The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax 70mm F2.4 AL L and the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 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. Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 is the longer of the two lenses at 85mm. The Pentax 70mm F2.4 AL L with a length of 26mm, is 59mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Pentax 70mm F2.4 AL L'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. Pentax 70mm F2.4 AL L weighs 130g, which means it is 570g (81%) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 which has a weight of 700g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax 70mm F2.4 AL L has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax 70mm F2.4 AL L:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85:
Lens Mounts
Both the Pentax 70mm F2.4 AL L and the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 has the same Pentax KAF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Pentax KAF lenses are Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Pentax 70mm F2.4 AL L is also available in Pentax KAF mount.
Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Pentax 70mm F2.4 AL L is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 70mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
105mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Planar T1,4/85 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 127.5mm.