Which is smaller, the Viltrox Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 or the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR?

The Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 is the smaller, lighter lens at 290g and 72 mm long, versus 445g for the XF 56mm F1.2 R WR.

Which is faster, the Viltrox Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 or the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR?

The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR is the faster lens at f/1.2, against f/1.4 for the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 — brighter in low light and able to throw the background further out of focus.

Viltrox Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 vs Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR: full comparison

Q: What's the difference between the Viltrox Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 and the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR?

The Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 leads on a lighter 290g body, a more compact 72 mm barrel, quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus. The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR leads on a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, closer 0.50 m focusing, higher 0.14× magnification.

The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR leads on more of the measurable specs, but the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 counters on a lighter 290g body and a more compact 72 mm barrel.

Read the full Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 review →Read the full XF 56mm F1.2 R WR review →

The short version

The Viltrox Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 and Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR are both 56mm X-mount primes covering the same 85mm-equivalent field of view. The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR is the newer design, from 2022.

On the spec sheet the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 pulls ahead with a lighter 290g body, a more compact 72 mm barrel, and quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus.

The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR answers with a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, closer 0.50 m focusing, and higher 0.14× magnification, and a few more besides.

So which one? If a lighter 290g body matters most, the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 is the pick. If a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture is closer to what you need, the XF 56mm F1.2 R WR is the smarter buy. Same view either way — this comes down to the trade-offs above.

Where the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 wins

+a lighter 290g body
+a more compact 72 mm barrel
+quicker, quieter stepping-motor autofocus

Where the XF 56mm F1.2 R WR wins

+a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture
+closer 0.50 m focusing
+higher 0.14× magnification
+an 11-blade diaphragm
+weather sealing

Who should buy the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 or XF 56mm F1.2 R WR?

Buy the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 if…

Pick the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 if a lighter 290g body and a more compact 72 mm barrel matter to you. Photographers who want a fast portrait prime and cannot justify the XF 56mm F1.2 R, especially as half of a two-lens Viltrox kit. Read the full Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 review for the details.

Buy the XF 56mm F1.2 R WR if…

Pick the XF 56mm F1.2 R WR if a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture and closer 0.50 m focusing matter to you. Portrait photographers who want the shallowest depth of field the mount can autofocus, shooting on a larger body like the X-T5 or X-H2. Read the full XF 56mm F1.2 R WR review for the details.

Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 vs XF 56mm F1.2 R WR: pros and cons

Viltrox Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4	Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR
f/1.4 at 85 mm-equivalent with no native equivalent anywhere near the price. Centre sharpness at f/1.4 holds up at portrait distance; even across the frame by f/2. ED element keeps colour fringing on bright edges lower than the price suggests. Identical barrel to the AF 33mm — shared 52 mm filters, caps and balance.	f/1.2 at 85 mm-equivalent — no other autofocus X-mount lens offers it. 0.5 m minimum focus, down from 0.7 m, so tight head-and-shoulders portraits work. Eleven rounded blades keep out-of-focus highlights round when stopped down. Weather sealed and rated to -10 °C, which the 2014 version was not.
0.60 m minimum focus is long; tight head-and-shoulders framing is out of reach. Clickless, unmarked aperture ring. No weather sealing and no stabilization, at a focal length that punishes both. Stepping-motor AF acquires quickly but is not built for continuous tracking.	DC-motor autofocus is slower and louder than the linear-motor primes. 445g and a 67 mm filter thread make it a poor match for the small bodies. The Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 XF is close in framing for a small fraction of the price. No optical image stabilization.

Pros and cons mirror the in-house Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 review and XF 56mm F1.2 R WR review.

Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 vs XF 56mm F1.2 R WR: full specs

Spec	Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 56 mm · f/1.4 · 290g	XF 56mm F1.2 R WR 56 mm · f/1.2 · 445g
Optical
Focal length	56 mm	56 mm
35mm equivalent	85 mm	85 mm
Maximum aperture	f/1.4	f/1.2
Minimum aperture	f/16	f/16
Optical construction	10 elements in 9 groups	13 elements in 8 groups
Special elements	1 ED element, 1 high-refractive-index element	2 aspherical elements and 1 extra-low-dispersion element
Aperture blades	9	11
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.60 m	0.50 m
Max. magnification	0.1×	0.14×
Autofocus motor	Stepping motor	DC motor
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	52 mm	67 mm
Diameter × length	65 × 72 mm	79.4 × 76 mm
Weight	290g	445g
Weather sealing	No	Yes
Min. operating temp	—	-10 °C
General
Announced	2020-09-20	2022-09-08

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 Viltrox Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 review and the Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR review. Each carries the full spec breakdown, pros and cons, and where the lens sits in the X-mount lineup.