The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 and the Tokina 16-28mm f2.8 Pro FX 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. Tokina 16-28mm f2.8 Pro FX is the longer of the two lenses at 133mm. The Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 with a length of 84mm, is 49mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tokina 16-28mm f2.8 Pro FX also has a larger diameter of 90mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18's 87mm 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 Distagon T3,5/18 weighs 470g, which means it is 480g (50%) lighter than the Tokina 16-28mm f2.8 Pro FX which has a weight of 950g.
Lens Mounts
Both the Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 and the Tokina 16-28mm f2.8 Pro FX has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 is also available in Pentax KAF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Tokina 16-28mm f2.8 Pro FX is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 18mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
28.8mm.
On the other hand, the Tokina 16-28mm f2.8 Pro FX has a focal range of 16-28mm and 1.8X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 25.6 - 44.8mm.