I just picked up an X-T30 II and I am leaving for a trip to Glacier National Park in like 10 days and I suddenly realized I have nothing wide enough for those massive mountain shots. I only have the XC 15-45mm kit lens and while it is okay I really want something prime and sharper that gets the whole vista you know?
I spent all night looking at reviews and I keep seeing the Samyang 12mm f2 mentioned as the best budget choice but man I am so worried about manual focus since I am still kinda new to this and dont want to ruin my vacation photos by missing focus. Then I saw the Fuji 16mm f2.8 which has autofocus and is tiny but some people on Reddit were saying 16mm isnt actually wide enough on a crop sensor for landscapes and now I am just spiraling.
My constraints are:
- Budget: Under $350 max, used is fine
- Size: Has to be light for long hikes
- Speed: I need to buy it by Friday to get it here in time
- Use case: Big landscapes and maybe some astro
Is there some other third party brand like Viltrox or TTArtisan I should look at instead? I dont want to drop $900 on the Fuji 10-24mm right now because I just spent all my money on the body. What should I do...
Checking in a bit late but ive been very satisfied with the Viltrox 13mm f1.4 AF Fujifilm X for wide shots. The f1.4 aperture is technically superior for astro compared to the Fuji 16mm, plus 13mm provides a significantly wider field of view for mountain vistas. If that is too heavy, the Samyang AF 12mm f2.0 Fujifilm X works well too. Both have reliable autofocus so you wont miss anything.
^ This. Also, i think youre worrying way too much about the manual focus part. In my experience with wide vistas, you just set the lens to infinity and almost everything stays sharp. If you want to save serious cash, look at the TTArtisan 12mm f2.0 Fuji X Mount. Its tiny for hiking and way under budget. Honestly, spend that extra $200 on gas and bear spray for Glacier...
Can confirm this works. Did the same thing on mine and its been solid ever since.
Re: "^ This. Also, i think youre worrying way..."
- I actually have to disagree a bit there! While I totally get the appeal of saving money, relying on manual focus for a huge trip to Glacier is super risky if you arent used to it. Missing focus on a once-in-a-lifetime sunset would be heartbreaking! Honestly, the infinity mark on many lenses isnt perfectly calibrated. Modern sensors like on your T30 II are incredibly unforgiving if youre even a tiny bit off. Im a huge fan of autofocus for landscapes because it takes that stress off your plate when the light is changing fast. If youre hiking for miles, you want to focus on the view, not squinting at your screen. I definitely agree with the earlier points about sticking with AF... it gives you that peace of mind so you can enjoy the park and know those shots are tack sharp!
100% agree
- Grab a used Samyang AF 12mm f2.0 Fuji X.
- Itll fix your focus fears, stays under budget, and captures way more of the mountains than that 16mm can.
