I just got this XH2S and I am totally lost. I want to film my kids skating so I need a wide lens but I dont get the numbers. My logic was smaller number equals wider but then I saw some say 10mm and others say 18mm. I have about $700 left... what should I buy?
> I want to film my kids skating so I need a wide lens but I dont get the numbers. Catching up on this... you really gotta be careful when choosing glass for skating. I once tried filming a bowl session with a lens that had slow autofocus and basically every clip was ruined because the camera couldnt keep up with the speed of the skaters. Its heartbreaking to see nothing but blurry blobs after a long day at the park. Since you have $700, you might want to consider the Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary for Fujifilm X. Technically, that 10mm gives you the massive field of view needed to stay close to the action without clipping their feet out of the frame. I would suggest staying at f/2.8 to keep your shutter speed high enough for motion. Just make sure you update the lens firmware tho... some third-party glass needs that to play nice with the X-H2S high-speed tracking.
Saw this thread this morning and gotta say... I disagree about just grabbing any cheap prime. I actually spent a bunch on a fixed 12mm last year for track stuff and it was such a headache. Unfortunately, those budget primes usually have awful focus breathing which looks terrible on an X-H2S when your kids move in and out of focus. I had issues with the edges being super soft too. If youre chasing kids on boards, you need flexibility. I ended up switching to the Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD for Fujifilm X and it basically lives on my camera now. It gives you that ultra-wide 11mm look but lets you zoom in a bit when you cant get right on top of the action. Quick tip: Get a lens with internal focusing. If the barrel extends while focusing, itll mess up your balance if you ever use a gimbal.
Basically, your logic is solid because smaller mm numbers mean a wider view. For skating on that X-H2S, you really want something under 15mm to keep the action in frame.
- Just get any wide prime from Viltrox, you cant go wrong for the price tbh.
- Native Fuji glass is basically the gold standard for autofocus tracking.
- Third-party options from Sigma are also worth a look for video work.
