What's the difference between the Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R and the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X?

The XF 23mm F1.4 R leads on closer 0.28 m focusing, autofocus at all, where the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is manual focus only. The Nokton 35mm F1.2 X leads on a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, a lighter 196g body, a more compact 39.8 mm barrel.

Which is smaller, the Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R or the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X?

The Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is the smaller, lighter lens at 196g and 39.8 mm long, versus 300g for the XF 23mm F1.4 R.

Which is faster, the Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R or the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X?

The Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is the faster lens at f/1.2, against f/1.4 for the XF 23mm F1.4 R — brighter in low light and able to throw the background further out of focus.

Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R vs Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X: full comparison

The Nokton 35mm F1.2 X leads on more of the measurable specs, but the XF 23mm F1.4 R counters on closer 0.28 m focusing and autofocus at all, where the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is manual focus only.

Read the full XF 23mm F1.4 R review →Read the full Nokton 35mm F1.2 X review →

The short version

The Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R and Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X are two X-mount primes at different focal lengths — the XF 23mm F1.4 R (35mm equivalent) and the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X (52.5mm equivalent). The Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is the newer design, from 2021.

On the spec sheet the XF 23mm F1.4 R pulls ahead with closer 0.28 m focusing and autofocus at all, where the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is manual focus only.

The Nokton 35mm F1.2 X answers with a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, a lighter 196g body, and a more compact 39.8 mm barrel, and a few more besides.

So which one? Start with the focal length you actually want to shoot: the 35mm-equivalent XF 23mm F1.4 R or the 52.5mm-equivalent Nokton 35mm F1.2 X. Once that's settled, Nokton 35mm F1.2 X has the edge on the specs above.

Where the XF 23mm F1.4 R wins

+closer 0.28 m focusing
+autofocus at all, where the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is manual focus only

Where the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X wins

+a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture
+a lighter 196g body
+a more compact 39.8 mm barrel
+a 12-blade diaphragm

Who should buy the XF 23mm F1.4 R or Nokton 35mm F1.2 X?

Buy the XF 23mm F1.4 R if…

Pick the XF 23mm F1.4 R if closer 0.28 m focusing and autofocus at all, where the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is manual focus only matter to you. Photographers who shoot 35 mm-equivalent at f/1.4 and close, and street photographers who zone focus and want a real distance scale. Read the full XF 23mm F1.4 R review for the details.

Buy the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X if…

Pick the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X if a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture and a lighter 196g body matter to you. Photographers who already enjoy manual focus and want the fastest, most tactile normal prime in the mount, particularly on an X-Pro body. Read the full Nokton 35mm F1.2 X review for the details.

XF 23mm F1.4 R vs Nokton 35mm F1.2 X: pros and cons

Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R	Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X
Sharp wide open at close range, where the XF 23mm F2 R WR is not. Clutch focus ring with engraved distance and depth-of-field scales, hard infinity stop. Eleven-element formula keeps colour fringing lower than the XF 35mm F1.4 R. 0.28 m macro mode on a 35 mm-equivalent prime.	f/1.2 at a 52.5 mm-equivalent view — no native X-mount prime is this fast here. Twelve rounded blades keep specular highlights circular through the middle apertures. Machined metal, third-stop aperture clicks, mechanically coupled focus with a hard infinity stop. Electronic contacts: real EXIF, focus peaking, IBIS, X-Pro3 parallax correction. 196g and 39.8 mm long, so the speed does not cost you a large barrel.
300g and 63 mm long — it dominates a small body. DC-motor autofocus is slow and audible, driving a lot of glass. No weather sealing. Discontinued, so it is a used-only purchase and prices have stayed high.	Manual focus only, at f/1.2 and 0.30 m, where depth of field is millimetres. Low contrast and spherical-aberration glow wide open; sharp from about f/2. Voigtländer's body compatibility list stops around the X-E4 and X-T30 II generation. No weather sealing, and around 649 EUR — more than a used XF 35mm F1.4 R.

Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R

Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X

Sharp wide open at close range, where the XF 23mm F2 R WR is not.
Clutch focus ring with engraved distance and depth-of-field scales, hard infinity stop.
Eleven-element formula keeps colour fringing lower than the XF 35mm F1.4 R.
0.28 m macro mode on a 35 mm-equivalent prime.

f/1.2 at a 52.5 mm-equivalent view — no native X-mount prime is this fast here.
Twelve rounded blades keep specular highlights circular through the middle apertures.
Machined metal, third-stop aperture clicks, mechanically coupled focus with a hard infinity stop.
Electronic contacts: real EXIF, focus peaking, IBIS, X-Pro3 parallax correction.
196g and 39.8 mm long, so the speed does not cost you a large barrel.

300g and 63 mm long — it dominates a small body.
DC-motor autofocus is slow and audible, driving a lot of glass.
No weather sealing.
Discontinued, so it is a used-only purchase and prices have stayed high.

Manual focus only, at f/1.2 and 0.30 m, where depth of field is millimetres.
Low contrast and spherical-aberration glow wide open; sharp from about f/2.
Voigtländer's body compatibility list stops around the X-E4 and X-T30 II generation.
No weather sealing, and around 649 EUR — more than a used XF 35mm F1.4 R.

Pros and cons mirror the in-house XF 23mm F1.4 R review and Nokton 35mm F1.2 X review.

XF 23mm F1.4 R vs Nokton 35mm F1.2 X: full specs

Spec	XF 23mm F1.4 R 23 mm · f/1.4 · 300g	Nokton 35mm F1.2 X 35 mm · f/1.2 · 196g
Optical
Focal length	23 mm	35 mm
35mm equivalent	35 mm	52.5 mm
Maximum aperture	f/1.4	f/1.2
Minimum aperture	f/16	f/16
Optical construction	11 elements in 8 groups	8 elements in 6 groups
Special elements	1 aspherical element	1 abnormal partial dispersion element
Aperture blades	7	12
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.28 m	0.30 m
Max. magnification	0.1×	—
Autofocus motor	DC motor	Manual focus only
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	62 mm	46 mm
Diameter × length	72 × 63 mm	59.6 × 39.8 mm
Weight	300g	196g
Weather sealing	No	No
Min. operating temp	—	—
General
Announced	2013-09-04	2021-07-15

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 Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R review and the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X review. Each carries the full spec breakdown, pros and cons, and where the lens sits in the X-mount lineup.