got a trip to Japan coming up in about two months and Im stressing hard over glass. Shooting on an X-S10 right now and my current kit just wont cut it for a two-week vacation where I know Im gonna be walking 15 miles a day. I really dont want to be swapping lenses on a crowded Tokyo subway station, you know? So I was looking into a solid all-arounder. Right now Im pretty torn between the Fuji 18-55mm kit lens since I can find one used super cheap, the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 cause its insanely tiny and that constant aperture sounds nice for evenings, and the Fuji 16-80mm cause of the extra reach and weather sealing. My budget is around 600 bucks max, preferably less if I buy used. My logic was the Sigma is great for size, but maybe I miss the reach at the telephoto end? Then again the 16-80 is apparently kind of soft at the edges according to some random forum threads Ive been rabbit-holing into at 2am. Anyone actually used two or three of these on an X-S10 body and can talk me out of my indecision before I lose my mind...
Been thinking about your stress since I had a minor meltdown over gear before my own trip last year. honestly went with the Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 R LM OIS because i was terrified of getting a lemon third-party lens right before flying.
- Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 R LM OIS: super reliable, tiny used price tag, stabilization is a lifesaver at night even if f4 at the tele end is a bit meh.
- Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Contemporary: tiny size and constant aperture are awesome, but build quality felt a little too plasticky for my paranoid self. just grab something dependable and dont overthink the pixel peeping too much, youll be taking so many photos youll barely notice edge softness anyway.
> edge softness on the 16-80mm Honestly that edge softness on the Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR is way overblown in internet forums, but the real issue is the corner sharpness at 16mm wide open. It just doesnt resolve well compared to the others. I tested one on an X-T4 and returned it because of field curvature problems at landscape distances. Since you are walking 15 miles daily, skip the heavy stuff and grab the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary instead. It hits way above its weight class. You get that constant f/2.8 for indoor shrines and night market food stalls, and used copies go for around 400 bucks right now. That leaves you cash for extra batteries, which you definitely need with the X-S10 power drain.
Building on the earlier suggestion, I would strongly suggest looking at the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD instead if you can stretch just a little bit over budget, or stick to the Sigma since weight really matters when you're walking that much.
- Avoid the 16-80mm because edge softness on cityscapes is super annoying.
- Watch out for weather sealing limits. Don't stress too much over pixel peeping at 2am.
oh man i totally feel your pain about the subway lens changes, Tokyo stations are an absolute madhouse and you definitely wont have the hands for swapping glass when youre packed in like sardines. i went through the exact same rabbit hole before my trip last year and stressed myself completely silly over the edge sharpness debates at 3am too. honestly i ended up just grabbing a compact zoom used for super cheap and it totally saved my shoulders after walking like twenty miles a day. my biggest advice is to prioritize weight over everything else because that body gets heavy fast when you are out from dawn till late. i would suggest staying away from the heavier weather-sealed option unless you are expecting torrential downpours the whole time. trust me, your neck will thank you later.