The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Rokinon 35mm f1.4 and the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II 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. Rokinon 35mm f1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 112mm. The Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II with a length of 25mm, is 87mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 63mm.
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. Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II weighs 200g, 69% (460g) lighter than the Rokinon 35mm f1.4's weight of 660g.
Filter Threads
The Rokinon 35mm f1.4 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Rokinon 35mm f1.4:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Rokinon 35mm f1.4 and the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Rokinon 35mm f1.4 is also available in Canon EF , Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha and Samsung NX mounts.
Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Rokinon 35mm f1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
52.5mm.
On the other hand, the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 40mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 60mm.