Canon 20D for Street Photography

[jto555]

Just tried some street photography today with my Canon 20D and an 18-55mm lens. Its funny but I got braver as the day went on, I could walk up close to people to get the shots.

Now I find that the 18mm is not wide enough!


John

 

[Godfrey]

Just tried some street photography today with my Canon 20D and an 18-55mm lens. Its funny but I got braver as the day went on, I could walk up close to people to get the shots.

Now I find that the 18mm is not wide enough!

Nice work!

I found that the 28/1.8 and 20/2.8 lenses were my favorite street shooting lenses when I was using a Canon 10D. Fast and capable of working in low light, short enough to allow intimate distances. I'm not a big fan of the ultrawide look for street photos except in specific circumstances; even 18mm (approx 28mm EFL) seems a bit too wide most of the time for me on the 10D/20D format. I've been practicing with that FoV recently a bit more, though, and am more comfortable with it now.

 

[jto555]

I was out again! There was an Arts Festival on at Temple Bar, Dublin, and with the good weather it just brought people out. I am finding the 20D because of its small size to be a perfect camera, it doesn't put people off. I use 5D iis' for my main photography so a small camera is just wonderful.

John

 

[lowep]

apart from more MPs giving you bigger prints what difference do you see between your 20D and 5Dii files?

 

[pellicle]

I am finding the 20D because of its small size to be a perfect camera, it doesn't put people off. I use 5D iis' for my main photography so a small camera is just wonderful.

interesting point. I used to own a 20D (and a 10D) and use a 5D a bit and don't find the difference so much ... So if small is important to your work (as it seems it may be) then consider a camera such as a Panasonic G1 which is so much smaller again yet equally powerful as an image making tool as the 20D is.

lighter and has a great viewfinder. The sensor isn't that much smaller than the APS-C (like really only a little bit). See below

try reading this blog post for more info and this one for a visual comparison to the 5Dii

Certainly you can't use your EOS lenses on the G1 (well you can, but its without automation) but the benefit is you can get a used G1 for peanuts, less than a 20D probably.

 

[lowep]

the visual comparison of sensor sizes really shows what the issue is: can a young Samson compete with an aging Goliath?

or is the only difference between a several year old full frame sensor and a splinter new smaller one just size and price?

"sensor isn't that much smaller than the APS-C (like really only a little bit)"

you might also add that APS-C isn't much smaller than full frame (really only a little bit)

but the G1's sensor is quite a bit smaller than full frame, right?

so am quite interested in your comment that you "used to own a 20D (and a 10D) and use a 5D a bit and don't find the difference so much"

for example if you looked at an 8x10 inch TIFF file reduced to 300dpi from the original raw file of a 20D and a 5D would you be able to tell which was which and if so how?

 

[pellicle]

Hi

the visual comparison of sensor sizes really shows what the issue is: can a young Samson compete with an aging Goliath?

or is the only difference between a several year old full frame sensor and a splinter new smaller one just size and price?

"sensor isn't that much smaller than the APS-C (like really only a little bit)"

you might also add that APS-C isn't much smaller than full frame (really only a little bit)

but the G1's sensor is quite a bit smaller than full frame, right?

correct, more or less half the width and half the height.

so am quite interested in your comment that you "used to own a 20D (and a 10D) and use a 5D a bit and don't find the difference so much"

I was meaning the physical size. I didn't do side by sides of the cameras, but I'm inclined to feel that at 8x10 its more about look and feel of the images than having sufficient pixels

comparing my 10D (almost identical in size to my G1)

for example if you looked at an 8x10 inch TIFF file reduced to 300dpi from the original raw file of a 20D and a 5D would you be able to tell which was which and if so how?

 

[Howard]

John,
While I always heard the smaller the street camera, the more discrete and the better the results. That said, I like all the street photos that you took with the 20D and the WA zoom. If the 20D is working why incur the additional expense of getting another camera and lenses? I shoot with a Panasonic G1 and G3, I enjoy the small size, but to me if what you got is working and appears to be with the photos you posted, stay with it.

 

[Erik_A]

I find that the Sony Nex-3/5/5n/7 with the stock 16mm f/2.8 to be a great street camera. Love the 24mm view (in full frame terms) and the tilt LCD allows shooting from the hip. You could get a NEX-3 for $250-$300 used and a 16mm lens for $150-$175 used - so for under $500 bucks have a great small setup for the same or lower cost as a good (wider) lens for your 20D.

 

[Melilot29]

Really nice work. Loved the way you took natural pictures of the street.

 

[Erik_A]

I am loving the X100 for street photography in Baltimore (and NYC). Previously, I have used Pentax K1000 film, Yashica Super Film, various small digital P&S cameras, Canon EOS 5D, Panasonic GF1, Sony NEX-3, and now the X100 for street work. Some older shop owners and street vendors from various ethnic backgrounds seem to give me a knowing grin seeing such a vintage looking small rangefinder style camera (maybe they grew up using something similar). In the inner city, I get much more flak/ pushback when using a SLR size camera for street work with strangers.