The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW and the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM 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. Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW is the longer of the two lenses at 124mm. The Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM with a length of 100mm, is 24mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM's 70mm 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 Sonnar T2/85 ZM weighs 500g, 60% (755g) lighter than the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW's weight of 1255g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW has the Pentax KAF4 lens mount whereas the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM has the Leica M lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are , and for the Pentax KAF4 Mount and Leica M11 Monochrome, Leica M11 and Leica M10 for the Leica M Mount.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
85mm but while Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW has the fastest aperture of
F1.4, the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM's widest aperture value is
F2.0.