The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 and the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM 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 85mm f1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 128mm. The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM with a length of 118mm, is 10mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 also has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM's 85mm 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 100mm F2.8 STF GM weighs 700g, 32% (340g) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4's weight of 1040g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM 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 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 and the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V.
Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 is also available in the Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts.
Focal Range
Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 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 Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 150mm.
