What's the difference between the 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II and the Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4?

The 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II leads on a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, a lighter 218g body, closer 0.28 m focusing. The Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 leads on autofocus at all, where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is manual focus only.

Which is smaller, the 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II or the Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4?

The 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is the smaller, lighter lens at 218g, versus 270g for the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4.

Which is faster, the 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II or the Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4?

The 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is the faster lens at f/1.2, against f/1.4 for the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 — brighter in low light and able to throw the background further out of focus.

7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II vs Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4: full comparison

The 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II leads on more of the measurable specs, but the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 counters on autofocus at all, where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is manual focus only.

Read the full 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II review →Read the full Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 review →

The short version

The 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II and Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 are two X-mount primes at different focal lengths — the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II (52.5mm equivalent) and the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 (50mm equivalent).

On the spec sheet the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II pulls ahead with a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, a lighter 218g body, and closer 0.28 m focusing, plus a couple of smaller edges.

The Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 answers with autofocus at all, where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is manual focus only.

So which one? Start with the focal length you actually want to shoot: the 52.5mm-equivalent 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II or the 50mm-equivalent Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4. Once that's settled, 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II has the edge on the specs above.

Where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II wins

+a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture
+a lighter 218g body
+closer 0.28 m focusing
+a 10-blade diaphragm

Where the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 wins

+autofocus at all, where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is manual focus only

Who should buy the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II or Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4?

Buy the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II if…

Pick the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II if a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture and a lighter 218g body matter to you. Photographers who want a fast lens with a distinctive look for very little money, and who already shoot manual focus by choice. Read the full 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II review for the details.

Buy the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 if…

Pick the Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 if autofocus at all, where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is manual focus only matters 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.

7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II vs Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4: pros and cons

7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II	Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4
f/1.2 for around the price of a filter, in an all-metal barrel. Strong wide-open character: halation around highlights, swirling corners. 0.28 m minimum focus, closer than the original version managed. Ten rounded blades keep the stopped-down rendering tidier than the price suggests.	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.
No electronic contacts: no EXIF, no aperture recorded, no IBIS, no auto magnification. f/1.2 and f/1.4 are effects, not working apertures — sharp from about f/4. Heavy longitudinal colour fringing on high-contrast edges wide open. Sample variation is the standing complaint about the category; no sealing, no real warranty support. 7Artisans publishes neither a launch date nor barrel dimensions, and retail listings disagree on both.	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.

7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II

Viltrox Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4

f/1.2 for around the price of a filter, in an all-metal barrel.
Strong wide-open character: halation around highlights, swirling corners.
0.28 m minimum focus, closer than the original version managed.
Ten rounded blades keep the stopped-down rendering tidier than the price suggests.

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.

No electronic contacts: no EXIF, no aperture recorded, no IBIS, no auto magnification.
f/1.2 and f/1.4 are effects, not working apertures — sharp from about f/4.
Heavy longitudinal colour fringing on high-contrast edges wide open.
Sample variation is the standing complaint about the category; no sealing, no real warranty support.
7Artisans publishes neither a launch date nor barrel dimensions, and retail listings disagree on both.

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 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II review and Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 review.

7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II vs Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4: full specs

Spec	7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II 35 mm · f/1.2 · 218g	Viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4 33 mm · f/1.4 · 270g
Optical
Focal length	35 mm	33 mm
35mm equivalent	52.5 mm	50 mm
Maximum aperture	f/1.2	f/1.4
Minimum aperture	f/22	f/16
Optical construction	6 elements in 5 groups	10 elements in 9 groups
Special elements	—	1 ED element, 1 high-refractive-index element, HD Nano coating
Aperture blades	10	9
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.28 m	0.40 m
Max. magnification	—	0.1×
Autofocus motor	Manual focus only	Stepping motor
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	46 mm	52 mm
Diameter × length	—	65 × 72 mm
Weight	218g	270g
Weather sealing	No	No
Min. operating temp	—	—
General
Announced	Not published	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 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II 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.