X-E2 + 23mm f2

Jeff Biscuits wrote:

larsbc wrote:

misterodd wrote:

For those of you who have some experience with this combo, is this pair fast enough for street action? Thanks in advance!

I've been shooting with an X100V for over a year now, going out almost every weekend. Generally speaking, when I've used AF to try to focus on someone while I am walking and that person is walking towards me, the focus can be quite hit or miss.

I’ve found the X100V is pretty usable for rapid AF but it depends how the AF is set up. On most models I’ve found that using the smallest 9-area “zone” (Fuji unhelpfully calls it “zone AF” which is a pain in the rear when you’re in the midst of a conversation involving zone focusing…) seems to give the fastest lock.

Obviously, compared to single point focus it doesn’t give the same ability to target something accurately, and compared to a wider AF zone it doesn’t give the same confidence to shoot from the hip, but I find it the best compromise a lot of the time on the street. (I use single point a lot too, and I’m most familiar with that.)

I find 9-area to still be a bit small for me when dealing with a very dynamic situation (ie: it will still require focus placement then compose) but I'll keep your suggestion in mind.  It might be a good choice for when I'm shooting in lower light. Thanks for that.

I’m personally not fond of (manual) zone focusing with focus-by-wire lenses because it’s too easy to knock them out of place—the X100 series being the worst offender because it’s so hard to adjust aperture without nudging the focus/function ring. But there are plenty of cheap 25mm native-mount manual lenses which have good optical performance when stopped down (as you’d generally want to do for depth of field when zone focusing) but have more character when opened up. I quite like having the option of an AF lens and a MF lens in the same focal length: the AF lenses just don’t cut it in manual focus for me.

I totally agree.  With my micro four thirds GX9, I ended up using a Laowa 17mm MF lens whenever I went on street shooting.  It's distance scale was very inaccurate but I did put my own 3 distance markers on the lens barrel.  Only downside is that the focus throw is short so the markers are crowded together which is hard for me to see w/o my reading glasses.  My dream X100 would be one with more MP and an option to put the lens into mechanical MF mode.   Essentially a Leica Q2 but with a Fuji price.

With my X100V, I've tried using it in MF mode to establish the focus distance vs. using it in AF mode but setting the AF Limiter's near and far limits to be the same: 3.4m.  Not sure if one is more reliable than the other...I *think* using the AF limiter might be.