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 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM 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. Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM is the longer of the two lenses at 136mm. The Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF with a length of 99mm, is 37mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF's 80mm 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. Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF weighs 730g, which means it is 30g (3%) lighter than the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM which has a weight of 760g.
Filter Threads
The Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF and the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM 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
Sony 135mm F2.8 (T4.5) STF 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.
On the other hand, the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM has a focal range of 70-300mm and 4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 450mm.
