XC 15-45mm or XF 27mm or XF 18mm... I shoot mostly landscapes / travel

EJM_photo wrote:

Hey there,
I'm likely to purchase either the X-E3 or X-T20 in the next week or so, and I really want to pair that with an effective but lightweight and 'jacket pocketable' lens.

Hi, here is my take based on owning the XE3 and the three lens below. If light weight is a prime requirement then all three on the XE3 are, in my opinion, light weight in the sense that I hardly notice the camera/lens on a strap over my shoulder.  Of course, this is a somewhat subjective opinion as I am about the size of a scrum-half whereas a second row forward could carry a heavier combination and notice it less.

With that said, I'm landing mostly on the three aforementioned lenses:

• XC 15-45mm. Love the versatility in the lens, as typically I have almost never been a cropper in post processing... but I'm wondering how it holds up at the 15mm side against the others?

I bought the XC15-45PZ lens mint for a trip to Paris in September as well as a mint 27/f2 as I wanted the smallest, most versatile combination with the XE3. Its image quality is excellent, especially considering its price. In an urban setting the wide 15mm equiv is really useful. I was very pleased with the images I got, including from a boat trip down the Seine.  However, I found it a frustrating lens to use; the zoom-by-wire was imprecise, slow (even when set to the faster of the two speed settings), and often it took two or three twists of the zoom ring to activate it. As a result, I bought a mint XC16-50 with a manual zoom and far prefer it. I don't see any difference in IQ. In my opinion this combo (with either of the two zooms) does not really fit into most jacket pockets (unless they are huge).

• XF 27mm. Obviously takes the cake with terms of size and portability. I've also read it's extremely sharp. However, on the down side, it's a 41mm converted, and I'm thinking that is not so ideal for landscape, but perhaps for travel it is.

Great little lens. On the XE3 it works for me as an alternative to the fabled X100/series. Great IQ, small, light. I shoot aperture priority most of the time and setting the rear command dial to change aperture and the front dial to change exposure compensation works well. This combo fits into a jacket pocket, well a medium sized one.

• XF 18mm. Maybe a good lens as well. I've read mixed things about it.

This is a great little performer. To all intents and purposes, similar size and weight as the 27, just a little longer (depending on whether you use hoods).  Again, I bought mine second hand and its IQ is excellent. Yes, AF is slow-ish, but not noticeably so, and a tad noisy, but it is precise and its IQ is great.

Thoughts? Things I'm not considering? I am also open to other X-mount lenses, like 7artisans. I'm OK if the lens is only manual focusing.

I could also imagine a situation where I use the 15-45 for almost everything, and have a specialized 'super landscape' lens as well.

Difficult to advise here, somewhat personal taste, but on a XE3, if I were allowed two of the three, I would opt for the 15-45 (or preferably the 16-50) and the 27.

Lastly, anyone want to sell their X-E3 with these lenses?

Nope - they're just too good! Good luck with your choices.

All the best,
Eric
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