What's the difference between the Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR and the Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4?

The XF 27mm F2.8 R WR leads on a lighter 84g body, a more compact 23 mm barrel, closer 0.34 m focusing. The Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 leads on a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture, a 9-blade diaphragm, quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus.

Which is smaller, the Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or the Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4?

The XF 27mm F2.8 R WR is the smaller, lighter lens at 84g and 23 mm long, versus 270g for the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4.

Which is faster, the Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or the Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4?

The Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 is the faster lens at f/1.4, against f/2.8 for the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR — brighter in low light and able to throw the background further out of focus.

Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR vs Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4: full comparison

The XF 27mm F2.8 R WR leads on more of the measurable specs, but the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 counters on a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture and a 9-blade diaphragm.

Read the full XF 27mm F2.8 R WR review →Read the full Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 review →

The short version

The Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR and Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 are two X-mount primes at different focal lengths — the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR (41mm equivalent) and the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 (50mm equivalent). The XF 27mm F2.8 R WR is the newer design, from 2021.

On the spec sheet the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR pulls ahead with a lighter 84g body, a more compact 23 mm barrel, and closer 0.34 m focusing, plus a couple of smaller edges.

The Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 answers with a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture, a 9-blade diaphragm, and quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus.

So which one? Start with the focal length you actually want to shoot: the 41mm-equivalent XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or the 50mm-equivalent Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4. Once that's settled, XF 27mm F2.8 R WR has the edge on the specs above.

Where the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR wins

+a lighter 84g body
+a more compact 23 mm barrel
+closer 0.34 m focusing
+weather sealing

Where the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 wins

+a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture
+a 9-blade diaphragm
+quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus

Who should buy the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4?

Buy the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR if…

Pick the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR if a lighter 84g body and a more compact 23 mm barrel matter to you. Photographers for whom size is the deciding feature — the lightest Fuji kit, a jacket-pocket travel setup, or a discreet street camera that behaves like an X100. Read the full XF 27mm F2.8 R WR review for the details.

Buy the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 if…

Pick the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 if a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture and a 9-blade diaphragm matter to you. Anyone who wants a fast autofocusing normal prime without paying Fujifilm prices, and who shoots single-shot rather than tracking. Read the full Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 review for the details.

XF 27mm F2.8 R WR vs Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4: pros and cons

Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR	Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4
Smallest autofocus lens Fujifilm makes — 84g, turns a small body into an X100-sized rig. Very sharp with rich colour and strong micro-contrast; excellent SOOC JPEGs. R WR update adds weather sealing and an aperture ring over the 2013 original. Beats the cheaper TTArtisan 27mm on corners, vignetting, and build.	f/1.4 autofocus normal prime at roughly a third of the native price. Strong centre sharpness from f/1.4, even across the frame by f/2.8. Fast, effectively silent stepping-motor autofocus — quiet enough for video. User-updatable firmware over a USB port in the mount. HD Nano coating handles backlight without the milky wash cheap glass shows.
Autofocus is slow-ish and audible — the focus noise carries into in-camera video audio. f/2.8 is a stop slower than the Fujicron primes; 0.34 m minimum focus is the longest of them. 41 mm-equivalent is a divisive "no man's land" — optically fine, stylistically flat for some. Roughly 2.5× the price of the TTArtisan 27mm for a modest optical edge.	Clickless, unmarked aperture ring — smooth for video, imprecise for stills. No weather sealing and no stabilization. 270g and 72 mm long, noticeably bigger than the XF 35mm F1.4 R. Compatibility depends on firmware; the original needed a hardware revision for the X-Pro3. Viltrox's own store no longer lists the X-mount version, so future support is uncertain.

Pros and cons mirror the in-house XF 27mm F2.8 R WR review and Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 review.

XF 27mm F2.8 R WR vs Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4: full specs

Spec	XF 27mm F2.8 R WR 27 mm · f/2.8 · 84g	Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 33 mm · f/1.4 · 270g
Optical
Focal length	27 mm	33 mm
35mm equivalent	41 mm	50 mm
Maximum aperture	f/2.8	f/1.4
Minimum aperture	f/16	f/16
Optical construction	7 elements in 5 groups	10 elements in 9 groups
Special elements	1 aspherical element	1 ED element, 1 high-refractive-index element, HD Nano coating
Aperture blades	7	9
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.34 m	0.40 m
Max. magnification	0.1×	0.1×
Autofocus motor	DC coreless motor	Stepping motor
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	39 mm	52 mm
Diameter × length	61.2 × 23 mm	65 × 72 mm
Weight	84g	270g
Weather sealing	Yes	No
Min. operating temp	-10 °C	—
General
Announced	2021-01-27	2020-04-21

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 Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR review and the Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 review. Each carries the full spec breakdown, pros and cons, and where the lens sits in the X-mount lineup.