25/03/2026 3:02 am
Topic starter
Notifications
Clear all
Fujifilm Forum
4
Posts
5
Users
0
Reactions
34
Views
0
so i just got an x-t30 ii because everyone says fuji colors are amazing but im totally lost on the lens part. im going to new york city in three weeks for a vacation and i really want to try street photography like you see on instagram where things look sharp but the background is kinda blurry? i only have the lens that came in the box but i keep reading that i need a prime lens for this. i dont really even know what that means honestly... i think it means it doesnt zoom? which sounds scary if i want to take a picture of something far away but people say it makes you a better photographer. i was looking at the 23mm f2 one because people say its classic but then i saw a 35mm one and they look almost the same to me online? my budget is like 400 or 500 dollars max but im so nervous about buying the wrong thing and being stuck with it in nyc. is the 35mm too zoomed in for a crowded street? or is the 23mm too wide and i'll have to get too close to people? i really dont want to annoy people by standing too close with my camera. sorry if this is a really basic thing to ask i just dont want to mess up my trip photos...
4 Answers
12
25/03/2026 4:05 am
Building on the earlier suggestion, the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary for Fujifilm X is awesome.
- huge aperture
- very sharp
- great price Im satisfied with it, works well for that blurry look tbh.
11
25/03/2026 3:35 am
> i dont really even know what that means honestly... i think it means it doesnt zoom? which sounds scary if i want to take a picture of something far away Honestly, I felt the same way when I started. I tried some of those wider lenses and unfortunately, I had issues with getting weird distortions on peoples faces if I got too close in the city. It wasnt as good as expected for candid shots because you have to be right in their personal space to fill the frame. Since youre nervous about being too close, you should check out the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. Its basically the middle ground between the 23 and 35, so its not too zoomed in but you dont have to be on top of people either. Plus its a pancake lens, so it makes your camera look like a tiny toy which is way less intimidating for street stuff. Quick tip for NYC... just keep the camera around your neck and stay moving, you’ll blend right in.
5
25/03/2026 3:02 am
> is the 35mm too zoomed in for a crowded street? or is the 23mm too wide I would be careful with the 35mm in NYC. Those sidewalks get packed and youll constantly be backing into traffic just to fit a building in. I suggest the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f2 R WR for a first prime. Its small, fast, and wide enough for the city. Just make sure to actually walk up to your subjects... prime lenses mean you use your feet.
2
25/03/2026 3:25 am
Like someone mentioned, the 23mm is definitely the classic choice, but in my experience over the years, if you really want that blurry background look you see on Insta, you should actually go with the 35mm. The 23mm is great for storytelling where you see the whole scene, but it doesn't separate the subject from the background nearly as well as a longer lens does. Technically, the 35mm gives you a narrower field of view which naturally creates more compression. I've tried many setups in NYC and honestly, the 35mm isnt too tight at all if you just take one step back. Plus, it gives you a bit of distance so you dont feel like youre invading peoples personal space.
- Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f/2 R WR - super fast autofocus and tiny.
- Viltrox 33mm f/1.4 AF for Fujifilm X - since you want blur, the f/1.4 aperture on this is incredible for the price. Dont overthink the zoom thing. Primes make you move your feet, which is basically how you learn to see the shot before you even lift the camera.
