Street fashion: Tokyo Camera Style Phil Coomes

Picture editor Published duration 15 April 2015

image copyright John Sypal

There are periods in all photographers' lives when, to some extent at least, they fall in love with the kit they use. Some move on and just see it as nothing more than a tool to achieve an aim, while a few set out to collect a certain brand or type of camera, lens or one type of accessory.

But as cameras, like many so many other products today, become more homogenised, there are those who want their camera to stand out, and be a statement in itself. One way to achieve this is to revert to shooting film and to take to the streets with a an old camera, perhaps adding an accessory here and there, or using a "toy" camera.

Of course, sometimes it is the desire to shoot film that takes the photographer down this route, or to rediscover something of their own past.

One place that has embraced this approach is Japan, and photographer John Sypal has been taking pictures of the cameras belonging to photographers on the streets of Tokyo.

Tokyo Camera Style began life as a blog but has recently been published in book form by Thames & Hudson. Here is a selection of the weird and wonderful cameras he has captured.

image copyright John SYpal image caption Konica Hexar

image copyright John Sypal image caption Leica M4, 35mm f/1.4 lens and Leica M5, 50mm f/1.4 lens

image copyright John Sypal image caption Ricoh Auto Half camera

image copyright John Sypal image caption Asahi Pentax Spotmatic, 28mm f/3.5 lens

image copyright john sypal image caption Nikon F, 50mm f/2 lens

image copyright john sypal image caption Canon AE-1 Program, 35mm f/2.8 lens

image copyright john sypal image caption Makina 67

image copyright john sypal image caption Rolleiflex 3.5F and Leica M4, 50mm f/1.4 lens