> my old 18-55 is looking way too soft I would suggest you be careful with old glass and try the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary. It is super sharp and way under budget.

Late to the party here but I totally feel your pain. I upgraded to the X-T5 and unfortunately it was a disaster for a gig I did last month. The sensor is so sharp it basically exposes every flaw and I had issues with the focus motor on my older lens just giving up. It is honestly scary when you're on a clock and your gear feels unreliable. For a London job where it'll probably rain, you need something tough:

• The Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR is the beast you want. It's heavy but it's built like a tank and wont fail you.
• I tried the Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR but found the power zoom a bit laggy for fast stills. Ngl, it sucks having to spend more but that 40mp sensor is a demanding boss...

I had the exact same realization when I moved to the 40MP sensor last year. Honestly, I was pretty happy with my older glass until I saw the 100% crops on the X-T5. I ended up digging into the MTF charts because the resolution demands are just different now. I finally settled on a setup that works well for me and I have no complaints at all about the clarity. Here is what I found actually keeps up with that pixel density:

• Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR
• This is basically the gold standard for zooms. It resolves detail across the whole frame and you can grab one used for about $900.
• Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR
• If you want something that maximizes the sensor, this prime is incredible. It uses a linear motor that hits focus instantly.
• Fujifilm XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR
• This is the newer kit lens. Its way sharper than the 18-55 and was designed specifically for these high-res bodies. Im really satisfied with how the 16-55 performs during fast-paced jobs. If you need help comparing the linear motor speeds or optical designs just let me know!

Same boat, watching this

jumping in real quick because the technical side of the X-T5 sensor is just wild! you really need glass that can resolve at least 60-80 line pairs per millimeter to actually see what that 40MP sensor is doing. if you want to stay under budget while getting amazing performance:

• Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD is a fantastic choice because it has built in stabilization that works with the X-T5 IBIS for like 7 stops of compensation. love the constant 2.8 aperture too.
• Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 AF Pro is literally a resolution monster. the MTF charts are basically a flat line at the top. it is a bit heavy but man the clarity is insane for the price. honestly though london is gonna be a blast. last time i was there i spent three hours just wandering around the barbican center looking at the brutalist concrete textures. the way the light hits those jagged edges is fantastic for testing microcontrast. i actually ended up buying a really old film camera at a stall in portobello road for like fifty quid and it still works perfectly... but yeah, definitely grab the tamron if you wanna save some cash for some proper fish and chips.

Great info, saved!

Re: "I had the exact same realization when I..." - it really is a massive bummer how that 40MP sensor just nukes the performance of older kits. Honestly, I have had issues with color fringing and soft corners on glass that used to look tack sharp on my older bodies. It is kind of a letdown when you realize your favorite workhorse lens is suddenly the bottleneck in your workflow. To narrow things down tho... what kind of focal lengths are you usually hovering around for these types of jobs? Like, are you a wide-angle person or do you need some reach? Also, is weather sealing a dealbreaker for you given you're heading to London? That could really change which way you should lean for that $1k budget. TL;DR: The X-T5 is incredibly unforgiving on older glass. Need to know your preferred focal range and if you need weather sealing before narrowing down the options.

Interested in this too