What are the best cameras for street photography this summer? Now that warmer weather and a lighter-weight wardrobe have returned, you’re probably eager to get back out onto the streets and start shooting your favourite candid subjects again.
And with so many ambitiously competitive models to choose from, you’re not alone in wondering which one to go with. We have a few suggestions.
OM System OM-3
Designed for urban creatives, OM System’s feature-packed OM-3 is a compact and highly portable mirrorless camera perfectly suited to the demands of street photography.
With its full-metal build and vintage-inspired aesthetics, the classically handsome OM-3 weighs in at just 413g (body only), falling roughly between the heftier OM-1 II (at 511g) and the svelte OM-5 II (366g).
Durable build quality and IP53-certified weather sealing keep it well protected in challenging environments, while four colour profiles and four monochrome profiles put a robust array of creative options at your fingertips.
In addition, the computational photography button gives you quick access to six unique features, and a handy tactile dial makes it easy to switch between the Still, Video and Slow & Quick Motion Video modes.
Ricoh GR III and GR IV series
Since its debut more than a decade ago, Ricoh’s GR line of compact point-and-shoot cameras have earned high praise from street photographers – both hobbyists and professionals – for their streamlined pocketability and reliable performance.
Ricoh claims that with a large 24MP APS-C-sized CMOS sensor and powerful processor, these cameras can deliver DSLR-like image quality.
The GR III boasts an 18.3mm f/2.8 prime lens with a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 28mm, while the GR IIIx features a 26.1mm lens with a 40mm equivalent in the 35mm format.
While retaining the GR III’s popular 28mm focal length and large f/2.8 maximum aperture, the GR IV features a new lens design comprising seven optical elements in five groups, including glass-molded aspherical lens elements.
For obvious reasons, the GR IV Monochrome represents a radical departure for the series. Very little separates this newer model from the original GR IV, apart from its lack of a colour filter and the use of an exclusively monochrome-dedicated image sensor – but that’s a really big difference and not necessarily a welcome one for some street photographers who might find it limiting.
Fujifilm X-T5
The mirrorless X-T5 packs a whopping 40.2 megapixels onto its APS-C sensor to deliver outstanding image quality in a relatively compact form factor – and a classic body design that looks pretty sharp too.
The tilting LCD screen makes it easy to shoot from difficult angles, and the 5-axis IBIS delivers up to seven stops of shake compensation.
As with many of its recent models, Fujifilm’s X-T5 gives you the ability to choose from a wide range of its legacy film-simulation modes, including Provia, Velvia and Astia, to give your street shots a cool retro filmic vibe.
Leica D-Lux 8
The D-Lux 8 is a premium compact digital camera featuring a versatile and envy-inducing Leica DC Vario-Summilux 24-75mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.7-2.8 zoom lens.
Paired with that fast, bright zoom, the camera’s 21MP CMOS image sensor delivers consistently excellent low-light performance and shallow depth of field well suited to street.
With a sleek minimalist design inspired by the higher-end Leica Q series – and an iconic red dot logo visible from a block away – the D-Lux 8 is bound to turn heads out in the field, but that’s one of the perks (or drawbacks, depending on your perspective) when dealing with such a recognizable luxury brand.