The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Voigtlander 20mm F3.5 SL II and the Samyang 20mm F1.8 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. Samyang 20mm F1.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Voigtlander 20mm F3.5 SL II with a length of 29mm, is 59mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Samyang 20mm F1.8 also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Voigtlander 20mm F3.5 SL II's 63mm 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 20mm F3.5 SL II weighs 205g, which means it is 292g (58%) lighter than the Samyang 20mm F1.8 which has a weight of 497g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Ultra-Wideangle Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Voigtlander 20mm F3.5 SL II has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Samyang 20mm F1.8 has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Voigtlander 20mm F3.5 SL II:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang 20mm F1.8:
Lens Mounts
Both the Voigtlander 20mm F3.5 SL II and the Samyang 20mm F1.8 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.
Voigtlander 20mm F3.5 SL II is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Samyang 20mm F1.8 is also available in Canon EF , Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Samsung NX, Sony Alpha and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
20mm but while Voigtlander 20mm F3.5 SL II has the fastest aperture of
F3.5, the Samyang 20mm F1.8's widest aperture value is
F1.8.