What's the difference between the Voigtländer Ultron 27mm F2 X and the Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR?

The Ultron 27mm F2 X leads on a lighter 120g body, a more compact 23.5 mm barrel, closer 0.25 m focusing. The XF 35mm F2 R WR leads on autofocus at all, where the Ultron 27mm F2 X is manual focus only, weather sealing.

Which is smaller, the Voigtländer Ultron 27mm F2 X or the Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR?

The Ultron 27mm F2 X is the smaller, lighter lens at 120g and 23.5 mm long, versus 170g for the XF 35mm F2 R WR.

Which is faster, the Voigtländer Ultron 27mm F2 X or the Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR?

Both open to f/2, so they gather the same light and give the same depth-of-field control.

Voigtländer Ultron 27mm F2 X vs Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR: full comparison

Pick the view first: 40mm for the small manual Ultron, 53mm for the sealed autofocus XF 35mm f/2.

Read the full Ultron 27mm F2 X review →Read the full XF 35mm F2 R WR review →

The short version

Pick the focal length first. On a Fujifilm X camera, the Ultron 27mm shows about what a 40mm lens shows on a 35mm film camera. The XF 35mm f/2 shows about 53mm. The 40mm view is a little wider than a classic 50mm lens. It suits street, travel and everyday photos. The 53mm view is tighter and works for portraits, street and general work.

Then pick how you want to focus. The XF 35mm f/2 has fast, almost silent autofocus on new bodies. It's weather sealed, which means it's built to resist rain. It's also a "Fujicron", the nickname for Fujifilm's small f/2 lenses. It's sharp from f/2.

The Ultron is manual focus only. It's smaller, at 120g and 23.5 mm long, against 170g and 45.9 mm. It focuses closer too, to 0.25 m. Focus falls off quickly, so your subject stands out more than with the clean Fujicron lenses.

Manual focus can be hard at middle distances. On a DPReview forum thread, one owner said precise focus between about eight feet and infinity was "extremely difficult". He sold his Ultron and went back to the XF 16mm and 35mm f/2. The XF 35mm f/2 came out in 2015. The Ultron is the newer lens, from 2023.

Where the Ultron 27mm F2 X wins

+a lighter 120g body
+a more compact 23.5 mm barrel
+closer 0.25 m focusing
+higher 0.15× magnification
+a 10-blade diaphragm

Where the XF 35mm F2 R WR wins

+autofocus at all, where the Ultron 27mm F2 X is manual focus only
+weather sealing

Who should buy the Ultron 27mm F2 X or XF 35mm F2 R WR?

Buy the Ultron 27mm F2 X if…

Pick the Ultron if you want a 40mm view in a tiny lens, and you enjoy setting focus yourself. It's about half the length of the XF 35mm f/2, and subjects stand out more.

Buy the XF 35mm F2 R WR if…

Pick the XF 35mm f/2 if you need autofocus for moving subjects and a lens that can take rain. It's sharp from f/2 and quick to focus on new bodies.

Ultron 27mm F2 X vs XF 35mm F2 R WR: pros and cons

Voigtländer Ultron 27mm F2 X	Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR
Sharp in the centre at f/2. The change from sharp to blurred is short, so subjects stand out. Blurred lights come out clean, with no rings inside them. Ten straight blades turn bright lights into ten-point stars from about f/2.8. All metal, with a focus tab and a hard stop at infinity. The camera knows the lens is on, so focus aids, stabilisation and photo data work. Focuses as close as 25 cm, close enough for small details.	One of the sharpest lenses Fujifilm makes — and sharp from wide open. Fast, near-silent autofocus on modern bodies; quick enough for moving subjects. Weather sealed and 170g — the prime owners trust in bad conditions. Fujicron value; pairs with the 23mm F2 for a cheap two-prime kit.
No autofocus. Everything past a few metres is in a tiny turn of the focus ring. At f/2 the corners are softer than the XF 23mm F2 R WR's, until about f/8. No weather sealing, on a lens people put on sealed X-Pro and X-T bodies. Since firmware updates in 2024, some Fuji bodies save f/22 as the aperture. Around $600, about 1.5 times the price of Fujifilm's 27mm with autofocus.	Rendering that a vocal group finds "clinical" — the reason some keep the F1.4. AF slows noticeably on older phase-detect bodies (X-Pro2, X-T1). Mild focus breathing and softer corners wide open. The tapered barrel shape is nobody's favourite.

Voigtländer Ultron 27mm F2 X

Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR

Sharp in the centre at f/2.
The change from sharp to blurred is short, so subjects stand out.
Blurred lights come out clean, with no rings inside them.
Ten straight blades turn bright lights into ten-point stars from about f/2.8.
All metal, with a focus tab and a hard stop at infinity.
The camera knows the lens is on, so focus aids, stabilisation and photo data work.
Focuses as close as 25 cm, close enough for small details.

One of the sharpest lenses Fujifilm makes — and sharp from wide open.
Fast, near-silent autofocus on modern bodies; quick enough for moving subjects.
Weather sealed and 170g — the prime owners trust in bad conditions.
Fujicron value; pairs with the 23mm F2 for a cheap two-prime kit.

No autofocus.
Everything past a few metres is in a tiny turn of the focus ring.
At f/2 the corners are softer than the XF 23mm F2 R WR's, until about f/8.
No weather sealing, on a lens people put on sealed X-Pro and X-T bodies.
Since firmware updates in 2024, some Fuji bodies save f/22 as the aperture.
Around $600, about 1.5 times the price of Fujifilm's 27mm with autofocus.

Rendering that a vocal group finds "clinical" — the reason some keep the F1.4.
AF slows noticeably on older phase-detect bodies (X-Pro2, X-T1).
Mild focus breathing and softer corners wide open.
The tapered barrel shape is nobody's favourite.

Pros and cons mirror the in-house Ultron 27mm F2 X review and XF 35mm F2 R WR review.

Ultron 27mm F2 X vs XF 35mm F2 R WR: full specs

Spec	Ultron 27mm F2 X 27 mm · f/2 · 120g	XF 35mm F2 R WR 35 mm · f/2 · 170g
Optical
Focal length	27 mm	35 mm
35mm equivalent	40 mm	53 mm
Maximum aperture	f/2	f/2
Minimum aperture	f/22	f/16
Optical construction	6 elements in 4 groups	9 elements in 6 groups
Special elements	1 extra-low-dispersion element, no aspherical glass	2 aspherical elements
Aperture blades	10	9
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.25 m	0.35 m
Max. magnification	0.15×	0.14×
Autofocus motor	Manual focus only	Stepping motor
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	43 mm	43 mm
Diameter × length	59.3 × 23.5 mm	60 × 45.9 mm
Weight	120g	170g
Weather sealing	No	Yes
Min. operating temp	—	-10 °C
General
Announced	2023-05-15	2015-10-21

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 Voigtländer Ultron 27mm F2 X review and the Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR review. Each carries the full spec breakdown, pros and cons, and where the lens sits in the X-mount lineup.