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 Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR 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. Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 203mm. The Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 with a length of 128mm, is 75mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4's 88mm 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. Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 weighs 1040g, which means it is 390g (27%) lighter than the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR which has a weight of 1430g.
Filter Threads
Both the Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 and the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR have the same Filter thread size of 77mm.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 has the Canon RF lens mount whereas the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon R6 V, Canon R6 III and Canon C50 for the Canon RF Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
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 Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR has a focal range of 70-200mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 300mm.