The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM and the Canon 180mm f3.5L Macro 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 180mm f3.5L Macro USM is the longer of the two lenses at 187mm. The Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM with a length of 56mm, is 131mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 180mm f3.5L Macro USM also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM's 69mm 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 EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM weighs 190g, which means it is 900g (82%) lighter than the Canon 180mm f3.5L Macro USM which has a weight of 1090g.
Filter Threads
The Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Canon 180mm f3.5L Macro USM 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 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 180mm f3.5L Macro USM:
Lens Mounts
The Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM has the Canon EF-S lens mount whereas the Canon 180mm f3.5L Macro USM has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF-S Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Focal Range
Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
56mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Canon 180mm f3.5L Macro USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 288mm.
