The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC and the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 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. Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 is the longer of the two lenses at 128mm. The Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC with a length of 91mm, is 37mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135's 84mm 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. Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC weighs 700g, which means it is 220g (23%) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 which has a weight of 920g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 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 Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC and the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC is also available in the Sony Alpha and Canon EF mounts.
Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC 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.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T2/135 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.
