Do You Really Need a Small Camera for Street Photography?

We are living in an era in which everyone complains about their bulky camera gear and how hard it is to carry it all day. Many photographers are now switching to mirrorless cameras for this reason. But hey, there is another solution for that: You can minimize your lenses and other gear, rather than changing your main camera body. That's what I did. 

First of all, I'm not a supporter of a specific brand or a gear fetishist guy. I started photography with a Nikon film camera, then bought my first DSLR, a Nikon D80. I used the D3 and D300 mostly for shoots. Later on, I switched to Canon (1D Mark III & 5D Mark II), and last year, I bought a Nikon D810 because of its wide dynamic range and higher megapixel count. I buy and use the camera bodies that work best for me. To make a long story short, the brand doesn't matter for me. 

I've been mostly shooting fashion and commercial images in the studio, but recently, I started traveling more, and I decided to carry my camera with me all the time, just like before, when I first started photography. I was passionate, and I just wanted to shoot everything, everywhere. I guess I missed that feeling. Because when your hobby becomes your profession, sometimes, you have to take a break and decide to do whatever you really like for a while. For me, it is street photography, and as we all know, for street photography, every ounce matters.

I will not argue about the weight of the D810 or some other big camera bodies. However, I like using a DSLR, and I don't want to switch to any Sony full-frame mirrorless camera just for this reason (not until Sony produces a battery that lets me shoot 1,000 images per charge). I just don't want to follow the herd. Actually, until last year, I never had concerns about the weight of the equipment I use. But time is the only truth, and we are all getting old. I wanted to get back into street photography, but unfortunately, I didn't feel I had the same energy for carrying all my heavy gear as I did in my early 20s. After years of long day work, including hours of sitting and doing retouching, I started to have back pain for the first time in my life last year. It was a vital signal from my body, so it led me to take it seriously and do something about this weight issue. 

Getting Rid of the Unnecessary Accessories

I've been using battery grips since my first DSLR, but from now on, for outdoor shooting or daily photo walks, I leave them at home. A single attached battery is always enough for these kinds of occasions anyway. Also, some other accessories that I rarely use such as a viewfinder magnifier, LCD hood, etc. now stay in my cabinet as well. I was able to shoot without these items before, so I can shoot without them again, no big deal. Hence, all I wanted was just a small camera bag. 

Switching to Prime Lenses

Most of us own 24-70mm lenses, and we all believe that those are the most flexible lenses for most situations. I used Canon, Sigma, and Tamron 24-70mm lenses on different DSLR bodies, and I must admit that they are really big and heavy lenses. During the time that I owned a Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 DI VC USD, I realized that I usually prevented myself from holding my camera or even taking it out of my bag. So, I sold my Tamron that weighed 845g and bought a Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G in addition to my other primes, the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G and Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G. In terms of weight and price, 1.8G series prime lenses were the best choices for me. Here is the best part: a 28mm and 85mm lens duo weigh less than the Tamron 24-70 alone, and when they are attached to my D810, the combination doesn't feel heavy. Plus, the Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G is a Nano-coated lens, and with its unique focal length that's different than the usual 35mm focal length, I think it is great for street photography. 

One of the other advantages of using budget primes is that I can carry and use small ND and circular polarizing filters all the time, particularly because both the Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G and Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G have the same filter thread size: 67mm. So, I got the chance to get rid of my square filter adapters, holder, and big filter case as well. With these compact but high quality lenses, I'm happy with my "bulky" but perfect DSLR. 

Well, I handled the weight issue, but what about the myth of the necessity of owning a small camera for street photography? You may think that you should buy a Fuji, Sony, or Olympus compact camera, but as I stated before, I just like shooting with my Nikon DSLR. Some say that you should cover yourself and your camera for street photography, but I disagree with that. We are photographers. If you want to shoot candid street images, you don't have to hide a small black camera under your jacket like agents during the Cold War. No one can blame you because you are holding a big camera in a public place. It is your attitude rather than your gear's size that matters. Streets are full of mobile phone photographers and selfie takers. Many people own DSLR, mirrorless, or compact cameras and use them every day. It's 2016, and people have gotten used to seeing other people with cameras everywhere. Don't get stuck on the essentials of being a street photographer, because there are no essentials! Let's just say there are marketing tricks. You can read everywhere that you need to own a small camera that won't attract your subjects for street photography. Well, if this is your concern, use your mobile phone, and shoot your subject while pretending to be talking on the phone. 

Briefly, I'm happy with less. When I walk around with a single lens and body, I just concentrate on my photography and abilities with my current gear setup. So, what are your thoughts about this? Should street photographers hide themselves and their cameras or interact with their subjects? Should they love and use the gear they own effectively, or save money to buy a Leica? Is weight an issue for you?

Source: Do You Really Need a Small Camera for Street Photography?