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 Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5.0-7.1 IS STM 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 Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5.0-7.1 IS STM with a length of 94mm, is 34mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 also has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5.0-7.1 IS STM's 69mm 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. Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5.0-7.1 IS STM weighs 270g, 74% (770g) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4's weight of 1040g.
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5.0-7.1 IS STM has a 55mm 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 55mm filters that we recommend for the Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5.0-7.1 IS STM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 and the Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5.0-7.1 IS STM has the same Canon RF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon RF lenses are Canon R6 V, Canon R6 III and Canon C50.
Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 is also available in the Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Sony E 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 Canon RF-S 55-210mm F5.0-7.1 IS STM has a focal range of 55-210mm and 3.8X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 88-336mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
