The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro USM and the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 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. Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro USM is the longer of the two lenses at 119mm. The Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 with a length of 85mm, is 34mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro USM also has a larger diameter of 79mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85's 78mm 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. Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro USM weighs 600g, which means it is 100g (14%) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 which has a weight of 700g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro USM has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 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 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro USM:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro USM and the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 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 Planar T1,4/85 is also available in Pentax KAF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
160mm.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 136mm.