The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II and the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM 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. Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II is the longer of the two lenses at 25mm. The Canon 40mm f2.8 STM with a length of 22mm, is 3mm shorter. On the other hand, the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM has a larger diameter of 68mm compared to the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II's 63mm diameter.
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 40mm f2.8 STM weighs 130g, 35% (70g) lighter than the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II's weight of 200g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II and the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM 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.
Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of 40mm but while Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II has the fastest aperture of F2.0, the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM's widest aperture value is F2.8.