The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM and the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 126mm. The Canon 35mm f2 IS USM with a length of 63mm, is 63mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM's 78mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon 35mm f2 IS USM weighs 335g, which means it is 839g (71%) lighter than the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 which has a weight of 1174g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Canon 35mm f2 IS USM has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM and the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
35mm but while Canon 35mm f2 IS USM has the fastest aperture of
F2.0, the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4's widest aperture value is
F1.4.