The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW and the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 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. HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW is the longer of the two lenses at 106mm. The Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 with a length of 88mm, is 18mm shorter. Besides being longer, the HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50'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. Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 weighs 530g, 41% (380g) lighter than the HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW's weight of 910g.
Lens Mounts
The HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW has the Pentax KAF3 lens mount whereas the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 has the Pentax KAF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF3 Mount and Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount.
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 HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW has the fastest aperture of
F1.4, the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50's widest aperture value is
F2.0.