The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/50 and the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II 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. Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/50 is the longer of the two lenses at 69mm. The Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II with a length of 25mm, is 44mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/50 also has a larger diameter of 66mm compared to the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II's 63mm 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. Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II weighs 200g, 42% (150g) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/50's weight of 350g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/50 has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/50:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/50 and the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II 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.
Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/50 is also available in Pentax KAF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/50 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
80mm.
On the other hand, the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 40mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 64mm.