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Need help choosing third prime lens


mvlow

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I am hoping to get some advice from the experienced Fuji shooters in this forum.

 

I have been a Nikon shooter for several years and recently decided to sell off my Nikon gear and get the X-T2.  I have pre-ordered the X-T2 and after researching the Fuji lens choices I ordered the 56mm f/1.2, and the 23mm f/1.4.  I want to get a third prime to round out my primes, but am having a difficult time choosing which one to get.  The 23mm I ordered will cover any street, and environmental portraiture, and will probably be the lens I keep on the X-T2 most of the time as an everyday lens.  The 56mm will cover me for portraiture and and animal action shots.  I like to take images of dogs in action, catching frisbee's etc. 

 

I do not see anything on the telephoto end of the Fuji line up that I feel I need to get right away, so I am looking in the standard to wide prime range.  I am torn between the 35mm f/2, or the 35mm f/1.4 so I have a "normal" 50mm lens equivalent, and the 16mm f/1.4.  If I decide on a 50mm equivalent lens, I am torn between the faster but older f/1.4, and the newer f/2.  Normally I would automatically lean towards the faster aperture, but the weather resistance appeals to me on the F/2, as it would be the only weather resistant lens I would have and could come in handy for daily use in drizzle and snow.  As far as the 16mm lens, I have seen some great reviews on it, and from what I have seen it is a simply stellar lens.  The benefit to the 16mm is I can be more creative with the wide focal length and wide aperture which would be fun to experiment with.  I also hear the close focusing is pretty amazing as well.

 

So, with the 56mm f/1.2 and 23mm f/1.4 on their way to me, what do you recommend as a third lens to round out my primes, the 16mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, or 35mm f/2?  Or is there another lens that you think would be better.  Once I have purchased the third lens I will have used up all my Nikon money so I won't be buying any more lenses for a while, so I want to make the best choice I can.

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From what I know, most people who have the 23 usually don't use the 35 much after that. It also signify which photography they shoot more. You'll be able to tell yourself. More environmental portrait / streetscape or 50mm portrait.

 

Depending on whether you shoot interiors or landscape, I'd recommend the 14 F2.8 or the Samyang 12mm.

 

The 16, while it's a beautiful lens, isn't quite wide enough for landscape, too wide to portrait unless you really want to go for the unique look.

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For close-up action shots of dogs etc, I find the Samyang 8mm fisheye surprisingly small, light, useful and cheap. Just avoid using it in places with too many straight lines around, or your pictures look weird

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

Good job getting the dogs in focus while running around with only manual focus.  I find it difficult enough using AF :)

Edited by mvlow
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It might be worth giving some thought to the XF-90 MM lens, it's great for compressing landscape shots and is an amazing portrait lens as well.  Obviously you wouldn't have a wide angle for landscape work so it would really be dependent on what you like to shoot best.  I own the 16-55 and the 10-24 both of which are really wonderful lenses as well, I know you are interested in primes but the 10-24 is worth considering for your side angle needs as well.

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Personally I'd stick with the pair you've already got for now. Have you assessed your preferred focal lengths from your Nikon library?

 

Frod, after more research and checking to see what focal lengths I tend to lean towards I ordered the 16mm f/1.4 for my third prime lens.

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I was going to suggest either the 16 or the 90, depending on which way you lean.

 

The 16, 23 and 56 is going to be an excellent kit for you and cover anything you'll likely want to shoot.  Enjoy...

 

 

That's my go-to kit and it covers everything I realistically need. 23mm is my favourite all-purpose focal length, 56mm is great for portraits but wide enough to be versatile, and 16mm is wide enough for landscapes and adds drama while not looking too unnatural for people photos. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have the 23 1.4 as well. It is a great lens. It doesn't go quite as wide as I often want, and took the leap and added the 16mm. As much as I really like the 23, the 16 is even more impressive to me. It just looks sharper and more contrasty and, of  course, can do wider where wider is important. One of the best surprises with the 16 is the remarkable close focus ability it brings to the table. You can really manage the depth of field options with the great close focus it offers. And the close up shots with the 16 are tack sharp. I reach for my 16 more than my 23, even though I really like the 23 very much, too. 

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  • 10 months later...

I'd choose the 16mm to round out the 23 and 56. Personally I never missed the 35mm with the 23 and 56 already in my bag. What i did miss was the option to go wide, because 23 sometimes just isn't wide enough. I've tried both the 14 and the 16 and they are both great. In the end I chose the 16mm because it was wide enough for me. Also because it is f1.4 and because of it's close focus distance. That it has WR also helped.

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Almost 1 year old thread. I'm sure the threadstarter has chosen a third lens by now.

But ontopic. The 90 makes more sense than the 56 for "animal action shots. dogs in action, catching frisbee's etc." because of the much faster AF and more reach.

Edited by Hermelin
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