What's the difference between the Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR and the Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R?

The XF 27mm F2.8 R WR leads on a lighter 84g body, a more compact 23 mm barrel, weather sealing. The XF 23mm F1.4 R leads on a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture, closer 0.28 m focusing.

Which is smaller, the Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or the Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R?

The XF 27mm F2.8 R WR is the smaller, lighter lens at 84g and 23 mm long, versus 300g for the XF 23mm F1.4 R.

Which is faster, the Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or the Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R?

The XF 23mm F1.4 R 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 Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R: full comparison

The XF 27mm F2.8 R WR leads on more of the measurable specs, but the XF 23mm F1.4 R counters on a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture and closer 0.28 m focusing.

Read the full XF 27mm F2.8 R WR review →Read the full XF 23mm F1.4 R review →

The short version

The Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR and Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R are two XF primes at different focal lengths — the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR (41mm equivalent) and the XF 23mm F1.4 R (35mm 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 weather sealing.

The XF 23mm F1.4 R answers with a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture and closer 0.28 m focusing.

So which one? Start with the focal length you actually want to shoot: the 41mm-equivalent XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or the 35mm-equivalent XF 23mm F1.4 R. 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
+weather sealing

Where the XF 23mm F1.4 R wins

+a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture
+closer 0.28 m focusing

Who should buy the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or XF 23mm F1.4 R?

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 XF 23mm F1.4 R if…

Pick the XF 23mm F1.4 R if a brighter f/1.4 maximum aperture and closer 0.28 m focusing 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.

XF 27mm F2.8 R WR vs XF 23mm F1.4 R: pros and cons

Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR	Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R
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.	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.
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.	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.

Pros and cons mirror the in-house XF 27mm F2.8 R WR review and XF 23mm F1.4 R review.

XF 27mm F2.8 R WR vs XF 23mm F1.4 R: full specs

Spec	XF 27mm F2.8 R WR 27 mm · f/2.8 · 84g	XF 23mm F1.4 R 23 mm · f/1.4 · 300g
Optical
Focal length	27 mm	23 mm
35mm equivalent	41 mm	35 mm
Maximum aperture	f/2.8	f/1.4
Minimum aperture	f/16	f/16
Optical construction	7 elements in 5 groups	11 elements in 8 groups
Special elements	1 aspherical element	1 aspherical element
Aperture blades	7	7
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.34 m	0.28 m
Max. magnification	0.1×	0.1×
Autofocus motor	DC coreless motor	DC motor
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	39 mm	62 mm
Diameter × length	61.2 × 23 mm	72 × 63 mm
Weight	84g	300g
Weather sealing	Yes	No
Min. operating temp	-10 °C	—
General
Announced	2021-01-27	2013-09-04

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