Im finally heading to Tokyo for a week in October and want to upgrade my kit for some serious street shooting. Im currently using the kit lens on my X-T3 but want something faster. I keep reading that the 23mm f/2 is the gold standard because of the weather sealing and size, but then others swear by the 35mm f/1.4 for the character and bokeh. Since I have about 500 bucks to spend, I dont want to buy the wrong one and regret it later. Is the extra speed of the 35mm worth losing that wider field of view for tight city alleys, or should I just stick with the 23mm?
Honestly, I have had issues with the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR in lower light situations where the contrast just wasnt quite what I expected. The weather sealing is a nice feature for Tokyo, but the performance left me disappointed when I was shooting in dark alleys. If you really want that specific focal length, it might be fine, but the autofocus felt a bit sluggish for quick candid shots. Personally, I suggest looking into the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 R instead. It has a ton of character that the smaller lenses just lack. Unfortunately, you lose some width, but the rendering is significantly better. It feels more professional despite being an older design. Just dont expect perfection with the focus motor, but the results are worth the trade-off.
