I'm totally stuck on which prime lens I should actually pull the trigger on for my new Fuji X-S20 and I really need to figure this out before my trip next month. I just picked up the body last week after saving up forever and honestly the kit lens is fine for now but I really want that fuji look everyone talks about with the primes and i feel like i'm missing out on the full experience.
I'm mainly doing street photography and some candid shots of my friends when we go out here in Chicago so I need something that isnt a huge brick to carry around all day in my jacket pocket or a small sling. Right now I am basically torn between the XF 23mm f/2 and the XF 35mm f/2. The 23mm seems better for street because it's wider and i wont have to back up into traffic just to get a building in the frame but then I see the 35mm shots online and the bokeh just looks so much smoother for portraits and people shots. I also looked at the 33mm f/1.4 but that thing is way more expensive and probably out of my budget since I really can only spend about $450-500 right now max unless I find a crazy deal on used gear somewhere.
I am leaning toward the 23mm just for the versatility since it is close to that 35mm full frame equivalent that everyone says is the sweet spot but I'm worried it might be too wide and just look too much like my iPhone camera pictures? I want my shots to feel like real photography and not just a wide snap. Most of my shooting is handheld and usually in the evening or under those gray overcast skies we get here so the autofocus speed on the X-S20 is great but I want a lens that can keep up with it. Which one would you guys go for if you could only have one for a city trip? I'm kind of overthinking the focal lengths at this point and I just need to pick one and stick with it...
Just saw this. In my experience, the decision boils down to field of view and optical compression data.
- The Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 R WR provides a 63.4-degree angle of view. Its ideal for tight Chicago streets.
- The Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR has a 44.2-degree angle. Pick the 23mm. Alternatively, the Fujifilm XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR is technically excellent and fits your pocket better tho.
> basically torn between the 23mm f/2 and the 35mm f/2 To add to the point above, honestly just get the Fujifilm XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR! It is amazing, weather-sealed for those rainy Chicago days, and super reliable. Youll love it!
To add to the point above, I spent months agonizing over this exact choice when I first got into the Fuji system years ago. I remember walking around downtown in the winter with a borrowed Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 R WR and constantly feeling like I couldn't quite get the isolation I wanted for people. It really did feel a bit too much like my phone view, which is exactly what you mentioned fearing. I ended up playing it safe and grabbing the Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR because I am a bit of a stickler for reliability. The f/2 series is basically bulletproof. When you're out in the Chicago drizzle or wind, having that WR (weather resistance) on the Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR is such a peace of mind thing. I actually had an older non-WR lens fail on me during a trip once because of some light mist, and it is a mistake I wont make again. Since you are on a budget, honestly, check out the used market before buying new. I found my copy for way under your $500 limit by looking at reputable resellers. It saves enough cash for a decent spare battery or a solid strap, which the X-S20 definitely appreciates during long days of shooting. The 35mm forces you to be a bit more intentional with your framing tho, which helps avoid that wide snap look. It just feels like a more deliberate portrait of the city.
