The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 and the Pentax D-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro 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 Makro-Planar T2/50 is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Pentax D-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro with a length of 60mm, is 28mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Pentax D-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro's 68mm 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. Pentax D-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro weighs 265g, 50% (265g) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50's weight of 530g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Pentax KAF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Lenses in Pentax KAF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Pentax D-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro has a 49mm 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 Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50:
And these are the 49mm filters that we recommend for the Pentax D-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 and the Pentax D-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro has the same Pentax KAF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Pentax KAF lenses are Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
50mm but while Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 has the fastest aperture of
F2.0, the Pentax D-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro's widest aperture value is
F2.8.