The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 35mm F1.8 and the ZEISS Loxia 21mm 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 35mm F1.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 73mm. The ZEISS Loxia 21mm F2.8 with a length of 72mm, is 1mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 35mm F1.8 also has a larger diameter of 66mm compared to the ZEISS Loxia 21mm F2.8's 62mm 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 35mm F1.8 weighs 280g, which means it is 114g (28%) lighter than the ZEISS Loxia 21mm F2.8 which has a weight of 394g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 35mm F1.8 has a filter size of 55mm whereas the ZEISS Loxia 21mm F2.8 has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 55mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 35mm F1.8:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the ZEISS Loxia 21mm F2.8:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 35mm F1.8 and the ZEISS Loxia 21mm 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 FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V.
Focal Range
Sony FE 35mm F1.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
52.5mm.
On the other hand, the ZEISS Loxia 21mm F2.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 21mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 31.5mm.
