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 Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/35 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. Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/35 is the longer of the two lenses at 99mm. The Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II with a length of 25mm, is 74mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/35 also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Voigtlander 40mm F2 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 40mm F2 SL II weighs 200g, which means it is 370g (64%) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/35 which has a weight of 570g.
Filter Threads
The Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/35 has a 58mm 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 40mm F2 SL II:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/35:
Lens Mounts
Both the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/35 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 40mm F2 SL II is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/35 is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
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.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/35 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.