What is the absolute best prime lens for street photography on the Fujifilm X-T30 if I want to keep things super compact?
I've been doing a ton of reading online and everyone seems split between the 27mm f2.8 pancake and the 23mm f2. I love the idea of the 27mm because it makes the X-T30 pocketable, but then I read a bunch of reviews saying the autofocus is kinda noisy and slow on the older version, and the new WR version is hard to find in stock right now. On the other hand, the 23mm f2 is supposed to have lightning-fast autofocus, but it looks a bit bulkier and I've read it gets soft up close at f2.
I'm heading to Tokyo next month for a two-week trip and really want to shoot mostly candid street stuff at night. My budget is around $400, so I'm looking at the used market mostly.
Since I'll be shooting in low light sometimes, is the f2.8 on the pancake going to limit me too much compared to the f2? Or is the size difference of the 23mm going to make me stand out too much to locals? Just not sure which compromise makes the most sense for this specific camera body.
TL;DR: Get the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR. I've been super happy with it for night street photography; the fast autofocus and f/2 speed are totally worth the size.
Re: "TL;DR: Get the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2..." - honestly i have been very satisfied with the Fujifilm XF 18mm f/2 R for urban travel. it is much smaller than the 23mm and performs way better at night than the pancake.
- check MPB or KEH for used copies under $400
- 28mm equivalent is ideal for tight tokyo alleys
- faster aperture than the 27mm getting that extra stop of light really helps keep your iso down when you are shooting handheld after dark.
Just saw this thread. Based on my own travel experiences, here is what I learned about going too small:
- Tiny pancake lenses make the camera body really hard to grip securely in packed Tokyo trains, which almost led to me dropping my gear twice.
- Buying used gear right before a major trip is a huge reliability risk if you don't have time to stress-test the autofocus in low light first.
bump
Check Fred Miranda forum for safe used gear. Consider these:
- TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 AF for budget savings.
- Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN for reliable low light.
