so I just picked up a used Fujifilm X-T30 because I really want to start taking photos of people in the city near my apartment, but I have no idea what lens to buy. Im super confused by all these numbers like 23mm or 35mm and I dont want to waste my money on something wrong since I only have about 300 bucks left for this. Im trying to get this sorted before a trip to Chicago next weekend. My logic was maybe a smaller lens makes me look less like a tourist? Is that even a thing? Im totally lost here and just need someone to tell me what to get honestly...
Just saw this thread. Honestly, I started with the TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 AF and it lived on my camera for months. Its tiny, super cheap, and you can barely tell it is there. The autofocus is decent for the price, definitely beats manual focusing while walking around Chicago. Dont worry about the numbers too much, just grab a pancake lens and go have fun with the XT30.
Honestly, you're spot on about the size thing. Walking around with a massive telephoto lens makes you look like a walking billboard, which is the last thing you want when trying to be candid. I spent years lugging heavy gear, but for street stuff, smaller is definitely better. You want to blend in, not draw a crowd. For that X-T30, you've got a couple of solid options that fit your budget perfectly:
- Fujifilm Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR
- This is basically a pancake lens. It turns your camera into something you can almost fit in a jacket pocket. The field of view is super natural for street shooting.
- TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8
- If you want to save even more cash, this one is surprisingly sharp for the price and feels really solid. In my experience, 27mm or 35mm are the sweet spots. 23mm is wider and great for tight alleys, but 27mm feels like how the human eye actually sees. I remember shooting in downtown Chicago with a pancake lens and nobody even noticed I was there, which is exactly how you get those genuine, unposed shots. Don't stress too much about the technical numbers right now. Just grab one of these small primes, keep your settings simple, and focus on your framing. You'll have a blast next weekend.
Gonna try this over the weekend. Will report back if it works!
