The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Otus 50mm f1.4 and the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ 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 50mm f1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 100mm. The Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ with a length of 71mm, is 29mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 50mm f1.4 also has a larger diameter of 77mm compared to the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ's 64mm 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 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ weighs 281g, 58% (396g) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 50mm f1.4's weight of 677g.
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Otus 50mm f1.4 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ has a 49mm 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 Zeiss Otus 50mm f1.4:
And these are the 49mm filters that we recommend for the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ:
Lens Mounts
The Zeiss Otus 50mm f1.4 has the Nikon Z lens mount whereas the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ has the Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Nikon Z Mount and Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount.
Zeiss Otus 50mm f1.4 is also available in the Sony E and Canon RF mounts.
Focal Range
Zeiss Otus 50mm f1.4 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.
On the other hand, the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 55mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 82.5mm.
