[blovitch]

I think alot of this is to do with perceptions....

People see a huge SLR with a chunky lens and immediately form and idea.. When I have used an M camera and an to a certain extent an X-Pan 2 at Weddings, people always seem surprised, even dissapointed, that I am not lugging around a huge black box covered in buttons, dials and knobs. To the non photographer thats what a "Pro" camera should look like.

I think that if you are using a Leica M for street photography you will be seen with it, but the impact is different because of its appearance. It looks less like a "Pro" camera and more like an old hobbyist machine, therefore is less threatening to most people.

I am a little uncomforable with the notion of "stealth" when talking about street photography, maybe in the worlds trouble spots for a journalistic assignment, but for casual picture taking I think perhaps trying to conceal your activities is likely to bring about more attention than if you are a little more open and honest about your intentions.