The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 and the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 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. Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 108mm. The Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 with a length of 88mm, is 20mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50's 72mm 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. Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 weighs 530g, 44% (420g) lighter than the Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4's weight of 950g.
Filter Threads
The Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 and the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 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.
Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
50mm but while Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 has the fastest aperture of
F1.4, the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50's widest aperture value is
F2.0.