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 Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A 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. Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A is the longer of the two lenses at 131mm. The Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM with a length of 56mm, is 75mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A also has a larger diameter of 88mm 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.
Filter Threads
The Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A has a 82mm 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 82mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A:
Lens Mounts
The Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM has the Canon EF-S lens mount whereas the Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A 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 Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV for the Canon EF Mount.
Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Sigma SA, Sony E and Leica L mounts.
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 Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM A 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.