The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II and the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM 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. Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM is the longer of the two lenses at 66mm. The Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II with a length of 48mm, is 18mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM also has a larger diameter of 70mm compared to the Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II's 64mm 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 58mm F1.4 SL II weighs 320g, which means it is 55g (14%) lighter than the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM which has a weight of 375g.
Filter Threads
Both the Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II and the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM have the same Filter thread size of 58mm.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM has the Pentax KAF3 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount and , and for the Pentax KAF3 Mount.
Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 58mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
87mm.
On the other hand, the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 55mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.