i just purchased this lens (prices have slid up, I was happy to find one on ebay for a little over $200) and I am happy with the cost and the image quality so far. I took some indoor shots at my youngest's 8th grade graduation and it had some trouble focusing (as expected), but the results were generally very nice.
I am headed to The Netherlands and Germany at the end of the month, and while a pricier prime lens would have been great, it's a family vacation and I will do just fine with the kit 16-50 and the 50-230 on my XM-1. I got all of it used, and have less than $500 invested so far, as my entry into the Fujifilm family. The light weight, the cost, and the type of shooting I'll be doing (family, sights and scenery) all make sense! I spent a lot of time here researching, so thanks to everyone for your insights. If the 27 or 35 had been in my budget, I'm sure one of those would spend plenty of time on the camera, but it is what it is!
The only remaining decision is whether or not I bring the old Canon AE-1 as well....