Is the 18-55mm kit lens still the best all-around option for the Fujifilm X-S10 or should I just grab the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 instead? Im heading to Japan in about a month and need a reliable daily walkaround lens that wont weigh me down while Im walking ten miles a day. My budget is around 600 max. Im really torn because I love the aperture ring and OIS on the Fuji, but the Sigma is smaller, constant f2.8, and cheaper. Which one would you take if you only had room for one lens on a trip like this...
Re: "Just catching up on this thread. I honestly..." - man, I gotta disagree with the people pushing the Sigma so hard here, esp for a massive trip like Japan. Don't get me wrong, the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Contemporary is tiny and super cheap, but ive had issues with third-party mount tolerances and random communication errors on my Fuji bodies when walking all day in humid weather. Not fun when you are trying to capture a street shot in Kyoto and the lens throws an error code.
- The Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 R LM OIS gets a bad rap sometimes, but that OIS has saved my shots countless times in dim temples where tripods are banned.
- If you really want constant f2.8 and killer build quality without the sketchy third-party electronic quirks, the Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f2.8 R LM WR is heavier, yeah, but its weather sealed.
- Honestly though, stick to the kit zoom. That physical aperture ring just feels right on an X-S10, and you wont regret having actual stabilization when your arms are dead tired after ten miles of stairs at Fushimi Inari. Have an awesome trip anyway, youll love Japan regardless of what glass is on your camera!
TL;DR: Grab the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Contemporary instead. Honestly, I had high hopes for the Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 R LM OIS, but its corner sharpness at wider focal lengths is pretty disappointing compared to modern glass. The constant f2.8 on the Sigma makes low light in Tokyo streets way easier to handle, and the size/weight savings will save your shoulders after walking ten miles. You miss the aperture ring, but the sharpness trade-off is worth it imo.
Just catching up on this thread. I honestly went through this exact same dilemma right before my trip last year and ended up grabbing the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Contemporary to save some cash for travel food. Be careful though, since the X-S10 lacks weather sealing, you might want to consider picking up a cheap rain cover just in case you get caught in a downpour. That constant f2.8 saved me so many times in dimly lit shrines and ramen shops at night. I missed the physical aperture ring for about two days, but the weight savings honestly made up for it completely when I was logging twenty thousand steps daily. If you look around used markets like MPB or KEH, you can usually find the Sigma way under your 600 dollar budget, leaving you extra room for souvenirs. Whatever you decide, definitely pack a couple of spare batteries because mirrorless bodies chew through power when you're shooting all day long. Have an amazing time in Japan!