The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang 20mm F1.8 and the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III 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 16-35mm F2.8L III is the longer of the two lenses at 128mm. The Samyang 20mm F1.8 with a length of 88mm, is 40mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Samyang 20mm F1.8's 83mm 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. Samyang 20mm F1.8 weighs 497g, which means it is 293g (37%) lighter than the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III which has a weight of 790g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang 20mm F1.8 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III 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 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang 20mm F1.8:
And these are the 82mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III:
Lens Mounts
The Samyang 20mm F1.8 has the Canon EF-M lens mount whereas the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon M50 II, Canon M200 and Canon M6 MII for the Canon EF-M Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Samyang 20mm F1.8 is also available in the Canon EF , Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF, Samsung NX, Sony Alpha and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang 20mm F1.8 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.
On the other hand, the Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III has a focal range of 16-35mm and 2.2X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 25.6 - 56mm.