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 35mm f2 IS USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 is the longer of the two lenses at 120mm. The Canon 35mm f2 IS USM with a length of 63mm, is 57mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 78mm.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Canon 35mm f2 IS USM weighs 335g, 59% (495g) 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 Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 and the Canon 35mm f2 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
Both lenses have the same focal range of 35mm but while Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 has the fastest aperture of F1.4, the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM's widest aperture value is F2.0.