honestly im just getting so fed up with my current setup. I spent all this money on the fujifilm x-t5 thinking the 40 megapixel sensor was gonna be a game changer but the 18-55 kit lens I have feels like its just not keeping up anymore. like its fine for casual shots but everything looks a bit soft when I zoom in and its driving me crazy because I know this camera can do more. I feel like im wasting the potential of the body.
so I was thinking maybe I should just ditch zooms entirely and go for a prime? my logic was that a 23mm or 33mm would be sharper but then I start panicking about my trip to Japan next month. I dont want to be swapping lenses in the rain while trying to enjoy my vacation. I looked at the 16-80 f4 but people say the corners are mushy on the high res sensor and now im just stuck in this loop of reading reviews and getting more annoyed.
I have about 950 bucks left in my gear budget. is there actually one single lens that can actually handle the resolution of the xt5 without being a massive brick? I just want something that stays on the camera 90 percent of the time for street and landscapes. maybe the new 18-120? or is the 16-55 2.8 really the only way to go even though its huge? I dont even know anymore...
> I feel like im wasting the potential of the body. @Reply #2 - good point! Its definitely frustrating that Fuji pushed that 40MP sensor when so much of their glass catalog just fails to keep up. I had issues with those older zooms too... they look fine on 26MP but look like mush once you crop even a little bit on the X-T5. Since you are heading to Japan and worried about rain, you need proper weather sealing. Unfortunately, the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Contemporary lacks sealing, which is a shame because its sharp. For your $950 budget, find a used Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f2.8 R LM WR. It is a brick, but its the only zoom that actually handles the resolution properly across the frame. If you really cant deal with the weight, get the Fujifilm XF 23mm f1.4 R LM WR. Its weather sealed and so sharp you can basically digital crop and still have more detail than that kit lens. Avoid the 18-120 tho... it is more for video and the optics are pretty disappointing for high-res stills.
^ This. Also, I totally get the panic about Japan! I was literally in your shoes last year before my trip to Osaka and spent weeks reading forums until my eyes bled... lol. Honestly, I love my X-T5 but that 40MP sensor is basically a magnifying glass for every little flaw in your glass. I ended up grabbing the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary for Fujifilm X after a lot of debating and it was a total game changer for my travel setup! It is so freaking tiny and light, which is a life saver when you are walking 20k steps a day in Tokyo. The sharpness is actually amazing on the high-res sensor too, way better than the old kit lens imo. I was worried about not having an aperture ring at first, but honestly you get used to it so fast. Plus, since it is f/2.8 all the way through, you can get some really pretty background blur for street shots. If you really want to spend that whole 950 budget, you could look at the Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR but it is a massive brick compared to the Sigma. I tried it at a shop and my wrist hurt after five minutes... no joke. Since you are worried about the rain in Japan, maybe look at the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD for Fujifilm X too because it has great weather sealing and it is super sharp for the price. Just stick a good zoom on and forget about it! You will have so much more fun focusing on the food and the views instead of fumbling with lens caps in a crowd.
Just saw this thread. Honestly, that 40MP sensor is really picky about glass quality. You should definitely check out the official Fuji list of lenses that are technically rated for the high-res sensors; it is a good baseline for sharpness. Are you more worried about the weight for your trip or the weather sealing? Also, how often do you actually shoot at the wide or long ends of your current zoom?
Came here to say the same thing lol. Great minds think alike I guess.
Exactly what I was thinking
