The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 16mm F1.8 and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T4/18 ZM 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 16mm F1.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 75mm. The Carl Zeiss Distagon T4/18 ZM with a length of 71mm, is 4mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 16mm F1.8 also has a larger diameter of 74mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Distagon T4/18 ZM's 65mm 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 16mm F1.8 weighs 304g, which means it is 46g (13%) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Distagon T4/18 ZM which has a weight of 350g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 16mm F1.8 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Distagon T4/18 ZM 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 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 16mm F1.8:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Distagon T4/18 ZM:
Lens Mounts
The Sony FE 16mm F1.8 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Carl Zeiss Distagon T4/18 ZM has the Leica M lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and Leica M EV1, Leica M11-D and Pixii Max for the Leica M Mount.
Focal Range
Sony FE 16mm F1.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 16mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
24mm.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T4/18 ZM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 18mm.
