The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5L II and the Canon 20mm f2.8 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 TS-E 24mm f3.5L II is the longer of the two lenses at 106mm. The Canon 20mm f2.8 USM with a length of 71mm, is 35mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5L II also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Canon 20mm f2.8 USM's 78mm 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 20mm f2.8 USM weighs 405g, 48% (385g) lighter than the Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5L II's weight of 790g.
Filter Threads
The Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5L II has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Canon 20mm f2.8 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 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5L II:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 20mm f2.8 USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5L II and the Canon 20mm f2.8 USM 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.
Focal Range
Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5L II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 24mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
38.4mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 20mm f2.8 USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 20mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 32mm.