The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Voigtlander 50mm F1.5 and the Carl Zeiss Planar T2/50 ZM 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 Planar T2/50 ZM is the longer of the two lenses at 68mm. The Voigtlander 50mm F1.5 with a length of 46mm, is 22mm shorter. On the other hand, the Voigtlander 50mm F1.5 has a larger diameter of 54mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Planar T2/50 ZM's 52mm 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. Carl Zeiss Planar T2/50 ZM weighs 230g, 21% (63g) lighter than the Voigtlander 50mm F1.5's weight of 293g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Prime Lenses in Leica M Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Leica M Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Voigtlander 50mm F1.5 has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Planar T2/50 ZM has a 43mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Voigtlander 50mm F1.5:
And these are the 43mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Planar T2/50 ZM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Voigtlander 50mm F1.5 and the Carl Zeiss Planar T2/50 ZM has the same Leica M lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Leica M lenses are Leica M11 Monochrome, Leica M11 and Leica M10.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
50mm but while Voigtlander 50mm F1.5 has the fastest aperture of
F1.5, the Carl Zeiss Planar T2/50 ZM's widest aperture value is
F2.0.