The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 and the Canon 24mm f2.8 IS 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. Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 is the longer of the two lenses at 120mm. The Canon 24mm f2.8 IS USM with a length of 56mm, is 64mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Canon 24mm f2.8 IS USM's 68mm 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 24mm f2.8 IS USM weighs 280g, 66% (550g) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35's weight of 830g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Canon 24mm f2.8 IS USM has a 58mm 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 Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 24mm f2.8 IS USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 and the Canon 24mm f2.8 IS 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.
Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
56mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 24mm f2.8 IS USM 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.