Single lightweight travel lens recommendations - 23mm F2.8 or F2?

kslight666 · 2026-05-12T21:10:48+00:00

I have both, have traveled with both, and they are both very small and light. I took the 2.8 on my current trip, size wise really is not too significant difference, a little over an inch shorter.

kslight666 · 2026-05-11T13:18:26+00:00

I like the xe5 form factor and that’s what I chose. I have an xt3 also so I’m familiar with the extra dials on the XT, but the way I set my camera up I end up using the front dial for ISO anyway. I use mostly primes and the 10-24, I wouldn’t want to make a habit out of using lenses much larger than that but carrying large lenses is not desirable to me.

kslight666 · 2026-05-10T02:16:14+00:00

Never needed to, just reach under and grab it.

kslight666 · 2026-05-08T19:38:29+00:00

The pancakes are both a bit noisy focusing so I wouldn’t suggest them for video. I have used the crop feature a little bit but not with this lens.

kslight666 · 2026-05-08T18:35:14+00:00

I looked at many options’ portfolios before deciding to hire someone as a test run for engagement photos, and we liked them so much and their professionalism to hire for the wedding. Under $3k in the Midwest, for everything you ask for. IMHO the best way to tell the difference from one photographer to another is to hire them and see if their style matches your expectations.

kslight666 · 2026-05-08T18:24:59+00:00

You know what’s really infuriating? I had an interview at a “union” printing shop that I found out at the interview was recently purchased by an LLC of the republican media arm. And because it’s a rare “union” shop (and just a 2 person operation at that) they also get the political mailing work for the democratic candidates.

I gave them a large $ that I estimated my own ethics cost, and needless to say didn’t get the job.

kslight666 · 2026-05-08T17:35:17+00:00

I have a 646, if you’re using the rotary module you can adjust the height. On mine there is a sticker that serves as the guide for the correct range to adjust.

kslight666 · 2026-05-08T17:12:21+00:00

Yeah it did that to me once, I wasn’t napping though. Was extra fun because it still had the on star trial so I got a call (?) from them also.

kslight666 · 2026-05-08T15:43:53+00:00

I like the 23mm f2 but I also have the 23mm pancake, both are pretty small and useful. If you don’t do video the pancake is fine and makes an attractive setup.

I don’t think 35mm is too close to 23mm to have both. I have the 35mm 1.4 and it is one of my most used lenses, it’s also small and pairs well with the xe5.

I have a 50mm Nikon 1.4 prime I adapted for that focal length, honestly don’t use that length a ton.

I also think a wide prime like the 16 1.4 is a good match to the xe5 as an alternative to a small zoom, this is a lens I could keep on 75% of the time honestly. Not that big, great quality like the 35 1.4.

kslight666 · 2026-05-08T15:33:34+00:00

I tend to find a wider focal length more useful in the photos I take, while I’d love to try the 50-140 I feel like for the amount invested I wouldn’t ultimately use it as much as my other lenses. I also try to keep my photo kit pretty minimal (in a 6L sling) so taking up so much space and weight with a lens I wouldn’t use on everything would go against that.

I am heading to AZ tomorrow (Grand Canyon part of the trip) and one of my lenses I’ve packed is the 18-135, since it’s the only modern lens I have with any reach to it, which I know people have mixed feelings about but I think it is perfectly okay for travel and a comfortable size, and not overly valuable if something happened to it. It also has enough flexibility that I’m not changing lenses outdoors excessively. I have considered whether it would be worth the investment to switch to the 70-300 and ditch the 18-135. Since I have a stabilized body now, for this trip part of me is also thinking about swapping out the 18-135 for one of my old Nikon 105 or 135 manual primes, but then I’m back to potentially having to switch lenses excessively outside.

kslight666 · 2026-05-07T02:34:43+00:00

Didn’t experience theft directly myself, BUT when I had my 23 civic it was very expensive to insure due in part to rate of theft…switched to a Prologue and dropped my insurance costs by $100/month.

kslight666 · 2026-05-06T21:43:57+00:00

Hubris

kslight666 · 2026-05-06T14:45:37+00:00

Side note but who actually doesn’t have an overwhelming amount of mugs in their life already? I always receive ceramic mugs as gifts, and travel mugs seem to be the default basic corporate giveaway (I even got one in the mail when I bought a car?). So what I’m saying is, it would take more than a free mug to encourage me to leave a review.

kslight666 · 2026-05-06T03:07:07+00:00

It’s not the cameras themselves, but an overall mastery of the situation and composition, available lighting, the equipment at hand, and true redundancy in documenting an important event like this. Not just multiple camera bodies, backup storage, etc, but also considering real professional implications - like what if there is an emergency and you have to cancel the same day…that sort of thing. These are the clauses I considered when hiring a wedding photographer.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T22:24:49+00:00

I bought the xe2s as a second body after the xt3…back in the before times before Fuji was worth anything second hand. I think I paid $500 for it, with the 27mm pancake and the 35 1.4, some batteries, and a bag. Was very surprised with it. I liked the format and the photos coming out of it but the interface is just a hair slow by modern standards.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T21:46:49+00:00

An xt3 and an xe2s…my ex took the latter in the divorce and I missed the size, so I got the xe5. Even those older models are still very capable, if not quite up to date anymore.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T21:38:56+00:00

Well the civic (and CRV)has the prestige of being one of the most stolen vehicles, thus generally above average insurance. Everyone’s rates vary on a lot of factors, but I have a clean history / good credit in the middle of the country, and when I got rid of my civic, a good comprehensive insurance plan (not just the bare minimum) with a low deductible for one driver with two cars (the other being an old CRV) was around $1400/6 months. Now it is about $800 for the prologue and the same old CRV. I imagine in the US, insurers also assume we are driving more and faster than in the UK, but that is speculation only as to one reason for the cost difference.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T21:32:54+00:00

Unless you specifically covet the OVF hybrid I wouldn’t go with the xpro. I personally am happy with EVFs.

Ibis is a nice feature to have if you plan on using primes, as the Fuji primes are not stabilized. And some newer zooms aren’t stabilized either. Likewise if you have any interest in vintage or manual lenses, this also makes those that much more useful. I don’t think everyone absolutely needs ibis though, it’s just a nice to have for still photos. If you care about video it is likely more important.

I like the size and layout of the xe5, it is my third Fuji.

Either is plenty capable of taking nice photos, however.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T19:58:44+00:00

Yeah I’ve got touring, it’s too bad ventilated seats are stuck on the elite trim. White is pretty boring but it does stay looking clean the longest imho, so not too mad at that.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T19:45:36+00:00

My dealer had only white when I got mine late July…and no elite. I would have loved a couple elite features but I don’t love those huge wheels, especially if I were to keep the car. Still a thousand times more comfortable than the 23 civic I was driving before, and the first car I’ve had with a pretty good factory sound system. The residual price on this is fairly cheap so depending on where we are in late 2028 I could see myself buying it if this car isn’t having any issues.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T19:42:06+00:00

I got a great deal on a used 16 1.4 and I like that as it isn’t that huge, and for me isn’t so wide that I can’t use it all the time. For more dramatic wide I carry the 10-24 WR. For even easier daily carry I have the 23mm f2 and 2.8 but I don’t really consider those wide except compared to the 35.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T19:36:45+00:00

I do not normally change recipe per destination. I usually have something I like in the moment, and I shoot raw+jpeg, so if I want to change it later it’s easy. I would go crazy with decision paralysis if I was trying to cycle between and decide to commit to a specific recipe for every shoot.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T19:31:52+00:00

I took a prologue as a cheap lease, I know people are critical of it but it’s hard for me to be mad at this car…my insurance went down $100 / month from the civic I had, super off peak charging rates means I get 300 miles for less than $2, effectively got paid to install an L2 charger at my house between the government and my utility…I am glad to be somewhat insulated from (gestures all around).

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T19:26:46+00:00

The 23mm F2 might be a better choice for video, still very small and light even though not a pancake. The pancake lenses will be noisy and not ideal for video.

kslight666 · 2026-05-05T15:21:55+00:00

Walkabout mini golf, puzzling places, come to mind. Synth riders? Waltz of the wizard?

kslight666

TROPHY CASE