The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 50mm f1.4D and the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 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. Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 is the longer of the two lenses at 141mm. The Nikon 50mm f1.4D with a length of 43mm, is 98mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 also has a larger diameter of 92mm compared to the Nikon 50mm f1.4D's 65mm 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. Nikon 50mm f1.4D weighs 230g, which means it is 740g (76%) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 which has a weight of 970g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Nikon 50mm f1.4D has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 50mm f1.4D:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 50mm f1.4D and the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 50mm f1.4D is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75mm.
On the other hand, the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 55mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 82.5mm.