Camera Labs

I have the Canon 60D...and am wondering what a suitable lens would be for taking photos of people on the street?

Currently I have the 18-135mm IS kit lens and I think it's a bit ostentatious for aiming at strangers on the street.

Is there a lens that is smaller...like pug nosed? Something that is technically suitable for this kind of photography and small?

Do/ would people even use a 60D to take street shots? Or would they use something with a much smaller body/ different design entirely?

thanks

if you are looking for a smaller lens, how about a prime? Like the 50mm f1.4 or the f1.8
The f1.8 won't break the bank ether so that's always nice
altough USM focussing is also nice..

they are also great for low-light photography..

I'm a beginner but it's just an idea

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550D + 18 - 55mm kitlens
50 mm F1.8
I apologize in advance for my poor spelling..

the 35mm is the most brilliant prime for street on DX. I love my 18-105mm range,but there's certain moments where you don't have time to zoom & compose. besides,the low F in the primes is very useful for street.

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Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
Visit my work here

Maybe I will buy that cheap 50mm Canon lens for starters

well for pictures of people, i guess random people doing their thing, and capturing it in a form of street photography i think you will need something longer since people move away when you try to shoot them from up close, or even try to pose or be offensive.
with longer lens you can just look like shooting a building behind your subject or something so they wont interfere with shot..
one thing though, watch out if you plan to publish those photos online, some people like it, others may not..

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nikon d90 --->af-s dx 18-105mm; tamron 90mm macro

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Well how close would I have to be with a 50mm?

I don't want to fill the frame with a single face...I want some action...some depth to the shot....sure I want a subject of sorts...but I want some of the street so to speak there as well.

I don't want to take the subject out of the context

It may be a stupid idea, but maybe you could set your current lens @50mm and see if the focal lenght is good enough for you...

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

Ruben has some sound advice (everyone in this thread, of course), but do keep in mind that your depth of field will be much shallower with a 50 1.8, than with your kitlens set to 50mm.

I personally like 85mm better than 50mm, but I know for a fact that our forum mod Bjorn prefers his 50. To each his own

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

I prefer the 28mm as walk-around for streetphotography!

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

I'm only against using the kit 18-135mm lens in that it is a bit large to be pointing in people's faces...I've never done street photography, and have only just gotten into photography itself. I thought it would be a bit more than I could handle to be poking the 18-135mm lens at people on the street.

I guess to me it seems more threatening than the 50mm.

I bought the cheap 50mm today...I am still nervous about trying to take street shots.

Thanks for the advice

The only reason anyone would get anoyed of you taking photos in the street is if it looked like the camera was pointing directly at them and they were the main subject.

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Camera: Canon 550D with battery grip
Lenses: Canon 24-105mm f/4L, Canon 50mm f1.4, Canon 18-55mm, Tamron 70-300mm,
Accessories: Manfrotto 055XPROB with 808RC4 head, Canon 430ex II speedlite, Lowepro Nova 180AW and Lowepro Pro Runner 450AW

Oh that is so lame, every hot girl who can aim a camera thinks she’s a photographer -Stewie Griffin

Nice, altough I would be carefull since the f1.8 is famous for breaking so quickly if you drop it

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550D + 18 - 55mm kitlens
50 mm F1.8
I apologize in advance for my poor spelling..

No doubt...but I'm not really planning on dropping it...or any part of my camera...if I can help it