The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED is the longer of the two lenses at 108mm. The Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 with a length of 93mm, is 15mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28's 64mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 weighs 520g, 28% (210g) lighter than the Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED's weight of 730g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 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 Distagon T2/28 is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon PC-E 24mm f3.5D ED is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 24mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 36mm.
Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 28mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 42mm.