The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR and the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 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. Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 391mm. The Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 with a length of 128mm, is 263mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR also has a larger diameter of 140mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135's 84mm 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 Apo Sonnar T2/135 weighs 920g, 76% (2960g) lighter than the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR's weight of 3880g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 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 500mm f4G ED VR:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR and the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 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.
Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
750mm.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 202.5mm.