What's the difference between the Viltrox Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II and the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR?

The Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II leads on quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus. The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR leads on a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, a lighter 445g body, a more compact 76 mm barrel.

Which is smaller, the Viltrox Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II or the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR?

The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR is the smaller, lighter lens at 445g and 76 mm long, versus 484g for the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II.

Which is faster, the Viltrox Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II or the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR?

The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR is the faster lens at f/1.2, against f/1.8 for the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II — brighter in low light and able to throw the background further out of focus.

Viltrox Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II vs Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR: full comparison

The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR leads on more of the measurable specs, but the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II counters on quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus.

Read the full Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II review →Read the full XF 56mm F1.2 R WR review →

The short version

The Viltrox Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II and Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR are two X-mount primes at different focal lengths — the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II (127.5mm equivalent) and the XF 56mm F1.2 R WR (85mm equivalent). The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR is the newer design, from 2022.

On the spec sheet the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II pulls ahead with quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus.

The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR answers with a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, a lighter 445g body, and a more compact 76 mm barrel, and a few more besides.

So which one? Start with the focal length you actually want to shoot: the 127.5mm-equivalent Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II or the 85mm-equivalent XF 56mm F1.2 R WR. Once that's settled, XF 56mm F1.2 R WR has the edge on the specs above.

Where the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II wins

+quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus

Where the XF 56mm F1.2 R WR wins

+a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture
+a lighter 445g body
+a more compact 76 mm barrel
+closer 0.50 m focusing
+higher 0.14× magnification
+an 11-blade diaphragm
+weather sealing

Who should buy the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II or XF 56mm F1.2 R WR?

Buy the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II if…

Pick the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II if quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus matters to you. Photographers who need reach and separation cheaply — candid portraits at a distance, stage work, and details across a street — on a body with a grip and ideally IBIS. Read the full Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II review for the details.

Buy the XF 56mm F1.2 R WR if…

Pick the XF 56mm F1.2 R WR if a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture and a lighter 445g body matter to you. Portrait photographers who want the shallowest depth of field the mount can autofocus, shooting on a larger body like the X-T5 or X-H2. Read the full XF 56mm F1.2 R WR review for the details.

Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II vs XF 56mm F1.2 R WR: pros and cons

Viltrox Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II	Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR
Separation at 127.5 mm-equivalent and f/1.8 that a 56mm at f/1.4 cannot match. The strongest optics of the Viltrox X-mount primes — ED plus aspherical control fringing well. Nine rounded blades keep compressed backgrounds smooth rather than busy. Better-damped barrel and metal mount, with the same USB firmware port.	f/1.2 at 85 mm-equivalent — no other autofocus X-mount lens offers it. 0.5 m minimum focus, down from 0.7 m, so tight head-and-shoulders portraits work. Eleven rounded blades keep out-of-focus highlights round when stopped down. Weather sealed and rated to -10 °C, which the 2014 version was not.
484g and 92 mm long — front-heavy on an X-E or X-M body. 0.80 m minimum focus at this reach means it rarely fits indoors. No stabilization, which matters most at exactly this focal length. No weather sealing, 72 mm filters shared with nothing else in a typical kit.	DC-motor autofocus is slower and louder than the linear-motor primes. 445g and a 67 mm filter thread make it a poor match for the small bodies. The Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 XF is close in framing for a small fraction of the price. No optical image stabilization.

Pros and cons mirror the in-house Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II review and XF 56mm F1.2 R WR review.

Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II vs XF 56mm F1.2 R WR: full specs

Spec	Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II 85 mm · f/1.8 · 484g	XF 56mm F1.2 R WR 56 mm · f/1.2 · 445g
Optical
Focal length	85 mm	56 mm
35mm equivalent	127.5 mm	85 mm
Maximum aperture	f/1.8	f/1.2
Minimum aperture	f/16	f/16
Optical construction	10 elements in 7 groups	13 elements in 8 groups
Special elements	1 ED element, 1 aspherical element, 4 high-transparency elements, HD Nano coating	2 aspherical elements and 1 extra-low-dispersion element
Aperture blades	9	11
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.80 m	0.50 m
Max. magnification	0.13×	0.14×
Autofocus motor	Stepping motor	DC motor
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	72 mm	67 mm
Diameter × length	80 × 92 mm	79.4 × 76 mm
Weight	484g	445g
Weather sealing	No	Yes
Min. operating temp	—	-10 °C
General
Announced	2020-07-01	2022-09-08

Highlighted cells are best in class between these two. Specs sourced from the manufacturers' public product pages.

In-depth reviews

For the full long-form review of each lens, see the Viltrox Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II review and the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR review. Each carries the full spec breakdown, pros and cons, and where the lens sits in the X-mount lineup.