The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 and the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS 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 FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS is the longer of the two lenses at 99mm. The Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 with a length of 80mm, is 19mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 78mm.
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 Batis 18mm F2.8 weighs 330g, which means it is 188g (36%) lighter than the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS which has a weight of 518g.
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS 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 Batis 18mm F2.8:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 and the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS 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.
Focal Range
Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 18mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
27mm.
On the other hand, the Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS has a focal range of 16-35mm and 2.2X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 24 - 52.5mm.
