The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II 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 EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 146mm. The Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 with a length of 85mm, is 61mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM also has a larger diameter of 80mm 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. Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 weighs 700g, 1% (10g) lighter than the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM's weight of 710g.
Filter Threads
The Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM has a filter size of 67mm 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 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II 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 Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K.
Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 is also available in Pentax KAF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM has a focal range of 70-300mm and
4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
112 - 480mm.
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.
