The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 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-DA 11-18mm F2.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 100mm. The Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 with a length of 84mm, is 16mm shorter. Besides being longer, the HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 also has a larger diameter of 90mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18's 87mm 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 Distagon T3,5/18 weighs 470g, 33% (234g) lighter than the HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8's weight of 704g.
Filter Threads
Both the HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 have the same Filter thread size of 82mm.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 has the Pentax KAF3 lens mount whereas the Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 has the Pentax KAF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF3 Mount and Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount.
Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 has a focal range of 11-18mm and
1.6X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
16.5-27mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T3,5/18 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 18mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 27mm.
