Been thinking about your budget and that Chicago trip. Honestly, 450 bucks is a bit tight for brand new glass if you want the high-end fast aperture primes, but you can definitely make it work if you're smart about it. Im very satisfied with my current Sigma setup and it hasnt let me down yet. Before I suggest you pull the trigger on the Sigma 30mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary, I gotta ask: how close do you actually want to get to people on the sidewalk? If youre the type to stand back, the Sigma 56mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary is incredible for portraits but it might feel too zoomed in for tight city streets. The Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Contemporary is the most flexible choice for a first trip, tho you lose some of that blurry background. If you check used gear sites, you might snag one for under 400 and have cash left for extra batteries. Are you comfortable buying used or does it have to be brand new?

In my experience, the Sigma 23mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary is the absolute winner for street stuff. Ive tried many setups over the years and this focal length is basically perfect.

• Sigma 23mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary: f1.4 aperture gives you that blurry background and handles low light easily.
• Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Contemporary: Super tiny zoom, great if you need variety but less bokeh. Go with the 23mm for those sidewalk shots.

@Reply #2 - good point! honestly if you want that amazing blurry background look more than anything, you gotta look at the Sigma 56mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary. it fits your 450 dollar budget perfectly and the bokeh is just insane! its basically a cheat code for making street photos look professional. so to recap what everyone said: the 23mm is the classic choice and the 30mm is the budget hero. if you wanted to go super wide for the big buildings in chicago, the Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary is also a beast, but the 56mm gives you the most blur. since you are going soon, my quick tip is dont worry about missing shots because you cant zoom... just move your feet! you are gonna love how light these primes feel compared to that kit lens. have an amazing trip!

I was just looking at the specs for that Chicago trip, and unfortunately, the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Contemporary is probably gonna disappoint you if you want that heavy bokeh look. On an APS-C sensor like yours, f2.8 just doesnt isolate people from the background as well as you might hope. Its technically a bit underwhelming compared to the faster primes. If you want the best technical performance for your 450 bucks, look at these details:

• The Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary is often overlooked for street but its vital for Chicago because of the narrow sidewalks and towering architecture.
• Moving from f2.8 to f1.4 gives you four times as much light. This is massive for night shots under the 'L' tracks where it gets really dark.
• While the Fujifilm XF 16mm f1.4 R WR is great, the Sigma version is technically sharper in the corners for half the price. Its a much better value for a new hobbyist. Seriously, stay away from the f2.8 zoom for this trip... it wont give you that pro separation youre looking for. Let me know if you need help finding where the 16mm is in stock before Thursday!

Oh man, reading your post just gave me total flashbacks to my own pre-trip meltdowns! I totally feel your pain because the stress of trying to pick the perfect setup right before a big flight is literally the worst. I get so worked up about it every single time... it's like my brain just stops working once the countdown starts and I start second-guessing every single thing I own. Honestly, it is just so exhausting trying to balance the budget and the weight and the look you want all at once! Actually reminds me of this one time I was heading to a wedding with my Fujifilm X-T30 II and decided I was gonna be a DIY genius:

• I tried to slim down an old manual lens by removing the outer casing myself to make it fit in a jacket pocket.
• Managed to lose three tiny screws in my shag carpet immediately.
• Ended up having to tape the whole thing together with black electrical tape because I couldnt get it back together. It looked like a total bomb and I was so frustrated that I almost left the camera at home! Just a complete disaster from start to finish lol. Honestly, the gear struggle is real and it can totally ruin the excitement of the trip if you let it get to you. Anyway, Chicago is amazing and I am sure you will get some cool shots no matter what happens!

Just saw this and wanted to chime in since I've spent a ton of time shooting in Chicago. Sunburstafw is totally right about those primes being the way to go for that look. In my experience over the years, reliability is the biggest thing when youre traveling and you really dont want a lens thats gonna struggle or feel flimsy when youre out on the street.

• Build quality is super solid for a trip
• Autofocus is snappy and safe
• Way easier on your neck than a heavy zoom Honestly, just go with the Sigma prime lineup. You cant go wrong with their glass. Ive tried many brands and their stuff is just consistently dependable for the price. Just grab one of those fast primes and youll be golden. They are way more reliable than some of the other third-party stuff Ive seen people struggle with. Dont sweat it too much, your Fuji is a great little camera and itll work perfectly with any of those. Have a blast!