The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF and the Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
Size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses.Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA is the longer of the two lenses at 115mm. The Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF with a length of 99mm is 16mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF's 80mm diameter.
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. Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF weighs 730g, which means it is 320g (30%) lighter than the Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA which has a weight of 1050g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the 'Telephoto Prime Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Prime Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF and Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Focal Range