Stealth is a Myth

[artspraken]

I find that carrying a Rangefinder (particularly Leica with red dot) attracts alot of unnecessary attention. All that stuff you read on the internet about RF cameras being discreet applied 10 years ago. Nowadays, everybody and their dog is holding a camera on the street. If you hold an RF camera, you stick out like a sore thumb - people become curious about what camera you are holding.

Nowadays, if I really need stealth, I think Ricoh GRD or GXR is the best for serious shots. Otherwise, the truly invisible camera is actually iPhone for candids.

I recently attended a teenage birthday party, and everybody freaked out when they saw my M4.

 

[virtualme78]

I second that. You don't even need to put it up your face.... all you need is just hang it on your neck and people will stare at your cam

 

[newghost]

Why not pick up a film compact? I'm sure no one will bat an eyelid!

Some popular ones are the Contax T3 (with a CZ Sonnar 35mm f2.8), Leica Minilux (with a 40mm f2.4 summarit) etc

 

[raytoei]

no leh...i recently attended a SIM UB graduation, nobody paid attention to me, despite a M4p with CZJ Sonnar hanging around my neck. I managed to snap several candid shots and nobody noticed....

maybe because no red dot on my camera.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150231534891451.319079.703791450&l=8c723ac160

 

[sequitur]

Disagree. I travelled and it was always like "oh is that an old camera?" or "is that a toy camera.. that Holga thing?".

 

[lrrp77]

For me, it's usually the old timers who come & talk to me. "Is that a Leica?... I still remember 40 years ago... Don't ever sell this camera...!"

 

[magicianhisoka]

hence why i put girly stickers on my m8 to make people less threatened

 

[Royale With Cheese]

I find that carrying a Rangefinder (particularly Leica with red dot) attracts alot of unnecessary attention. All that stuff you read on the internet about RF cameras being discreet applied 10 years ago. Nowadays, everybody and their dog is holding a camera on the street. If you hold an RF camera, you stick out like a sore thumb - people become curious about what camera you are holding.

Nowadays, if I really need stealth, I think Ricoh GRD or GXR is the best for serious shots. Otherwise, the truly invisible camera is actually iPhone for candids.

I recently attended a teenage birthday party, and everybody freaked out when they saw my M4.

Bro you too handsome already la! Attract all the attention!

 

[alux0417]

Try the Leica M9-P (P is professional) for stealth. It's black all over with just some inscriptions on the top. Should be stealthy enough.

 

[sweat100]

I feel that the attention you attract is a good sign. The attention you got is curiosity. What I meant is that they will look into your camera and you still can take photos of them. If you have used a dslr, they immediately know its a camera, they will avoid you instead. I guess that is worst.
For RF, I didn't encounter so much of a probelm. If you feel you will not get the shot once you hold up ur camera, take a waist level shot first before holding up your camera and shoot? In fact, I found that street portraits is even better captured using TLR or "weirder" cameras. I ever used a 4x5 (monorail) for some street portraits, they generally allowed me to take photos of them because they felt curious and not threatened.

 

[rhino123]

Or try a leica MP Black (1958) RF. This camera cost a hefty S$316 486 (from ebay) but look ordinary enough that people might just dismiss it as a toy camera or some old moldy cam out of a grandfather's closet.

 

[clipper79]

Bro you too handsome already la! Attract all the attention!

Hehe,.... yes I do agree in getting the GRDIII or the GXR. Even the GR1v or s does a good job too.
There are too many camera enthusiasts out there these days. The younger generation is picking up photography even more too, now that technology makes it easy reach for most to own a camera. This causes a lot of people to "spot" cameras more than taking photographs. I must admit I am one of them too sometimes LOL!

 

[pinholecam]

When people look at your 'odd looking camera' its a good thing.
You then proceed to take a photo of them.
When they ask you "Why you take my photo??"
You ask them back "I take photo, why you go look at my camera?? "

 

[Canto]

quoted from from a post in dchome, up to u to disagree or agree :think:


"But if i get a red dot logo leica or a leica with white letters, i will not do anything at all. I see lot of chings change the red dots into black or rub off the white letters. To me this means you are "anticipating" that other people will care about your leica and so you try to cover it up. Why do you anticipate this? because you yourself care that it is a leica. If you do not care, you will not bother to do anything. In my observation, those that know it is a leica, they know no matter what you do. Those that do not know leica, they do not know what a leica means even with the red dots or white letter. For street snap, will the red dots compared to no red dots make any impact? i do not think too much either.

Seems like buddist theory ... there is essentially nothing there, why would it attract any attention?" ~ Raimondi

 

[bonrya]

Most comfortable using my iphone to shoot. Everyone has one anyway so they can't be bothered.....


Ashamed of your camera? Wrap it up like what MJ did to his kids.

 

[Levee]

I personally was never into the stealth thing. The only "stealth" I do is to gaffer up my Leica when I travel to certain countries so that it looks plain and boring and people won't want to steal it.

No matter how stealth your Leica is, you as the photographer is so big and conspicuous. Unless you hide yourself behind a wall, no point trying to stealth the camera in my opinion haha.

 

[lunchwithmerv]

quoted from from a post in dchome, up to u to disagree or agree :think:


"But if i get a red dot logo leica or a leica with white letters, i will not do anything at all. I see lot of chings change the red dots into black or rub off the white letters. To me this means you are "anticipating" that other people will care about your leica and so you try to cover it up. Why do you anticipate this? because you yourself care that it is a leica. If you do not care, you will not bother to do anything. In my observation, those that know it is a leica, they know no matter what you do. Those that do not know leica, they do not know what a leica means even with the red dots or white letter. For street snap, will the red dots compared to no red dots make any impact? i do not think too much either.

Seems like buddist theory ... there is essentially nothing there, why would it attract any attention?" ~ Raimondi

:thumbsup: +1

 

[artspraken]

you guys ought to read this.

Face it. Leica is not discreet. Its brand is such that it is more a fashion accessory now.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=108061

 

[anerjee]

I think stealth is over-rated as well. I do not like shy pics of people's backs or sides... seems sneaky (to me). The street pics I like have an element of courage in them and are usually straight on.

Having said that, I also think a camera like the GR1 suits me better due to more extended dof.

 

[virtualme78]

Racist! Only Chings change the dots to black or scrap the paint off? how ignorant!

quoted from from a post in dchome, up to u to disagree or agree :think:


"But if i get a red dot logo leica or a leica with white letters, i will not do anything at all. I see lot of chings change the red dots into black or rub off the white letters. To me this means you are "anticipating" that other people will care about your leica and so you try to cover it up. Why do you anticipate this? because you yourself care that it is a leica. If you do not care, you will not bother to do anything. In my observation, those that know it is a leica, they know no matter what you do. Those that do not know leica, they do not know what a leica means even with the red dots or white letter. For street snap, will the red dots compared to no red dots make any impact? i do not think too much either.

Seems like buddist theory ... there is essentially nothing there, why would it attract any attention?" ~ Raimondi