Joel Meyerowitz, a pioneering figure in street and color photography, has utilized a diverse range of camera gear throughout his career, adapting his equipment to suit his evolving artistic vision.
Early Career: 35mm Street Photography
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Leica M Series: Meyerowitz began his photographic journey with Leica M rangefinders, often carrying two simultaneously—one loaded with black-and-white film, the other with color. He favored wide-angle lenses, particularly 35mm and 28mm, for their ability to capture the immediacy of street life.
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| Joel Meyerowtiz and his Leica |
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Pentax with 50mm Lens: Initially, he used a Pentax camera with a 50mm lens but soon found it limiting. He transitioned to a Zeiss Flektogon 35mm lens, which he described as transformative for his work.
Transition to Large Format
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8×10 Deardorff View Camera: In the 1970s, seeking greater detail and tonal range, Meyerowitz adopted a vintage 8×10 Deardorff camera equipped with 10" or 12" Commercial Ektar lenses. This setup was instrumental in projects like "Cape Light."
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| Deardorf 8x10 |
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| Meyerowitz and his Deardorff |
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4×5 View Camera: During the documentation of Ground Zero post-9/11, he switched to a 4×5 camera for increased mobility, allowing him to carry more film sheets and navigate the site more efficiently.
Medium Format and Digital Evolution
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Leica S2: Embracing digital technology, Meyerowitz utilized the medium format Leica S2, appreciating its image quality comparable to his 8×10 negatives.
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| Leica S2 |
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Leica M Digital Series: He also adopted digital Leica M models, such as the M240 and M10, for their compactness and discretion, aligning with his street photography ethos.
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| Leica M240 |
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| Leica M10 |
Other Notable Equipment
Rolleiflex 2.8F: Meyerowitz employed this twin-lens reflex camera for its distinctive perspective and as a conversational bridge with subjects.
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| Rolleiflex 2.8F |
Fuji X100F: In later years, he used the Fuji X100F, a compact digital camera with a fixed 35mm equivalent lens, echoing his earlier 35mm setups.
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| Fuji X100F |
Books by Joel Meyerowitz
