The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 and the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II 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. Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 126mm. The Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II with a length of 25mm, is 101mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 85mm 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, 82% (974g) lighter than the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4's weight of 1174g.
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 and the Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II 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.
Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Voigtlander 40mm F2 SL II is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Zeiss Milvus 35mm F1.4 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.
On the other hand, the 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.