In my experience, i've tried many over the years and for street, i'd say: - Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR: best for weight and speed.
- Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 R: maybe better for that 'magic' look. honestly the f/1.4 weight is a total dealbreaker after walking all day lol. i think the 23mm f/2 is basically the best daily carry, right? gl!

Like the others mentioned, those compact primes are great. Curious about one thing: what body are you rocking? It realy affects the balance. For the best bang for buck, the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f/2 R WR is a decent option. Quick tip: dont stress the low light gap... Fuji's ISO is decent enough that the weight savings are highkey worth it. Are you shooting mostly wide scenes or tighter portraits??

Yo! Welcome to the Fuji fam. Honestly, I went through this exact same internal debate last year. Basically, I started out obsessed with getting that 'bokeh' from the heavier f/1.4 glass—I'm a total nerd for technical specs and wide apertures. But after a few 10-mile days in the city, my wrist was lowkey dying. I tried the smaller f/2 lineup (the ones mentioned earlier are gems) and the AF speed was insane. Those internal motors are SILENT and snappy; it works well for street. Honestly, missing a shot cuz of AF hunting is way worse than having a bit more grain at high ISO, right? To help narrow it down tho... are you shooting mostly during the day, or doing night-time street stuff? Also, do you prefer capturing the whole environment or tight portraits (basically looking for a 28mm or 50mm full-frame equivalent)? Cheers!

Watch out for the 'bigger is better' trap when it comes to fast glass. I remember lugging a massive f/1.4 setup through London a few years back... honestly, it was a disaster. My neck was sore and I felt like a total target for thieves because the gear was so huge and obvious. Basically, I spent more time worrying about my kit getting bumped than actually shooting. In my experience, you really gotta prioritize safety and reliability for street photography: 1. Heavy glass causes fatigue. This makes you clumsy over time. I've almost dropped my setup twice just because my hand was tired, ngl.
2. Non-weather-sealed lenses are a liability. If you're out in unpredictable rain, it's just not worth the potential repair bill...
3. Big lenses draw attention. If you wanna be discreet and keep ur gear safe, go small. Lesson learned: go with the smaller, weather-sealed primes. The low light gap is tiny compared to the peace of mind you get from a light, tough setup that doesnt scream 'pro camera' to everyone. safe shooting!

Huh interesting. I had no idea. The more you know I guess 🤷

To add to the point above: I've had similar issues with the bigger glass. I was really hyped for the Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR but unfortunately it is just too heavy for a daily carry. It is not as good as expected for street because it draws way too much attention. I felt like I was carrying a spotlight. I ended up trying some alternatives and honestly, the Voigtlander 23mm f/1.2 Nokton X-mount is where it is at if you want character without the bulk. It is manual focus, which is a learning curve, but the build quality makes the Fuji lenses feel like plastic toys by comparison. If you absolutely need AF, the Sigma 23mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary is a solid middle ground, though still a bit chunky. Basically, dont get sucked into the Fuji-only bubble if you want better value. I regret spending so much on the heavy Fuji primes when the smaller third-party stuff gets the job done better for half the price. That extra weight really does ruin a long day of shooting.