If you could only shoot with one Fuji and one lens what would it be?
This year I sold off my Leica gear to finance a non-photographic side project. But always having one foot in the Fuji world I picked up an X100F, my second time owning one. This time I am coming to accept the limitations of that lens, but I am not sure it's anything like an M with a 35mm cron type of "all you need" vibe, but I am going to keep seeing it that way.
I love the 27/2.8 on an Xpro. I've also shot super vibey stuff on an adapted CV 35/1.4 Nokton type II. Other runners up are the 50/2 and the 56/1.2 but that's pushing well into 2-lens territory for me.
The original 18mm f/2. I like the look and rendering, and it's a focal length I enjoy using. The 23mm on my X100vi is just too narrow much of the time. My other choice would be the 33 or 35 f/1.4, as I've always liked the "normal" focal length. But as I usually default to the 18, I think that would be my one-lens option.
That said, I find it suboptimal to carry just one and often take the 18/35 combo.
My everyday X lens is the 16-55 zoom. But it sounds like you are thinking a prime. In that case, I would go with the 18/f1.4. Its sharp, fairly wide, beautiful and can handle cropping if needed.
I'm getting more into the 28mm FOV lately, so if I had it I would probably go with the 18mm f/1.4. I briefly had the f/2 version but wasn't super impressed with the overall handling. I'd love for a refresh of that one even if it's closer to the size of the 35mm or 23mm (or even 50mm, which isn't too much bigger) Fujicrons.
As far as the lenses I have, it's a tough choice between the XF 33mm f/1.4 or the Sigma 23mm f/1.4. I prefer the build and ergonomics of the former but the latter (which I got new when it was on sale for about 400 USD) is more versatile IMO. Or if I'm fine with manual focus (I usually am, but sometimes it's a little tricky with a toddler), the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 is fantastic.
Zoom 70-300 it can shoot from 2’ to infinity with a decent .33 magnification. For a prime it would be my 18mm f1.4 I like the 28mm FOV, but I really like my 90mm f2 also just too limiting for a single lens.
kenbennett wrote:
The original 18mm f/2. I like the look and rendering, and it's a focal length I enjoy using. The 23mm on my X100vi is just too narrow much of the time. My other choice would be the 33 or 35 f/1.4, as I've always liked the "normal" focal length. But as I usually default to the 18, I think that would be my one-lens option.
That said, I find it suboptimal to carry just one and often take the 18/35 combo.
I just pulled my X-Pro1 one out of the closet to put together a lightweight, retro kit. The 18mm f/2 and 35mm f/1.4 are the two lenses I'm including.
ottokbre wrote:
If you could only shoot with one Fuji and one lens what would it be?
This year I sold off my Leica gear to finance a non-photographic side project. But always having one foot in the Fuji world I picked up an X100F, my second time owning one. This time I am coming to accept the limitations of that lens, but I am not sure it's anything like an M with a 35mm cron type of "all you need" vibe, but I am going to keep seeing it that way.
I love the 27/2.8 on an Xpro. I've also shot super vibey stuff on an adapted CV 35/1.4 Nokton type II. Other runners up are the 50/2 and the 56/1.2 but that's pushing well into 2-lens territory for me. ...Show more →
I do a lot of shooting with just the 27mm f/2.8, though if I could only shoot with one lens I probably would look for a fixed lens camera like the X100vi rather than an ILC, right?
Jack Flesher wrote:
1 lens for me is the 16-55 zoom. If primes, it’s going to be a 33 if I’m limited to 1; but more likely a 23/25/27 and 50/56 or 18 and 33/35 duo.
Your answer is part of why I provided me response above. Even though when I use a single lens it is often the 27mm f/2.8, I would not get a ILC to use wiht just one lens. In fact, for some things the 16-55 is my first choice, too.
The whole point of an ILC is to… interchange lenses. ;-)
Yikes...not a way in which I think I'd challenge myself! I guess If I were to ever sell off all my Fuji lenses for whatever reason...the 35mm 1.4 would be the last to go. So I guess that would be the answer.
OTOH, while I would never hamstring myself with just one prime, I absolutely do head out on occasion with the camera and only one lens — I find it does help overcome any creative block or boredom I may be experiencing in my imaging.
Jack Flesher wrote:
OTOH, while I would never hamstring myself with just one prime, I absolutely do head out on occasion with the camera and only one lens — I find it does help overcome any creative block or boredom I may be experiencing in my imaging.
The “on occasion” part of that is doing all the work! ;-)
One particular lens lives on my XT5 something like 90% of the time — the 27mm f/2.8 pancake. The setup is my “always with me” camera (when a smart phone isn’t sufficient) that I take when I head out on a walk or similar. It is also the lens I use for at least 90% (more like 95%+) of my street and travel photography.
It is small, It is optically very good. It focuses fine. The maximum aperture is sufficient for the great majority of things that I’d shoot this way. It is a bit wide but not so wide that I have to get in people’s faces. It works well for wider urban and some nature photography.
(The focal length is a matter personal preference, and I can understand someone wanting 18mm, 23mm, 35mm, etc. instead.)
But it isn’t always enough. Probably my second most used lens is the 16-55mm f/2.8 (old model) that I carry for landscape shooting and some other subjects. It is also often on the camera when it comes along as a second system when I use my larger Canon system for landscape/wildlife. Or if I hike to photograph and want to keep things like, it is my primary lens.
But…
… that wasn’t quite the question posed by our OP, at least not the way I read it.
In the end, I don’t think we’ll ever see a consensus about what prime focal length is ideal for a one-lens approach, and even with zooms there’s a lot of diverging opinions — the 18-55 kit lens is preferred by some folks as is the newer 16-50, while some like something even wider.
The 27f2.8 and the X-E3. Small package, great image quality. 27mm is a very useful focal length walking around a city. The X-E 3 offers all the functions I need, but even better, sports the prefect control layout. Everything can be managed just with the thumb and the index finger of my right hand.
Jack Flesher wrote:
OTOH, while I would never hamstring myself with just one prime, I absolutely do head out on occasion with the camera and only one lens — I find it does help overcome any creative block or boredom I may be experiencing in my imaging.
I really like shooting that way. I'll take one lens and try to see everything in that focal length. But I'll admit that sometimes I stare at my lenses looking for inspiration for a few minutes before selecting one for that outing. Its a very different question to me, choosing one for the day vs. choosing one for every single day.
When I was shooting the Fuji crop sensor bodies, it was the 16-55. Just an excellent lens that made me hold off on moving away from crop bodies for a long time. For a prime, it was the 56. Such good lenses.
