]

I reeeeaaally want to try a Olympus... I had thoughts of ditching my fujifilm gear to move over to Olympus for the better IBIS and small M43 lenses. But it makes no sense for me to make such a move at the moment :) But I might play with some panasonic M43 stuff...

[@tumivn]

@@SamuelStreetlife you should not ditching your fuji gears, I really like the fuji 35mm f/1.4 and 23mm f/2 and the beloved X100V, If I was a fulltime street shooter, I would keep my X100V. If you have chance, I would like to recommend E-M1 Mark II, mzuiko 12-40 f/2.8, lumix 20mm f/1.7 mark II, mzuiko 25mm f/1.8, mzuiko 45mm f/1.8 and the mzuiko 12mm f/2, you will be surprised about picture quality, bokeh and the characteristics of the lenses. Thank you for your great video, as always. (And pls visit Vietnam whenever you can, you will love the people here).

[@RonScibilia]

These days I gravitate toward my GR II and III, Canon EOS M5 and 100, and iPhone 12 Pro Max for the street. The Coolpix A is good at a used price. A sleeper, not mentioned here, is the Sony ZV-1.

[@alessandroalmeida2102]

Sony A6000 for someone who don't know anything and will going to adventure on this new life, is a good choice also?

[@SnakeCakeExotics]

I hated the m50 cause of not having 2 dials. The m6 mk ii is my dream camera, the video is so good and doesnt have the crop. I've been using it for years and love the photos and video. feel like it's so easy to always want more likea sony a7s iii but it's often us and not the camera that limits. Learned to just really enjoy working with what I have but absolutely in love with the m6 mk ii with the 22mm lens!

[@jimmycervantes928]

No Fujifilm X-E4 ?? It’s new , very close to the x100v with interchangeable lenses and under $1000

[@HHTV60]

I just got back to the full frame tiny Nikon z6 Mark 2, and I'm extremely happy with this camera, especially when it's hooked with a 28 mm f/2.8 or 50 mm f/1.8 lens. It's definitely more than $1K, but you get what you pay for.

[@fokas.automotive4768]

I would put Lumix GX85 in the best row along with X100V. GX85 with leica 15mm f1.7 (30mm equiv.) is just insanely good combo.

[@SamuelStreetlife]

The secret camera in this video is a GM1 + 15mm 1.7 by the way ;-)

[@kevinelliott3715]

Just throwing out there that the rx100 punches above its weight for street. It's not my go-to, but it's cheap and good at its job.

[@NealCarpenter-tf1bi]

I can't find the video on the mystery camera. Can someone help?

[@SamuelStreetlife]

it's this video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXy4qqSDiMqpoKs :)

[@bobc.6419]

If I go out to shoot a subject that would benefit from a recent camera, I’ll take a Fuji X-T3 or X-S10. But if I just want to have a camera with me in case I see something interesting, I’ll take a Fuji X70. I bought my first X70 in March this year from an eBay supplier in Japan. It was a silver model in excellent condition. I was really impressed by the features that Fuji packed into such a tiny camera. The sensor is APS-C & X-Trans, the lens is excellent, the screen tilts, autofocus is fast, there are enough customizable buttons, it has the little focus mode switch, and so on. Image quality is good, with lovely rendering and good color. Image noise is not an issue. Photos show plenty of detail without looking clinical. So 16MP is enough if you don’t need to crop. Most of all the X70 is REALLY SMALL. Even with an added clear filter and hand grip the camera is quite compact. I found it worked well with my Spider Light Holster using just a Spider pin rather than the plate. At first I wasn’t sure that a fixed 28mm-equivalent lens was right for me, but I discovered that some shots I wanted to make would not have been possible with a 35mm or 50mm (equivalent) lens. I liked the X70 so much that I began to worry that something might happen to it. So this month I bought a second copy (black this time), again from Japan via eBay. This one is in excellent shape too. If you want a very small, very good camera, the X70 might be right for you.

[@lorenschwiderski]

The PEN F is a work of art, no screws showing, beauty. The focus speed is not all that great however. May as well go with a PL-8 or a Lumix GX-9 for fast focus. Right now, in USA, the Lumix G95 + 12-60 lens is $698. They also discount the Canon RP, which paired with 50mm 1.8 is pretty good -- I added a grip as well, Without grip, I got the RP + 24-105mm lens on a sale for $999 net.

[@chris_leskovsek]

Im still using a GX9 with the Panasonic 20mm f.17 'summicron' (40mm eq) - smaller than x100, and just as good. Is the only companion to my GRII - funny that many street photographer dont use it more - GX9 (20megapixels) vs GX80/85 (16 megapixels)

[@Invintius]

where i live the gx9 is super expensive compared to the gx85 and harder to find

[@delamoraenterprises]

HI! I am a beginner, what camera would you recommend me for black and white street photography? thx

[@johnnyr-518]

How about the x-s10? Does it not qualify because of the grip?

[@extrajava9175]

the panasonic has a multi-aspect ratio sensor, which means it can switch between aspect ratios without cropping.

[@roefaura]

if the xs10 and the nikon zfc were to be placed into this list, where would they go?

[@alex-reay]

Some cool choices there. Funny that you say no one really talks about Micro Four Thirds anymore and yet there’s so many comments from MFT users 😊 I’ve just landed a Panasonic GF1 with 14mm f2.5 pancake lens, a poor mans Q2 😂 Arrived today and first impressions are very good, rock solid build, super fast start up time, very fast accurate auto focus and all controls positioned for one handed control. Think I’m going to enjoy this one.

[@Being_Joe]

I love my Coolpix A. Love it so much that I just paid to have it serviced.

[@findefuchs]

Where did you take the camera for service and what was your experience?

[@Being_Joe]

@@findefuchs mailed it in to some place in Pasadena CA that did the work. They did the work but I was a bit annoyed. I had to send it in twice because they did some reassembly wrong I had to pay the shipping back to them out of pocket. I had asked them if they would cover and they never addressed it. Overall it was fine, they did the work, I have my camera, but maybe next time I just go straight to Nikon.

[@findefuchs]

​@@Being_JoeThanks! I've heard from a lot of people who were dissatisfied. Luckily I didn't have to take mine for service but it will happen at some point... 😅

[@Eclectachrome]

I used to have an LX-10 and regret selling it because it was the best camera for street photography for me, autofocus was so sharp and the camera never missed focus, unlike all the Fujifilms I've tried lol

[@pendzelnawungiel]

But you know? Lx10 has so small sensor, it needs almost no effort to focus, because dof is so big :p Fujifilm uses apsc sensors so it is more demanding to focus especially with 1.4 primes

[@michaelschmitt5413]

I owned a Sony A6000, but disliked it, because of the menus/usability. I sold it and bought a Fuji X100T, which is a great camera and still own it. I later bought a Fuji X-T10, and upgraded to the X-T20. Although I love the X100T, I think if I had to choose one camera, it would be the X-T20, because of the ability to use different lenses. The GRs have been tempting to me, but would stick with Fuji.

[@enfieldlover8145]

great stuff... one thing . the word 'grand'. if you say one thousand grand - it's basically a million. You either reviewed 'cameras under 1000' or 'cameras under one grand' (or 'under a grand'). grand is 1 thousand. love your videos, love your potato vlogs... big big fan of your work. looove all the walks in Japan, loved to see Germany and London, love when you come visit Gotham City (NYC) :) super stuff, my friend, thanks for sharing

[@frankluo230]

You forgot Canon RP with 16mm STM. I love the combo.

[@unbroken1010]

The gr3 was plagued with dust problems again get a later serial number.

[@ferdiyansurya]

For street, my choices would be the fuji x70 and Leica X2 which I currently own. The X70 's selling point is the flip screen, it would’ve been a perfect street camera perfect if there’s a snap focus function (fujifilm, come on man?!?). The Leica X2 is VERY NICE, no frills, just aperture, shutter speed, ISO and shoot away! I am on the fence on the GR since 2 years ago but didn’t manage to get it. Maybe with GRIV? 😄

[@beltransanchez5571]

I am quite worried about the dust issues with the GR 3 how do you deal with it ?

[@SamuelStreetlife]

I don't. Because I don't worry about it :) dust was never an issue for me. Yes sometimes when I take photos above F11 and photograph the sky or a bright surface then I might see a dust spot or two but in 99% shots I never notice them. And I have been shooting with GR's since 2013.

[@dimdom9867]

Hey Samuel, thanks for the video, but what do you think about Sony A7II? is this good camera with 35mm Sony Fe?

[@marcussaroop]

Great video. What about the Canon PowerShot G1X Mark iii? Why does this camera get ignored by many in the photgraphic community?

[@richardbriscoe8563]

What don’t you like about the X-E3? The screen?

[@rgarciamainou]

Hey man, I usually like your videos a lot. Why did you rank cameras you’ve never used as Amazing or compared to cameras you have? BTW I had the x70 and didn’t like it much. Great image quality on good light, but pretty unreliable and terrible battery life. My favorite digital camera under $1000 is definitely the wonderful GRIII. The a6000 is also very reliable within its limitations. And my third would be the GRII.

[@StrangelyIronic]

Coming from Olympus cameras, I think the E-P5 is a better pick over the Pen F purely just because of the cost. Pen F's are overpriced at this point due to initial low sales and now people are hunting for them. The E-P5 will go down as a huge camera for its time and is still a really good pick up. It doesn't have an EVF, but if you have to have one you can get an add on one (I just go without). There's an E-P7 now that is basically a Pen F sans EVF design wise, but they're not available world wide as far as I know. The E-M5 is a good camera, but you can get the Mark II model for a little more that was basically turned into a small E-M1 just through firmware updates unlocking/improving a lot of features. I have an E-M5 II and a E-M1 II and have almost sold the E-M1 II multiple times because I never use it over the E-M5 II. My kit is all Olympus at this point with the mentioned E-P5, E-M5 II, and E-M1 II and I wouldn't shy away from getting into it if you find a good deal on any of them used. The E-M10's are also great little cameras, not quite as rugged as the E-M5 II that's half a breath from pro grade with weather sealing and everything included, but with a pancake it's hard to go wrong with an E-M10 III. Don't fear MFT, it's not going anywhere anytime soon. It may not be the hotness anymore so to speak, but it's a good platform that has gotten some pretty good glass over time. The Panasonic bodies, particularly for me with the GX85, are also good looking little poor man leica's (ironic since Leica likes to rebrand Lumix/Panasonic bodies). If you're only ever planning to stay within the range of the LX100(ii) optically then they're solid cameras. I wanted Panasonic to release a GX95 that was basically the GX9 in a GX95 shell with the LX100's top plate giving manual dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation. Hell, release a GX85ii (funny, the 85 is also sold as the GX8ii) with the manual dial top plate and the better 16mp sensor out of the newer Pen cameras and I'd be super happy.

[@telefonoadrian]

What do you think about LUMIX GM5, I know that it is an old model, but M4/3 in such a small body it make perfect for street photography....

[@SamuelStreetlife]

I'm really close to buying one actually. But I dont reall need one... 😄 I'm sure its great for street!

[@Hangiinjohnny]

Ive been trying to find an x70 but they are still holding their value so for the price I decided to just keep saving and buy the gr

[@eskimodot]

For digital: Sony a6100 with Viltrox 23mm and 56mm f1.4 AF. It gives you the 35mm / 85mm fullframe look on a bugdet which I was looking for as a beginner. If money is no issue the SIGMA 16mm f1.4 is the way to go on Sony APSC. For film: Rollei 35S (black)

[@michaelhamasaki3744]

I'm still using a Ricoh GR from 2013 and a 5D classic. The GR IIIx looks nice though... Please make a video on the G5X Mark II! Most videos on youtube talk about the video capabilities usually.

[@seanyhundos]

The Panasonic Lumix GM1 and GM5 are great options too. Definitely slept on.

[@abrooklyngirllinda]

I loved this video. Good format and it made me feel pretty good about my past purchases and future plans!

[@MB-or8js]

I started out with Leica M6 as street photography camera about 5 years ago, and have no regrets. Learned this style of photography best with film! I still prefer B&W film for street photography - just highlights with light halos look so much better on film.

[@linjicakonikon7666]

In the last few months I've acquired MY favorite everyday walk-around camera/lenses. A Canon VT Deluxe with a Canon LTM 50mm f1.8/ Voigtlander 21mmf4 Color Skopar LTM

[@bodinian]

I use the M50MKII and it does a good job for my application. Mind you I haven't tried all of the options to compare cameras. My Fujifilm Finepix S8200 that I bought in 2013 doesn't compare to it, but I'm certain technology has gotten better with them since then.

[@souvik8335]

Why don't you add Nikon zfc Or z50?

[@kk2255aa]

hi samuel, if you need xf10 for a test i can borrow you.

[@mijngena]

Using a xpro with 27mm 2.8 for street and general use, amd 56mm for portraits. Was very happy once though with my Olympus emd 10 for size and fun. Now considering adding ricoh gr3x.

[@steeebuy.3265]

It’s very cool to see in the comments what cameras and lenses ppl use. It’s so diverse! (ofc we all like to talk about gears right?) Btw it’s not quite under $1000 but I use X-Pro 3 + 18mm f/1.4😊

[@joe_tographer]

I can't wait to get my hands on a 18 f1.4!!! Gonna use it on my x-e4 as a mini Leica Q

[@steeebuy.3265]

@@joe_tographer ah nice! You won’t be disappointed😎

[@tomdressel5713]

Great vid! Glad to see that you talked about the Canon PowerShot cameras. I have been using PowerShot G series cameras since I purchased a G3 in 2003. My G5X II is my latest, and I've enjoyed shooting with it over the last year and a half. It is not just a great, inconspicuous camera for street photography. It is also perfect for any time you want to produce quality images without carrying a lot of gear (as are all the cameras on this list). All of my prior PowerShot cameras have poor optical viewfinders, so I really love the EVF of the G5X II.

[@kalle.e]

Nice list. But I must say that you owe it to yourself to try a Fuji X70. They are just so much fun shooting with. You'll have a blast. And while you are at it you should really try a Ricoh GRD IV. That's a really fun street camera, even though it's old with a tiny sensor. My third choice is one of the amazing ones, the Fuji X-T20.

[@6god782]

what section would you place the fujifilm xt-4?

[@robertvanvaals2677]

The Canon EOS RP with RF to EF adapter and Canon EF 40mm. f2.8 pancake works for me. The shutter is very silent by default.

[@hochaikung8941]

Have you tried pentax Q series? They are compact, playful and sexy, but pentax seems not going to update it anymore. I think Canon M5 should be also considered to be one of them.

[@simpingsimple]

1. Canon 5D 2. Sony Rx100 3. Sony a6400