Ive been shooting Fuji for a decade but this X-S20 is throwing me for a loop. I thought my old 35mm f1.4 would be fine but the AF is just way too slow for the fast-paced street stuff Im doing in Chicago this weekend. I need something that actually keeps up with the new subject tracking. Budget is strictly under $800 cause I'm broke now lol.
- 23mm f2 (small but is it sharp enough?)
- 33mm f1.4 LM WR (stretching the budget)
- Viltrox 27mm?
I have to order this within the next few hours to get it here by Friday. Which prime is gonna give me the fastest focus on this specific body?
I had a rough time trying to shoot skaters with that old 35mm, missed half the shots. Be careful with the 23mm f2 tho, it gets soft if you are shooting close up. I would suggest looking at the Sigma 23mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary instead. Make sure to check prices on it, usually sits around $549 and the autofocus is snappy enough for fast street work.
In my experience, for pure AF speed on the X-S20, you want the smaller f2 units. Ive tried many lenses and these tiny motors just zip.
- Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f2 R WR: way faster focus than your old 35mm.
- Fujifilm Fujinon XF 50mm f2 R WR: probably the fastest focusing prime in the whole lineup. Both are super affordable and way under budget. Ngl the 23mm is basically the perfect street lens for a busy city like Chicago.
In my experience shooting with every generation of Fuji gear, that old 35mm f1.4 is basically a paperweight for modern subject tracking. The X-S20 has the power, but your lens motor is the bottleneck. If you want the fastest focus possible under $800, you really only have one clear winner. Honestly, go with the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR. It uses a linear motor (LM) which is night and day compared to the old glass. I've tried many primes on the X-S20 and this one feels instantaneous. Over the years, I have learned that the linear motor is the only way to go for the new tracking algorithms. Here is why it beats your other options:
- The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR is very fast, but it gets a bit soft if you are shooting close up at f2.
- The Viltrox AF 27mm f/1.2 Pro is heavy and while the AF is decent, it isnt as snappy as the native Fuji LM lenses for erratic street movement.
- That 33mm f1.4 is specifically designed to take advantage of the new AF processing speed. I know you said the budget is tight but you can usually find it right at $799. If you are doing fast street work in Chicago, you wont regret the extra spend. The 23mm f2 is great for size, but the 33mm is the professional choice for reliability and tracking accuracy. It is basically the modern successor to your old 35mm anyway...
My buddy told me the exact same thing last week. Guess he was right lol.
