The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G and the Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 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 FE 20mm F1.8 G is the longer of the two lenses at 85mm. The Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 with a length of 80mm, is 5mm shorter. On the other hand, the Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G's 74mm 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. Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 weighs 330g, 11% (43g) lighter than the Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G's weight of 373g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Ultra-Wideangle Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G and the Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR.
Focal Range
Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 20mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
30mm.
On the other hand, the Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 18mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 27mm.