I'm stuck between the Fujinon 23mm f2 and the 35mm f2 for my X-Pro3 and really need to know which one feels better for fast street shooting. I just picked up a used X-Pro3 body because I love that rangefinder style but now I'm paralyzed by lens choice. I'm heading to Chicago next month for a week of just wandering around the Loop and I want to keep things super minimal—just one lens on the camera the whole time.
I like the idea of the 23mm because it gives that classic 35mm equivalent field of view which is like the gold standard for street stuff I guess? But then the 35mm f2 is so tiny and I've heard the autofocus is snappy which is a huge deal when people are moving fast. I also looked at the 27mm pancake since it makes the setup pocketable but I'm worried the f2.8 might be too slow for evening shots or if the focus motor is gonna be annoying and slow compared to the f2 series.
My budget is pretty tight after buying the body so I'm looking at the used market around $350 to $450 max. I really want something that doesn't block the optical viewfinder too much because thats the whole reason I got this camera anyway. Does the 23mm block the OVF a lot more than the 35mm or is it basically the same? Hard to tell from photos online...
> Does the 23mm block the OVF a lot more than the 35mm or is it basically the same? I went through this exact same panic last year before a trip to NYC with my own X-Pro3. Buying the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f2 R WR seemed like the smart move since its the classic street focal length, but you really gotta be careful with the OVF blockage. It sticks out just enough that the bottom right corner of your frame is basically a guess. A street performer shot I took was ruined once because I couldnt see a pole in the way. The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f2 R WR is much safer for that rangefinder experience. It tapers down so it stays out of your sightline much better. While the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 27mm f2.8 R WR is tiny, that focus motor is older and might struggle in the shadows of the Loop. Sticking with the 35mm is probably your best bet for reliability.
