Fuji walkaround lens 18mm 23mm 18-55mm

What is your experience with a lens for casual handling on a small body?

I have the xe2s and 18-55mm. The lens is certainly decent but because of its size on such a small body, it's easy to bump into all kinds of things. And indoors, you need a flash which makes the package even bigger than what I consider 'casual use'.

Thus, I'm thinking of adding the xf18mm f2 for snapshots, mainly because of its small size.

The xf23mm f2 is another option (f1.4 is too big).

Between these three, what do you think?

In my experience, the 18 mm (27 mm equivalent) is more useful for general use than a 23 mm (34 mm equivalent). It is just wide enough to handle small groups indoors or street scenes, but long enough to avoid exaggerating perspective. A 35 mm equiv has more reach, and has a more natural perspective for street scenes, but a little tight for use inside. For landscapes, I prefer something with more reach (35 mm equiv or longer), or something extremely wide (21 mm equiv), but 21 mm is not a good "people" lens.

You gave a choice between two lenses, which I respect in my response. My personal choice for a "walk about" lens has changed over the years from 35 mm to 24 mm (full frame). I have a 28, but for a Leica, which i don't use much any more. Like you, a zoom lens is too big to carry routinely, except for landscapes, when I need the flexibility.

Neither of those lenses are what I would consider that big compared to SLR lenses.

The zoom is big compared to the camera it's attached to.

XE2 is a small camera, it needs small lenses.

This might not be apparent on paper but it is very tangible when you actually hold the camera.

Well, I got my hands on the 18mm f2. I wanted to like it but I didn't. The aperture ring is so stiff that it's almost unusable. This alone is reason enough not to like the lens.

There are several other minor issues. Nothing terrible but they all do add up. AF produces a buzz which is a bit disturbing. It makes the lens feel cheap and clunky. And there's more distortion than what the zoom produces. In the end, the lens is OK but nothing extraordinary. It certainly doesn't take better images than the zoom. And the handling is ... not inviting.

So I sold the lens as soon as I got it.

What's left to try is 23mm f2, 23mm f1.4 or stick to the zoom and get a 35mm f1.4.

Well, I got my hands on the 18mm f2. I wanted to like it but I didn't. The aperture ring is so stiff that it's almost unusable. This alone is reason enough not to like the lens.

 

There are several other minor issues. Nothing terrible but they all do add up. AF produces a buzz which is a bit disturbing. It makes the lens feel cheap and clunky. And there's more distortion than what the zoom produces. In the end, the lens is OK but nothing extraordinary. It certainly doesn't take better images than the zoom. And the handling is ... not inviting.

 

So I sold the lens as soon as I got it.

 

What's left to try is 23mm f2, 23mm f1.4 or stick to the zoom and get a 35mm f1.4.

The 23 1.4 is great, but it is bigger than the f2 version, likewise with the 35mm f2 compared to the 1.4. The 14 2.8 is smaller than the 23 1.4, it also is a very very good lens, but its pretty wide angle. I own the 23.1.4 and the 14 2.8. I supplement those with manual focus Leica 35 sum micron and 50 sum micron, those work great but w/manual only:)

I kept the 18-55mm and got my hands on a 35mm f1.4. The 35 is like the perfect people / event lens. It allows getting close to people without entering their personal space.

The zoom, although a bit big (especially when extended), is a useful outdoor lens. Together with the 14mm, I'm settled.

So the lens set compromises of 14mm 18-55mm 35mm. For now, I'll get by without an 18 or 23.

I see your point of the 18-55 being awkward on the smallish body of the XE-2S, but just in case your thinking of dismissing the 18-55, I would continue thought on that regard, as I'm just taking the opportunity to sing about the greatness of that lens. I too added a smaller lens to my XT-1, and now XT-2 and I went for the 23mm F2. I've been back and forth over the workability differenced between the 18mm focal length verses the 23 and for my purposes the 23mm angle of view still wins as the most useful, but more than that if you check out the lab performance characteristics of the 23mm F2 you will see that its sharpest in the middle and ever so slightly behind the 23mm 1.4 in the corners. I can attest that the build quality, size, weight, performance of the 23mm F2 is all that it is intended to be and honestly, and I should shut up, how Fuji came up with that price tag on the 23mm F2 is beyond me, I mean this lens is, and I know this issue is overdone, but is the sharpest lens I think I own right in there with my Nikkor 55mm 2.8 Micro. I see where Fuji is going with the F2 formula and I'm also considering the 50mm F2 if ever it get in stock. So to your question I can't imagine one would be disappointed with the 23mm F2 its definitely one of Fuji's best. Again as for the 18-55, its definitely one of the best Zooms in Photography and its more about what the plans are for the day. With the 18-55 in the field for example in landscape, I'm able to harvest more images and nail framing and to do so with a lens that provides this kind of performance is just great. In the field when I know a scene, or certain scenes, meaning I actually know it will work with the 23mm angle of view, I have used the 23mm with success stopped down to 5.6-11 and the results are freaking stunning. The 23mm f2 is a must have for a Fuji kit.[ATTACH=full]1185744[/ATTACH]

Don, I use a 23 1.4 and love it but am considering selling it for the 23 2. I just got the 50 2 because a couple of events I had been shooting needed that length and the Leica 50 I was using just got a little tedious sometimes though when I got it on, it was brilliant 2. But the Fujicron 50 is amazing, and I haven't been able to get it off the camera.

Don, I use a 23 1.4 and love it but am considering selling it for the 23 2. I just got the 50 2 because a couple of events I had been shooting needed that length and the Leica 50 I was using just got a little tedious sometimes though when I got it on, it was brilliant 2. But the Fujicron 50 is amazing, and I haven't been able to get it off the camera.

Uhooru, The Fujinon 50mm F2 is a focal length that Fuji designed as a result of a stringent design characteristic with the least compromises as possible. The focal length in certain circles has some confused. Personally I see it as a very useful tool. Now that you have had your experience with it, is there anything, or any alternate thoughts or conclusions you have, would of, could of?

What is your experience with a lens for casual handling on a small body?

 

I have the xe2s and 18-55mm. The lens is certainly decent but because of its size on such a small body, it's easy to bump into all kinds of things. And indoors, you need a flash which makes the package even bigger than what I consider 'casual use'.

 

Thus, I'm thinking of adding the xf18mm f2 for snapshots, mainly because of its small size.

The xf23mm f2 is another option (f1.4 is too big).

 

Between these three, what do you think?

I think probably the 23mm f/2

I use the Canon 22mm f/2 pancake lens as a "walk around"

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless