Ive been shooting with the XT series for like five years now so Im pretty comfortable with the Fuji ecosystem but I just grabbed an X-Pro3 and its a totally different beast than I expected. I bought it specifically for a trip to Tokyo I have coming up in literally nine days so I'm in a bit of a rush to get my kit sorted. My 23mm f1.4 is my baby but it feels way too front-heavy on this body and it blocks a huge chunk of the optical viewfinder which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the rangefinder style for me.
I have about 700 bucks to spend on a new prime before I fly out. I keep looking at the 23mm f2 because of the size and the fact it wont block the OVF as much but then I see people swearing by the 35mm f2 for that more cinematic look. I'm worried about the 23mm f2 being soft wide open at close range though since I do some detail shots too. Is the 18mm f2 worth considering even with the noisy motor or should I just stick to the newer f2 primes for the weather sealing? I need something fast and discrete that works perfectly with the framelines... what's the move here?
Honestly, for an X-Pro3, you really want the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR. Its basically made for that body. It doesnt block the OVF much at all compared to your f1.4, and the weather sealing is a must if youre hitting Tokyo during the rainy season. People talk about it being soft wide open at minimum focus, but unless youre shooting macro-style details at f2, you wont really notice it in real-world street shots. If you prefer a tighter frame, the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f/2 R WR is also solid and well within your 700 dollar budget. Id skip the old 18mm f2 because the AF is just too slow and noisy for quick street work. The 23mm f2 is definitely the move for those narrow Tokyo streets.
