I finally got my hands on an X-T5 and I am so pumped to start shooting! Im hitting up Chicago in a few weeks and really need a solid street lens. I read a bunch of reviews saying the 23mm f2 is the way to go for that classic wide look but then some people say the 35mm f2 is better for tighter shots and now Im just confused which one to pull the trigger on.
My main things are:
- budget is under $550
- needs to be tiny so I dont look like a total tourist
- fast autofocus is a must
- weather sealing for light rain
Should I go for one of those or maybe a pancake lens?
I've shot street in plenty of cities including Chicago and honestly, for the X-T5, you really want the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 R WR. I have used both the 23mm and the 35mm over the years and the 23mm is basically the sweet spot for the Fuji system. Since it gives you that 35mm full-frame equivalent, it is wide enough to capture the vibe of the L-train or the architecture, but tight enough that you aren't getting too much distortion on people. The 35mm is a killer lens but it can feel a bit claustrophobic when you're walking down narrow sidewalks or trying to get some scale in the shot. Plus, the 23mm f2 is weather sealed which is huge because Chicago weather can turn on a dime. I've had mine out in light rain plenty of times and it never skipped a beat. It is small enough that people dont really look at you twice, especially compared to those huge zoom lenses. If you really want to stay invisible, you could look at the Fujifilm XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR pancake. It is tiny and basically turns your X-T5 into a point-and-shoot size-wise. But in my experience, the autofocus on the 23mm f2 is just a hair faster and the f2 aperture helps when the sun goes down or you're in a subway station. You can find the 23mm for about $450 brand new, so it fits your budget perfectly. Go with the 23mm, you wont regret it.
