The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED and the Zeiss Milvus 25mm F1.4 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 25mm F1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 123mm. The Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED with a length of 108mm, is 15mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Milvus 25mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED's 83mm 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. Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED weighs 730g, which means it is 495g (40%) lighter than the Zeiss Milvus 25mm F1.4 which has a weight of 1225g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Zeiss Milvus 25mm F1.4 has a 82mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED:
And these are the 82mm filters that we recommend for the Zeiss Milvus 25mm F1.4:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED and the Zeiss Milvus 25mm F1.4 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 25mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 24mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
36mm.
On the other hand, the Zeiss Milvus 25mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 25mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 37.5mm.