What's the difference between the Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR and XF 35mm F2 R WR?

The XF 27mm F2.8 R WR leads on a lighter 84 g body, a more compact 23 mm barrel, closer 0.34 m focusing. The XF 35mm F2 R WR leads on a brighter f/2 maximum aperture, higher 0.14× magnification, an 9-blade diaphragm.

Which is smaller, the Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or XF 35mm F2 R WR?

The XF 27mm F2.8 R WR is the smaller, lighter lens at 84 g and 23 mm long, versus 170 g for the XF 35mm F2 R WR.

Which is faster, the Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or XF 35mm F2 R WR?

The XF 35mm F2 R WR is the faster lens at f/2, 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 XF 35mm F2 R WR: full comparison

The XF 35mm F2 R WR leads on more of the measurable specs, but the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR counters on a lighter 84 g body and a more compact 23 mm barrel.

Read the full XF 27mm F2.8 R WR review →Read the full XF 35mm F2 R WR review →

The short version

The Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR and Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR are two XF primes at different focal lengths — the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR (41mm equivalent) and the XF 35mm F2 R WR (53mm 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 84 g body, a more compact 23 mm barrel, and closer 0.34 m focusing.

The XF 35mm F2 R WR answers with a brighter f/2 maximum aperture, higher 0.14× magnification, and an 9-blade diaphragm, and a few more besides.

So which one? Start with the focal length you actually want to shoot: the 41mm-equivalent XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or the 53mm-equivalent XF 35mm F2 R WR. Once that's settled, XF 35mm F2 R WR has the edge on the specs above.

Where the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR wins

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

Where the XF 35mm F2 R WR wins

+a brighter f/2 maximum aperture
+higher 0.14× magnification
+an 9-blade diaphragm
+quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus

Who should buy the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR or XF 35mm F2 R WR?

Buy the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR if…

Pick the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR if a lighter 84 g 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 35mm F2 R WR if…

Pick the XF 35mm F2 R WR if a brighter f/2 maximum aperture and higher 0.14× magnification matter to you. Photographers who want one sharp, reliable, weather-sealed 53 mm-equivalent standard prime and value consistency over a distinctive rendering. Read the full XF 35mm F2 R WR review for the details.

XF 27mm F2.8 R WR vs XF 35mm F2 R WR: pros and cons

Fujifilm XF 27mm F2.8 R WR	Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR
Smallest autofocus lens Fujifilm makes — 84 g, 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.	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 170 g — the prime owners trust in bad conditions. Fujicron value; pairs with the 23mm F2 for a cheap two-prime kit.
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.	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 XF 27mm F2.8 R WR review and XF 35mm F2 R WR review.

XF 27mm F2.8 R WR vs XF 35mm F2 R WR: full specs

Spec	XF 27mm F2.8 R WR 27 mm · f/2.8 · 84 g	XF 35mm F2 R WR 35 mm · f/2 · 170 g
Optical
Focal length	27 mm	35 mm
35mm equivalent	41 mm	53 mm
Maximum aperture	f/2.8	f/2
Minimum aperture	f/16	f/16
Optical construction	7 elements in 5 groups	9 elements in 6 groups
Special elements	1 aspherical element	2 aspherical elements
Aperture blades	7	9
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.34 m	0.35 m
Max. magnification	0.1×	0.14×
Autofocus motor	DC coreless motor	Stepping motor
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	39 mm	43 mm
Diameter × length	61.2 × 23 mm	60 × 45.9 mm
Weight	84 g	170 g
Weather sealing	Yes	Yes
Min. operating temp	-10 °C	-10 °C
General
Announced	2021-01-27	2015-10-21

Highlighted cells are best in class between these two. Specs sourced from public Fujifilm 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 35mm F2 R WR review. Each carries the full spec breakdown, pros and cons, and where the lens sits in the XF lineup.