The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the HD Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Ltd and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 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. HD Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Ltd is the longer of the two lenses at 69mm. The Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 ZM with a length of 65mm, is 4mm shorter. Besides being longer, the HD Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Ltd also has a larger diameter of 65mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 ZM's 63mm 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. HD Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Ltd weighs 341g, which means it is 40g (10%) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 ZM which has a weight of 381g.
Filter Threads
The HD Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Ltd has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 ZM 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 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the HD Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Ltd:
And these are the 49mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 ZM:
Lens Mounts
The HD Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Ltd has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 ZM has the Leica M 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 KAF Mount and Leica M EV1, Leica M11-D and Pixii Max for the Leica M Mount.
Focal Range
HD Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 Ltd is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 31mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
46.5mm.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T1,4/35 ZM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm.
