The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Voigtlander 12mm F5.6 and the Canon 14mm f2.8L II 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 14mm f2.8L II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 94mm. The Voigtlander 12mm F5.6 with a length of 43mm, is 51mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 14mm f2.8L II USM also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Voigtlander 12mm F5.6's 75mm 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. Voigtlander 12mm F5.6 weighs 230g, which means it is 415g (64%) lighter than the Canon 14mm f2.8L II USM which has a weight of 645g.
Lens Mounts
The Voigtlander 12mm F5.6 has the Leica M lens mount whereas the Canon 14mm f2.8L II USM has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Leica M EV1, Leica M11-D and Pixii Max for the Leica 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.
Focal Range
Voigtlander 12mm F5.6 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 12mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 14mm f2.8L II USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 14mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 22.4mm.
