Help me choose lenses for Japan
p.2 #1Help me choose lenses for Japan
I also just came back from Japan, and I would agree with those who say don't bring too much if you are going with family, as it does become a hassle. I stuck with a zv-e1+10mm for family selfies and scenery, and also a gfx100rf for more closeups. Both fit in a uniqlo sling that I bought relatively cheap there. I dont think switching lenses is convenient when with family. I'd say your 16-55mm f2.8 ii would cover enough tele
Apr 10, 2026 at 02:10 PM
p.2 #2Help me choose lenses for Japan
I'm on the plane at the moment via wifi. Thanks for the responses. I ended up taking the 10-18mm f2.8, 16-55mm f2.8, the 18mm f2, 23mm f2.8 and 35mm f1.4. I will mainly take the primes out at night.
Hardest decision was choosing which film camera to bring. Ended up taking a small Olympus rangefinder.
Hardest decision was choosing which film camera to bring. Ended up taking a small Olympus rangefinder.
Apr 11, 2026 at 01:06 AM
p.2 #3Help me choose lenses for Japan
You'll have a blast! Safe travels and share some pix when you're back!
Apr 11, 2026 at 09:51 AM
p.2 #4Help me choose lenses for Japan
Safe flight and remember you can always buy more gear there lol
Apr 11, 2026 at 07:07 PM
p.2 #5Help me choose lenses for Japan
ftllens wrote:
Safe flight and remember you can always buy more gear there lol
Went to Yodabashi camera today. They had a full set of XF lenses and GFX lenses tethered on display for anyone to handle, plus all the other brands. Sadly prices are no better than Australia and likely higher than the US.
Safe flight and remember you can always buy more gear there lol
Went to Yodabashi camera today. They had a full set of XF lenses and GFX lenses tethered on display for anyone to handle, plus all the other brands. Sadly prices are no better than Australia and likely higher than the US.
Apr 20, 2026 at 08:06 AM
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p.2 #6Help me choose lenses for Japan
Yeah...in all the camera stores I've been to in Japan...they tend to be right at the used market price or a fair bit higher. Certainly not worth the risk of buying it there and getting a dud you can't return. ...but man...they tend to have an amazing selection, particularly film cameras.
Apr 20, 2026 at 04:22 PM
p.2 #7Help me choose lenses for Japan
Go to Map Camera, Fujiya Camera, Kitamura Camera, Used Camera Box, and Camera Naniwa in that area (Shinjuku) and shop secondhand, better value and usually an amazing selection to choose from.
Apr 21, 2026 at 04:14 PM
p.2 #8Help me choose lenses for Japan
Back from Japan and have had a chance to sort some of the photos. Most shots had to be composed pretty quickly. For the most part the zooms were the way to go during the day, as they allowed quick composition and minimal lens changes in amongst the crowds and allowed me to keep pace with the family. the XF 16-55 f2.8 did about 80 per cent of the work, though I was glad to have the Sigma 10-18 f2.8 inside some of the temples. While I got by with f2.8, the Sigma 12mm f1.4 or similar might work at the risk of needing to crop in post rather than cropping by zoom.
The 35mm f1.4 and particularly the 18mm f2 worked well at night for a few city streetscapes. If you are a 23mm shooter a 23mm f1.4 might handle both.
Here are few photos, SOOC apart from some cropping.
XE508757 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XE508855 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XE508869 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XT5F3885 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XT5F4628 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XT5F4248 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XT5F4300a by Geoff F, on Flickr
XT5F4303 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XT5F3754a by Geoff F, on Flickr
XT5F4407 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XE508834 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XT5F4337 by Geoff F, on Flickr
XT5F4489 by Geoff F, on Flickr
The 35mm f1.4 and particularly the 18mm f2 worked well at night for a few city streetscapes. If you are a 23mm shooter a 23mm f1.4 might handle both.
Here are few photos, SOOC apart from some cropping.
XE508757 by Geoff F, on FlickrXE508855 by Geoff F, on FlickrXE508869 by Geoff F, on FlickrXT5F3885 by Geoff F, on FlickrXT5F4628 by Geoff F, on FlickrXT5F4248 by Geoff F, on FlickrXT5F4300a by Geoff F, on FlickrXT5F4303 by Geoff F, on FlickrXT5F3754a by Geoff F, on FlickrXT5F4407 by Geoff F, on FlickrXE508834 by Geoff F, on FlickrXT5F4337 by Geoff F, on FlickrXT5F4489 by Geoff F, on FlickrMay 05, 2026 at 07:49 PM
p.2 #9Help me choose lenses for Japan
As others have said, you can make almost any kit work, but I strongly recommend packing light for each day. You’ll do a lot of walking and frequently move through tight, crowded spaces, so weight and bulk become more noticeable than you might expect.
The advice to bring lenses that suit the way you normally shoot is sound. At the same time, Japan can be a wonderful place to experiment. Taking one camera and one lens for a day, then choosing a different lens the next day, can be a fun way to approach the trip if you’re comfortable not having every possible situation covered.
There will always be photographs you can’t make, regardless of how much equipment you carry. I found that letting go of the concern about “missing” a shot helped me pay more attention to where I was and learn more about what I actually enjoy photographing.
One personal preference I discovered is that I value fast primes more than zoom range for early morning, evening, and night photography. I would often rather have an f/1.4 or f/1.8 aperture and accept a fixed focal length than carry a slower zoom purely to cover every possible composition. That’s personal preference, of course, but it’s worth considering given how much of Japan comes alive after dark.
For example, this scene from the New Year’s celebration on Miyajima was photographed with the FE 35mm f/1.4 GM at f/1.4:
Sony a1 II | FE 35mm f/1.4 GM | f/1.4
The advice to bring lenses that suit the way you normally shoot is sound. At the same time, Japan can be a wonderful place to experiment. Taking one camera and one lens for a day, then choosing a different lens the next day, can be a fun way to approach the trip if you’re comfortable not having every possible situation covered.
There will always be photographs you can’t make, regardless of how much equipment you carry. I found that letting go of the concern about “missing” a shot helped me pay more attention to where I was and learn more about what I actually enjoy photographing.
One personal preference I discovered is that I value fast primes more than zoom range for early morning, evening, and night photography. I would often rather have an f/1.4 or f/1.8 aperture and accept a fixed focal length than carry a slower zoom purely to cover every possible composition. That’s personal preference, of course, but it’s worth considering given how much of Japan comes alive after dark.
For example, this scene from the New Year’s celebration on Miyajima was photographed with the FE 35mm f/1.4 GM at f/1.4:
Sony a1 II | FE 35mm f/1.4 GM | f/1.4
Jul 25, 2026 at 09:20 AM
p.2 #10Help me choose lenses for Japan
Looks like you had a great time, Geoff. 
Love the pics.
We went last year. I took my GFX + lenses and regretted every second of it. In Japan, most places have no benches so you have to keep walking or just stand up. Trash cans are nonexistent so you have to keep trash in your bag. Combine that with the heat and humidity plus the weight of the GFX gear and you can imagine how insane it got. I averaged 40K steps per day for 2 weeks while carrying GFX gear.
Next time we go, it will be just the iPhone or X-E5 with a tiny 23 2.8 pancake at most.
Love the pics.We went last year. I took my GFX + lenses and regretted every second of it. In Japan, most places have no benches so you have to keep walking or just stand up. Trash cans are nonexistent so you have to keep trash in your bag. Combine that with the heat and humidity plus the weight of the GFX gear and you can imagine how insane it got. I averaged 40K steps per day for 2 weeks while carrying GFX gear.
Next time we go, it will be just the iPhone or X-E5 with a tiny 23 2.8 pancake at most.
Jul 28, 2026 at 01:40 PM