Honestly im just so over using this 18-55mm kit lens on my X-Pro3. Like what was I thinking? It totally ruins the whole rangefinder experience and it feels so bulky and awkward when I'm trying to be discreet. I went out to downtown Chicago last weekend and I missed so many shots because the aperture is just too slow and the lens sticks out like a sore thumb. I am literally ready to just sell the zoom and never look back because it makes me not even want to take the camera out of the bag which is just tragic honestly.
But I am super hyped because I finally saved up about 750 bucks and I am heading to Tokyo in three weeks for a huge trip and I want to finally get a proper prime that stays on the camera 24/7. I need something fast and small so I can actually use the OVF without a massive shadow in the corner. My current setup is just killing my vibe and I need that legendary Fuji colors in a package that actually fits in a jacket pocket.
Should I go for the 23mm f2 for the weather sealing or is the 35mm f1.4 still the king even with the noisy motor? Or maybe the new 18mm? I just want the best one for fast street photography that wont make me regret my life choices... what should I get?
I would suggest grabbing the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR for your Tokyo trip. I learned the hard way that size really matters when youre weaving through the crowds in Shinjuku. Years ago, I brought a bigger lens and honestly people just clammed up the moment they saw me coming, totally killed the candid vibe. You might want to consider the weather too... be careful with that older 35mm f1.4 because it isnt weather sealed. Tokyo rain can be pretty intense and you dont want to be stuck in a cafe waiting for your gear to dry out. The 23mm f2 is snappy and barely blocks the OVF which is huge for the X-Pro3 experience. Quick tip: keep the lens hood off to save space and use a thin protection filter instead. It keeps the profile super slim for jacket pockets.
^ This. Also, if you are looking for absolute reliability during a major trip, I would suggest looking at some of the manual focus options that are gaining traction. I have been very satisfied with the build quality of certain third-party lenses because they feel much more substantial than the plastic-heavy kit lens you are used to.
- Solid metal construction that handles bumps well.
- Tactile aperture rings that stay where you set them.
- Extremely compact profiles for the OVF. Not sure but I believe the Voigtlander Ultron 27mm f2 Fujifilm X is becoming a favorite for X-Pro users because of the electronic integration. I think I heard it still communicates with the camera for parallax correction in the finder, though I havent verified that myself. Someone told me the optics are significantly better than the standard pancake lenses too. It would definitely keep your setup light for Tokyo and wont fail on you in the middle of a shoot.
Any updates on this?
> Or maybe the new 18mm? I just want the best one for fast street photography... Just caught this and wanted to chime in. I would suggest being careful with older lenses if youre hitting Tokyo during rainy season. You might want to consider the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f/2 R WR instead. The autofocus is way more reliable and the weather sealing gives me a lot of peace of mind. It fits the OVF perfectly too.
