The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM and the Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM 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. Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 107mm. The Canon 40mm f2.8 STM with a length of 22mm, is 85mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM also has a larger diameter of 84mm compared to the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM's 68mm 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 40mm f2.8 STM weighs 130g, which means it is 540g (80%) lighter than the Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM which has a weight of 670g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 40mm f2.8 STM has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM and the Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K.
Focal Range
Canon 40mm f2.8 STM 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.
On the other hand, the Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM has a focal range of 24-105mm and 4.4X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 38.4 - 168mm.
