The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 50mm f1.8 II 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. Canon 50mm f1.8 II is the longer of the two lenses at 41mm. The Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II with a length of 25mm, is 16mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 50mm f1.8 II also has a larger diameter of 68mm 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. Canon 50mm f1.8 II weighs 130g, which means it is 70g (35%) lighter than the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II which has a weight of 200g.
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
Both the Canon 50mm f1.8 II and the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II have the same Filter thread size of 52mm.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 50mm f1.8 II 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.
Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Canon 50mm f1.8 II 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.