The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Rokinon 35mm f1.4 and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 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. Rokinon 35mm f1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 112mm. The Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 with a length of 93mm, is 19mm shorter. On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 has a larger diameter of 64mm compared to the Rokinon 35mm f1.4'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. Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 weighs 520g, 21% (140g) lighter than the Rokinon 35mm f1.4's weight of 660g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Rokinon 35mm f1.4 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Rokinon 35mm f1.4:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28:
Lens Mounts
Both the Rokinon 35mm f1.4 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.
Rokinon 35mm f1.4 is also available in Canon EF , Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha and Samsung NX mounts.
Carl Zeiss Distagon T2/28 is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Rokinon 35mm f1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
52.5mm.
On the other hand, the 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.