If you are interested in street photography, you will of course need a camera. So what is the best street photography camera to start shooting? In the list below I have compiled the best recommendations from 10 years of experience as a streetshooter with all camera brands.
👉 Short on time?
The best street photography camera is the Ricoh GR III.
Click here to get the best price
What cameras do street photographers use?
Street photographers use the cameras they have, but a few of them are actually designed for street photography in mind, the rest have really great features that stand out if you want to shoot street. Here’s what they use:
What is a street camera?
Any camera can be a street photography camera. Some people use their large DLSR for street photography and do fine with it. But like I said above, some cameras are better suited for the task. It’s like a swiss-army knife: If you needed to cut something, sure you could use the scissors it has built-in, or you could use a dedicated pair of scissors that make the task easier.
And if you have ever used a swiss-army knife’s scissors…you know what I mean.
So, before getting into the best street photography cameras, let’s look first at what makes a camera great for street photography…
Portability: Portability is paramount for street photography for two reasons. First people react to you differently if you have a large DSLR in your hands, or a harmless looking camera. People are extremely aware of the camera, and if your camera screams “photographer” then you will stick out from the crowd. That’s neither a good thing nor a bad thing.
The second reason for portability is weight. If your camera is too heavy you can seriously damage your neck. It happened to my Inspired Eye co-conspirator Don Springer. He had a large mirrorless and a monster lens on and it almost screwed up his neck really bad. Even if you don’t lug your camera around your neck…you still want a portable one. Why? Because when you start spending hours in the streets, your hands will get tired. That’s the reason for smaller cameras: More stealthy, and lighter load.
Speed: A street camera should be quick, because things happen fast in the streets and one second is all the difference between a ruined shot and the one you wanted to make. That doesn’t necessarily mean it has huge frames per second, but it does mean that the camera allows you to shoot quickly because you can twist and turn it easily, and more importantly change settings easily.
Lens: Most street photographers prefer a wide angle lens when shooting. But if you are not 100% dedicated to street photography, a zoom lens might be better. A fast lens is also recommended, especially if you want to shoot cinematic street photography or street photography at night.
What is the best focal length for street photography?
The best focal length for street photography depends on the tastes of the photographer. Most photographers, including me prefer the 28mm focal length. But some like it a little less wide, from 35mm to 50mm. And some like it even wider, from 15mm to 21mm.
Best street photography cameras of 2020
Now that we have seen what makes a camera great for street photography, let’s see what the BEST street photography cameras are for this year. The first 3 in this list are the highest recommendation, the numbering afterwards is more relaxed and more a matter of tastes and specifications you are looking for.
1. Ricoh GR III
👍 PROS
- Made for street photographers
- Smallest ASPC camera
- Sharp lens
- Snap Focus mode
- Pocketable
- Amazing handling
👎 CONS
- For dedicated street photographers
- Fixed 28mm lens
If there is one camera designed ONLY with the street photographer in mind, it’s the Ricoh GR. It’s now on it’s third revision, so the best street photography camera is the Ricoh GR III.
It has a fixed fast 28mm f2.8, is one of the smallest APSC sensor cameras, and has a feature that you will not be able to live without as a street photographer: Full press snap. The Ricoh GR can focus like any other camera by half pressing the shutter but if you set up full press snap, if you squeeze the shutter release (without half pressing it) it will set the focus at 1m (or 1.5m, 2m) and make the shot. This feature is not available in any other camera.
One of the questions in our street photography magazine asks about gear. And the name that keeps popping over and over is the Ricoh GR. The handling of this camera is one of the best, it will allow you to change settings on the fly, and you can twist and turn your hand to get the shot without worrying if will slip from your hands.
Amazing image quality because of the large sensor. The only thing to know about this camera is…it’s for dedicated street photographers only, or at least if you are used with the 28mm. So it’s for street photography, but what it does, it does VERY well.
2. Fuji X10F
👍 PROS
- One of the smallest APSC sensor cameras
- Great dials and controls
- Metal body
👎 CONS
- For dedicated street photographers
- Fixed 28mm lens
- Not as small as the GR
- No viewfinder like the X100 line
- Slower than the discontinued X70
In the beginning was the Ricoh GR, but then Fuji came along and made the X70 designed to compete directly with it. The X70 being discontinued, Fuji released a budget version, the X10F. It is a bit larger than the GR, has a large APSC sensor and street photographer-minded digital zoom (read: it crops).
Basically this has a 28mm, and when you twist the front, it will give you a 28mm, 35mm and 50mm focal length. All of these 3 are the focal lengths of choice of street photographers and this is the best street photography (because it’s the ONLY direct alternative) to the Ricoh GR. It’s less portable but offers a bit more options if you chose not to focus on street photography 100%.
3. Fuji X100v
👍 PROS
- One beautiful camera!
- Amazing hybrid viewfinder
- Goes to 28mm / 50mm with adapter
- Great handling
👎 CONS
- 35mm fixed lens, not 28mm
- Adapters are expensive
If you can live with the 35mm, the Fuji X100 is the camera of choice of many street photographers. Beautiful camera, a viewfinder that needs to be seen to be believed (it can switch between LCD and see trough with a switch) and a sharp as heck lens.
The X100 is the original model, it’s been followed by newer and better models like the x100s and x100t. And now there’s x100x. Who comes up with these names?
It’s nowhere near pocketable as the Ricoh GR is, but it makes up for it with a camera that feels more substantial in your hands than the point-and-shoot feel the Ricoh GR offers. The 35mm makes this a much better rounded camera if you don’t want to focus 100% of street photography.
Since it’s less wide, it’s much better suited for street photography portraiture but it still stands as one of the best street photography cameras available.
4. Leica Q2
👍 PROS
- Full frame sensor
- Amazing sensor & lens
- Very fast f1.7 28mm lens
- Wonderful controls
👎 CONS
- Expensive
- Fixed 28mm lens, for dedicated street photographers
Leica is no stranger to street photography. Lots of past street photographers used Leicas for their street photography. The Leica Q takes the Leica M cameras and glues a fixed 28mm lens to it. Add to that a beautiful viewfinder and you have a photographic experience unlike any other. This baby is perfect for night street photography.
5. Panasonic LX100 II
👍 PROS
- The best all-in-one camera
- Perfect for street photography
- And other genres
- Great zoom range
👎 CONS
- “only” 4/3
If street photography is not the only genre of photography you want to do, the Panasonic LX100 is in my opinion the best deal in cameras. It has about a 4/3 sensor, has a viewfinder integrated and killer 24mm-75mm f1.7 to 2.8. Amazing lens for such a package. This camera is great for landscapes, portraits, events, street, etc thanks to that versatile lens. It evens does amazing videos in 4k, has wifi and does timelapse, etc.
That versatility unfortunately comes at a price, it does not have a focusing scale, meaning you don’t know if you are focused at 1m or whatever distance. This is important to many street photographers who like to pr-focus. It does have focus peaking, so you can eyeball how much of the world is in focus as it becomes more and more highlighted. The transition from a Fuji is painless at it handles pretty much the same way with a dial on top and even has click stop aperture ring.
It is a great compact camera, and is perfect for those who do NOT want to deal with lenses. The focal length offered is simply pretty awesome if you do not want to do street photography all the time. The lx100 has been refreshed into the LX100 II
6. Best interchangeable lens: Pen F
👍 PROS
- Amazing camera all around
- One of the best looking ones too
- Many street-centric lenses available
- Great handling
👎 CONS
- Not metal body
If you want an interchangeable lens camera for street photography, this is it. The camera body itself is of a great size. If you put in a small lens with it, it’s a perfect street kit. It is an absolute joy to use and to hold, the viewfinder is large and bright. I’ve never used a better interchangeable lens camera in years.
In all the previous 4/3 cameras I owned, I could always tell that it was made on a 4/3 sensor, not this one, Image quality rivals ASPC and is practically indistinguishable.
If I had to nitpick it, the only problem with it would be that it’s not really a metal body although it looks like one.
6. Sony RX100 vii
👍 PROS
- Small and versatile
- Perfect for street photography
- And other genres
- Pop-up viewfinder
👎 CONS
- A bit on the large side
- Expensive for that sensor size
The Sony RX100 is one of the most amazing POCKET cameras on this list. The best way to describe it would be a 1inch sensor DSLR. Sure it doesn;t have all the dials, but it has a viewfinder, incredible zoom range if you don’t want to be stuck at wide-angle and is surprisingly capable as a serious video camera.
Everything crammed into a small pocket factor is amazing, but it is also pricey. You can get a larger sensor camera for the amount that you get for just a one inch sensor in the RX100 VII. The good news is, there’s always the previous models to be had.
7. Sony A7r
👍 PROS
- Full frame
- Outstanding ISO
- Uncompromising image quality
- Pretty much a “small” DSLR
👎 CONS
- Larger than most cameras on this list
- Bulkier
- Full-frame price
After Sony released the NEX cameras, they introduced one of the first mirrorless full frame cameras, the Sony A7. It’s pretty much THE best camera on this list because it’s an absolute no-limit type beast.
It’s just so powerful in many ways, from image quality to that great grip. For street photography, if you want that full-frame look and interchangeable lenses you can’t go wrong with the A7.
8. Sony RX1R
👍 PROS
- Full frame
- Outstanding ISO
- Uncompromising image quality
- Pop Up Viewfinder
- Fast 35mm f2 lens
👎 CONS
- Full-frame price
- Fixed 35mm
If your idea of the best street photography camera is full-frame in small package, and you don’t mind the 35mm, then this is it.
It’s a fixed lens, which might be a bit uncomfortable for some because it is after all full frame and full of megapixels, but hey, there’s always the A7.
9. Canon G9x
👍 PROS
- One of the smallest 1 inch sensor
- Great to slip in pocket
- Great fast zoom
👎 CONS
- Oldie
- A bit sluggish
- Not consistent zoom aperture
This is one of the older cameras on this list, but still a goodie. Unlike most of the others it’s a 1inch sensor, one of the smaller cameras with one. It’s not well known but a great alternative to the Sony RX100. Since it’s a bit older it is slower and the lens is not a constant aperture. It’s a fast f2.0 on the wide end but slows down to a 4.9.
9. Canon G1x mIII
👍 PROS
- Larger than the 4/3 sensor
- Fast 2.8 lens
- Long range zoom
- Great controls
- Smaller than it looks
👎 CONS
- Fixed lens
The Canon G series used to be a staple in serious compact cameras. Smaller sensors but great controls and viewfinder. The G17 never happened but the G1x did.
It took a lot of chances, and offered a larger than 4/3 sensor and a host of new features. It’s an underrated camera that didn’t get much love. But Canon re
Best Street Photography Camera Conclusion
Any camera can be a street camera, but lugging a huge DSLR around your neck around for a few hours will teach you the hard way, some cameras are better for certain task than others. THE street camera to get because it’s probably the ONLY one designed with the street photographer in mind is the Ricoh GR and therefore is my highest recommendation.
Most of the images on this page have been processed with these street photography presets.
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments! Be yourself, stay focused and keep on shooting.
Your camera is only as good as you are
If you are reading this, you are probably interested in getting a street photography camera, awesome! But what’s next after you get it? Your camera is only as good as you are, so if you want to make the best use of your gear, check out my free street photography guide. Or if you want a step-by-step blueprint how to craft stunning images, check out this street photography course.