The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Batis 135mm F2.8 and the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS 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 Batis 135mm F2.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 120mm. The Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS with a length of 106mm, is 14mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Batis 135mm F2.8 also has a larger diameter of 98mm compared to the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS's 89mm 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. Zeiss Batis 135mm F2.8 weighs 614g, which means it is 351g (36%) lighter than the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS which has a weight of 965g.
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Batis 135mm F2.8 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Zeiss Batis 135mm F2.8:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS:
Lens Mounts
The Zeiss Batis 135mm F2.8 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR for the Sony E Mount and Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV for the Canon EF Mount.
Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is also available in Pentax KAF , Sony Alpha and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Zeiss Batis 135mm F2.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
202.5mm.
On the other hand, the 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.