The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro and the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 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 100mm F2.8 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 148mm. The Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 with a length of 128mm, is 20mm shorter. On the other hand, the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro's 81mm 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 FE 100mm F2.8 Macro weighs 646g, which means it is 394g (37%) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 which has a weight of 1040g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 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 100mm F2.8 Macro:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro and the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V.
Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts.
Focal Range
Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
150mm.
On the other hand, the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 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.
