The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 50mm f1.2L USM and the Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III 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 50mm f1.2L USM is the longer of the two lenses at 66mm. The Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III with a length of 64mm, is 2mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 50mm f1.2L USM also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III's 65mm 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 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III weighs 175g, 69% (405g) lighter than the Canon 50mm f1.2L USM's weight of 580g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 50mm f1.2L USM has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III 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 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 50mm f1.2L USM:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 50mm f1.2L USM and the Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III 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 50mm f1.2L USM 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 Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III has a focal range of 35-80mm and 2.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 56 - 128mm.
