Im super hyped to finally get a Fuji setup for street shots around London! Ive been eyeing the 23mm f2 and the 35mm f2. People keep saying the 23mm is classic for street, but others swear the 35mm feels more natural. My budget is around 400 quid and I need something compact for all-day carry. Which one actually hits the spot?
Congrats on the Fuji move, honestly wish id had a better experience with the native smaller lenses though. The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR is the classic choice but it has some weird softness wide open that always bothered me, kinda ruins the sharpness you expect at this price point. The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f/2 R WR is definitely better optically but it just never felt wide enough for grabbing shots in tight London alleys.
- look for used copies of Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR on sites like mpb to keep it way under 400 quid
- dont bother with full retail because these depreciate fast
- check out the Viltrox 23mm f/1.4 XF if you want more light, even if the build feel is disappointing compared to fuji gear Its a bummer that the f2 series isnt perfect, but just grab a second-hand deal and you should be fine.
Coming back to this, have you considered the TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 for compactness? It is tiny. Are you looking for weather sealing, or is size the main priority for you?
Late to the party but yeah, those f2 lenses are kinda hit or miss. Honestly, I really struggled with the focus consistency on them. Have you checked out the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary instead? It is a bit bigger, but the extra light makes a huge difference in London at night. It is much sharper than the native options I tried, honestly just a better value for the money.
@Reply #2 - good point! Honestly, I had bad luck with those f-twos too. Just stick to any prime from Sigma or Samyang, you really cant go wrong imo. Focus was just meh.