The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS and the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 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 Apo Sonnar T2/135 is the longer of the two lenses at 128mm. The Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS with a length of 106mm, is 22mm shorter. On the other hand, the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135's 84mm 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 Apo Sonnar T2/135 weighs 920g, 4% (45g) lighter than the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS's weight of 965g.
Filter Threads
The Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 has a 77mm 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 Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135:
Lens Mounts
Both the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS and the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 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.
Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is also available in Pentax KAF , Sony Alpha and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 121mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
193.6mm.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 216mm.