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 Makro-Planar T2/50 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 Makro-Planar T2/50 is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II with a length of 25mm, is 63mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 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 330g (62%) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 which has a weight of 530g.
Filter Threads
The Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 has a 67mm 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 67mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50:
Lens Mounts
Both the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II and the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 has the same Pentax KAF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Pentax KAF lenses are Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) 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 Makro-Planar T2/50 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 75mm.