The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro and the Zeiss Otus 100mm 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. Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 129mm. The Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro with a length of 95mm, is 34mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro's 73mm 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. Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro weighs 540g, which means it is 865g (61%) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 which has a weight of 1405g.
Filter Threads
The Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 has a 86mm 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 Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro:
And these are the 86mm filters that we recommend for the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro and the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
100mm but while Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro has the fastest aperture of
F2.8, the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4's widest aperture value is
F1.4.