What's the difference between the Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR and the 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II?

The XF 35mm F2 R WR leads on a lighter 170g body, autofocus at all, where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is manual focus only, weather sealing. The 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II leads on a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, closer 0.28 m focusing, a 10-blade diaphragm.

Which is smaller, the Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR or the 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II?

The XF 35mm F2 R WR is the smaller, lighter lens at 170g and 45.9 mm long, versus 218g for the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II.

Which is faster, the Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR or the 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II?

The 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is the faster lens at f/1.2, against f/2 for the XF 35mm F2 R WR — brighter in low light and able to throw the background further out of focus.

Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR vs 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II: full comparison

The XF 35mm F2 R WR and 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II trade blows evenly — the right pick comes down to focal length and what you shoot.

Read the full XF 35mm F2 R WR review →Read the full 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II review →

The short version

The Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR and 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II are both 35mm X-mount primes covering the same field of view, which Fujifilm rounds to 53mm-equivalent and 7Artisans to 52.5mm.

On the spec sheet the XF 35mm F2 R WR pulls ahead with a lighter 170g body, autofocus at all, where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is manual focus only, and weather sealing.

The 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II answers with a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture, closer 0.28 m focusing, and a 10-blade diaphragm.

So which one? If a lighter 170g body matters most, the XF 35mm F2 R WR is the pick. If a brighter f/1.2 maximum aperture is closer to what you need, the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is the smarter buy. Same view either way — this comes down to the trade-offs above.

Where the XF 35mm F2 R WR wins

+a lighter 170g body
+autofocus at all, where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is manual focus only
+weather sealing

Where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II wins

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

Who should buy the XF 35mm F2 R WR or 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II?

Buy the XF 35mm F2 R WR if…

Pick the XF 35mm F2 R WR if a lighter 170g body and autofocus at all, where the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II is manual focus only 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.

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 closer 0.28 m focusing 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.

XF 35mm F2 R WR vs 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II: pros and cons

Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR	7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II
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 170g — the prime owners trust in bad conditions. Fujicron value; pairs with the 23mm F2 for a cheap two-prime kit.	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.
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.	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.

Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 R WR

7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II

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 170g — the prime owners trust in bad conditions.
Fujicron value; pairs with the 23mm F2 for a cheap two-prime kit.

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.

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.

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.

Pros and cons mirror the in-house XF 35mm F2 R WR review and 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II review.

XF 35mm F2 R WR vs 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II: full specs

Spec	XF 35mm F2 R WR 35 mm · f/2 · 170g	7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II 35 mm · f/1.2 · 218g
Optical
Focal length	35 mm	35 mm
35mm equivalent	53 mm	52.5 mm
Maximum aperture	f/2	f/1.2
Minimum aperture	f/16	f/22
Optical construction	9 elements in 6 groups	6 elements in 5 groups
Special elements	2 aspherical elements	—
Aperture blades	9	10
Focus & Stabilization
Min. focus distance	0.35 m	0.28 m
Max. magnification	0.14×	—
Autofocus motor	Stepping motor	Manual focus only
Optical stabilization	No	No
Physical
Filter thread	43 mm	46 mm
Diameter × length	60 × 45.9 mm	—
Weight	170g	218g
Weather sealing	Yes	No
Min. operating temp	-10 °C	—
General
Announced	2015-10-21	Not published

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 35mm F2 R WR review and the 7Artisans 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 II review. Each carries the full spec breakdown, pros and cons, and where the lens sits in the X-mount lineup.