What's the difference between the Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR and the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X?

The XF 23mm F2 R WR leads on a lighter 180g body, closer 0.22 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 more compact 39.8 mm barrel, a 12-blade diaphragm.

Which is smaller, the Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR or the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X?

The XF 23mm F2 R WR is the smaller, lighter lens at 180g and 51.9 mm long, versus 196g for the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X.

Which is faster, the Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR or the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X?

The Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is the faster lens at f/1.2, against f/2 for the XF 23mm F2 R WR — brighter in low light and able to throw the background further out of focus.

Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR vs Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X: full comparison

The XF 23mm F2 R WR leads on more of the measurable specs, but the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X counters on a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture and a more compact 39.8 mm barrel.

Read the full XF 23mm F2 R WR review →Read the full Nokton 35mm F1.2 X review →

The short version

The Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR and Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X are two X-mount primes at different focal lengths — the XF 23mm F2 R WR (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 F2 R WR pulls ahead with a lighter 180g body, closer 0.22 m focusing, and autofocus at all, where the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is manual focus only, plus a couple of smaller edges.

The Nokton 35mm F1.2 X answers with a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, a more compact 39.8 mm barrel, and a 12-blade diaphragm.

So which one? Start with the focal length you actually want to shoot: the 35mm-equivalent XF 23mm F2 R WR or the 52.5mm-equivalent Nokton 35mm F1.2 X. Once that's settled, XF 23mm F2 R WR has the edge on the specs above.

Where the XF 23mm F2 R WR wins

+a lighter 180g body
+closer 0.22 m focusing
+autofocus at all, where the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X is manual focus only
+weather sealing

Where the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X wins

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

Who should buy the XF 23mm F2 R WR or Nokton 35mm F1.2 X?

Buy the XF 23mm F2 R WR if…

Pick the XF 23mm F2 R WR if a lighter 180g body and closer 0.22 m focusing matter to you. Anyone who wants one dependable, fast-focusing 35 mm-equivalent prime for daylight and general-purpose work, and does not need f/1.4 for close portraits. Read the full XF 23mm F2 R WR 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 more compact 39.8 mm barrel 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 F2 R WR vs Nokton 35mm F1.2 X: pros and cons

Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR	Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X
One of the best-value primes Fujifilm sells — Fujicron pricing, metal build. Fast, quiet, confident AF — the quickest-focusing of the small 23 mm options. Colour rendering owners rate the nicest of the f/2 trio. Weather sealed with an aperture ring; 43 mm filters shared with the 35/50 F2. Crisp across the frame once stopped down to f/2.8.	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.
Soft wide open within ~1 m — the close-portrait weakness that sends owners to the F1.4. One stop slower than the XF 23mm F1.4 R LM WR, with older-generation AF. No optical image stabilization. A full barrel, not a pancake — the 27mm F2.8 is far smaller.	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 F2 R WR

Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X

One of the best-value primes Fujifilm sells — Fujicron pricing, metal build.
Fast, quiet, confident AF — the quickest-focusing of the small 23 mm options.
Colour rendering owners rate the nicest of the f/2 trio.
Weather sealed with an aperture ring; 43 mm filters shared with the 35/50 F2.
Crisp across the frame once stopped down to f/2.8.

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.

Soft wide open within ~1 m — the close-portrait weakness that sends owners to the F1.4.
One stop slower than the XF 23mm F1.4 R LM WR, with older-generation AF.
No optical image stabilization.
A full barrel, not a pancake — the 27mm F2.8 is far smaller.

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 F2 R WR review and Nokton 35mm F1.2 X review.

XF 23mm F2 R WR vs Nokton 35mm F1.2 X: full specs

Spec	XF 23mm F2 R WR 23 mm · f/2 · 180g	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/2	f/1.2
Minimum aperture	f/16	f/16
Optical construction	10 elements in 6 groups	8 elements in 6 groups
Special elements	2 aspherical elements	1 abnormal partial dispersion element
Aperture blades	9	12
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.22 m	0.30 m
Max. magnification	0.13×	—
Autofocus motor	Stepping motor	Manual focus only
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	43 mm	46 mm
Diameter × length	60 × 51.9 mm	59.6 × 39.8 mm
Weight	180g	196g
Weather sealing	Yes	No
Min. operating temp	-10 °C	—
General
Announced	2016-08-25	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 F2 R WR 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.