RichardE Loc: California

I have the kit 17-55mm f/2.8-f/4 and wondering if the 27 pancake would be a good fit for street photography. Or the larger 23mm f/2.

Thanks, Richard

le boecere

It kinda-sorta depends upon your street shooting style.

The 27mm f/2.8 pancake is excellent for the street, and rides under my left elbow quite comfortably and almost unnoticed. The 35mm f/2 may be even faster to autofocus and may be a bit quieter. I have no experience with the 23mm Fuji's.

RichardE Loc: California

Thanks, le boecere for your insight.

le boecere

I might have added that 23-24-28mm (equiv) seems to be "conventional wisdom" among many of the advanced Street Shooters, but I'm not much for post processing and don't own a premium printer (for prints) ~ so, I shoot with the the slightly longer lenses, 'cause they make the images I'm hoping to get, straight out of camera.

People like Eric Kim and Zack Arias will tell you why they like the the wider lenses.

Doc-Texas Loc: Central Texas

Not trying to answer your question, as I’m in the same boat. Just trying to find photography soulmates. I am (was?) a Nikon D750 shooter who just discovered Fuji cameras. My first was a X100t (which I still have), but thought I needed to have exchangeable lenses, so I bought a used XPro2 and the 18-55 lens. A truly great camera and “kit” lens. I later got the 27mm pancake with thoughts of eventually replacing the X100t altogether. I enjoy travel, night shots, architecture and street photography. In the mean time, the Nikon system is stored away. I would like to exchange opinions, experience, and ideas with other Fuji shooters.

RichardE Loc: California

Thanks Doc, I like the smallness and the lightweight of the X-E3 or I would have gone with the Xpro2. I maybe even consider a Xpro3 or x-E4 in the future (if they arrive). I like the jpegs and raw files Fuji produces. I still have my Pentax K5-IIs but hardly use it anymore. Bring retired means that price also enters the picture. I find that my Metz 52 acts as a great slave flash (it will not attach) to my Fuji. So I will always keep that!

Doc-Texas Loc: Central Texas

Thanks for the quick reply. I also will have my eye on the XPro3, if and when it arrives. After that it will be very had to keep the Nikon system. Who knows, you may some day see my adds here trying to sell the D750 and Nikkor glass . . .
Best,
M

SATS Loc: Belgium

Hi Richard, I am a lapsed-regular here that pops in now and again to see what is going on. My watched topics have now topped 700 so I guess it has been a while longer than I thought. My previous contributions here were made using an Oly Stylus 1 bridge camera but I have now followed the usual trail of chasing bigger sensors and more megapixels. A full frame camera is not for me, It just feels like I am holding a brick in my hands so I took advantage of Fuji's year-end cash back offer and went for the X-T2 with the 18 – 55 f2.8 – f4. This is the only lens I have at the moment so I can't answer your question from direct experience. I have only had the camera for about six weeks.

When you say “...a good fit for street photography” are you alluding to image quality or personal discretion? If it is the first then the 23mm has a better reputation but after viewing sample images I am favoring the 27mm. Fuji doesn't make any bad lenses but the 27mm is not one of their showcase models, some people think the colors don't pop but I can't see it and for most of 'street', that doesn't matter much anyway. From the photograph of the 27mm, you can see that it doesn't have an aperture ring, the aperture is controlled from the back command dial. Just something to think about if a ring is important to you.

As far as blending in with the crowd is concerned, everyone that has tried the genre begins by assuming that the more you can make it look like a toy camera or at least a less serious camera the easier it is going to be getting away with the shot and the less chance of a confrontation. There is probably an element of truth in that but one of the You Tubers decided to test this out by going out in London streets with a full frame camera with a 'here comes a photographer' lens on the front. By and large, people were so busy with their own lives they didn't even notice him. Those that saw him didn't challenge him. After a time of not being noticed he decided to stop random people and ask if he could take their portraits and more often than not, they obliged. This is a confidence barrier that has to be gone through and should not primarily influence your choice of lens. Two things about your kit lens, Start with it long and after a while, gradually reduce the focal length to see how close you can get to the action and thus gradually boost your confidence. Secondly, shoot one day with the lens set to 23mm and another day with it set to roughly 27mm and see which angle of view you like best. Also remember that the shorter focal length will have a more dramatic perspective effect when used close to the subject, but not so close it causes facial distortion. Here is a link on the subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjKNZ1ydE9I

Wrt to the point about shutter noise, the X-T2 (I don't know about the other models), has an electronic shutter that can be used at more normal speeds down to one second and this doesn't make any sound at all.

For the moment I am not contributing to any sites and I know it is considered bad form to go on one forum and reference another but those that contribute to Flickr, tag their submissions according to themselves; the camera; the lens and sometimes the location. Here are links to real-world examples from both of the lenses you ask about. I hope this helps.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/Fujinon%2023mm%20f2/page4

https://www.flickr.com/groups/fujinon_xf27mm/

Finally, if Doc-Texas, RichardE or anyone else wants my email address to talk Fuji then drop me a PM.

RichardE Loc: California

SATS: Thanks for the in depth reply. I have indeed marked my 18-55 where 27 would be; the 23 is already marked. Thanks for the links. Now I have something to base solutions on. I remember somewhere in my past life that the human eye is about 41mm (FF) and the 27 is very close to that. Or, maybe I mis-remember...

David Taylor

I'd recommend the 18mm f2 from personal experience. You might like to include that focal length in your testing with the 18-55. Good for "environmental" portraits.

RichardE Loc: California

Thanks, David. FL as of 2016- today: (crop lens)

100mm: 211
50-55mm: 2276
43mm: 117
38mm: 113
34-36mm: 250
29mm: 115
26-28mm: 286
17-18mm: 3373
10mm: 45

So, for primes, it would look like:
18mm, 27mm, 35mm, 50mm

Or just stay with the 18-55!

-Richard

David Taylor

The 27 is very sharp. I like how light and compact a setup it makes when combined with the XE2S. The 18-55 is a cracking good lens though.....

RichardE Loc: California

Yes, I have been liking the pancake 27mm.

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

I'm a little late to the game but I LOVE my 23 f/2. It is super sharp and fast. Still trying to get used to the length for street as I tend to be a little timid but even still my crops are super sharp with it even when I don't get close. It works better in low light than my 18-55 obviously but I have to admit I put my kit on most of the time to just grab shots when I carry in my purse but I should use the 23 more.

le boecere

If you use the common APS-C multiplier of 1.5, the 27mm pancake lens is the equivalent of 40.5 mm.

If you use Thom Hogan's multiplier of 1.57, the 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens is the equivalent of 42.39 mm.

"50-140mm on the Fujifilm X bodies, by the way, is the equivalent of 76-213mm. This lens is just a wee bit longer than you might be used to given Fujifilm’s 1.57x crop." _Thom Hogan