The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 and the Tamron 90mm 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. Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 97mm. The Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 with a length of 85mm, is 12mm shorter. On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro's 72mm 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. Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro weighs 405g, 42% (295g) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85's weight of 700g.
Filter Threads
The Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro has a 55mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 and the Tamron 90mm 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 Planar T1,4/85 is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
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 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
127.5mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 90mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 135mm.