For some time I have been considering my own way forward with the X-system, and this thinking is becoming more focused with the recent updates of the lens roadmap. I am coming to believe I can eventually work with this system only, and finance some additional lenses by selling off some of my other gear.
I am mainly an amateur photog (family snaps, rural and urban landscapes, occasional portraits, some street, also wildlife and birds) but have done occasional architectural stuff and interiors for pay, also some sports a long while back. For all this, I need quite a range of lenses, from extreme wide-angle (for interiors) to fairly long tele (for birds). Right now the only X-system gear I have is an XP1 with the 18-55 which covers most of my walking-around needs very well. I also have an EF42 flash unit which I use often – bounced indoors or direct in sunlight – and an M-adapter, so I can use a fast 50 (CV or Canon) for portraits, which I have had since the film days.
In the interests of portability, I normally carry just one or two bodies with a lens on each (and the flash in the bag) – I really don’t care much for changing lenses in the field, so at some point I would likely get a second X-system body (not sure which at this time). Obviously I load my bag according to what I expect to be shooting – I don’t even try to be ready for every possible eventuality.
So I have been looking through the lenses available now and through to the end of 2015, and here are my thoughts on what I might want or not, which I offer for your comments and eventual guidance.
First of all, those lenses I think I might get (some of them anyway) …
XF 18-55 / 2.8-4 – just a reminder, this is my regular walkabout – I have it already.
Wide-angle stuff:
XF 16 / 1.4 – available 2015 q2, efl 24mm – maybe the most useful low-light lens overall.
XF 10-24 / 4 – efl 15mm – for interiors etc., and/or ….
Samyang 8 / 2.8 diagonal fisheye – can also be defished quite effectively.
Longer glass:
XF 55-200 / 3.5-4.8 – mainly for the long end (efl to 300mm) and/or …
Super-tele zoom – available 2015 q4 – expected to reach efl 400mm or more.
And now the lenses I doubt that I’ll want or need (what do you think?) …
XF 14 / 2.8 – Pretty well covered by the 10-24 or the 16 above.
XF 18 / 2 – Only one stop faster than the 18-55 (at 18mm).
XF 23 / 1.4 – I have a fast 35mm for my DSLR, but don’t really use it much.
XF 27 / 2.8 pancake – Pretty well covered by the 18-55. Could also use my CV 28/3.5.
XF 35 / 1.4 – I have a fast 50mm for my DSLR, but don’t really use it much.
XF 56 / 1.2 – portrait lens. I’d likely use a fast 50 with the M-adapter.
XF 60 / 2.4 – I do some macro with my DSLR, but not much. Have a Canon close-up lens.
XF 90 / 2 – Available 2015 q2 – Not really sure what I’d use this for. Too short for wildlife and too long for everything else – at least for me.
XF 16-55 / 2.8 – Available 2015 q1 – too big for walkabout, I expect.
XF 18-135 / 3.5-5.6 – Single lens travel kit. Doesn’t add much to the 18-55 for me.
XF 50-140 / 2.8 – Had 70-200 for DSLR but don’t use it much. Available 2014 q4.
Does this all make sense or am I missing something? I have not included any XC or Zeiss lenses as what we have above pretty well covers it all.
