The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E and the Sony Zeiss FE 50mm F1.4 ZA 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 Zeiss FE 50mm F1.4 ZA is the longer of the two lenses at 108mm. The Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E with a length of 72mm, is 36mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony Zeiss FE 50mm F1.4 ZA also has a larger diameter of 84mm compared to the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E'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. Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E weighs 315g, which means it is 463g (59%) lighter than the Sony Zeiss FE 50mm F1.4 ZA which has a weight of 778g.
Filter Threads
The Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Sony Zeiss FE 50mm F1.4 ZA has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Sony Zeiss FE 50mm F1.4 ZA:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E and the Sony Zeiss FE 50mm F1.4 ZA has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A6700, Sony FX30 and Sony ZV-E10.
Focal Range
Tokina atx-m 56mm F1.4 E is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 56mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
84mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sony Zeiss FE 50mm F1.4 ZA is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 75mm.