The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Milvus 18mm F2.8 and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2,8/21 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. Carl Zeiss Distagon T2,8/21 is the longer of the two lenses at 109mm. The Zeiss Milvus 18mm F2.8 with a length of 93mm, is 16mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2,8/21 also has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Zeiss Milvus 18mm F2.8's 73mm 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. Carl Zeiss Distagon T2,8/21 weighs 600g, 16% (121g) lighter than the Zeiss Milvus 18mm F2.8's weight of 721g.
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Milvus 18mm F2.8 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2,8/21 has a 82mm 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 Milvus 18mm F2.8:
And these are the 82mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2,8/21:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Milvus 18mm F2.8 and the Carl Zeiss Distagon T2,8/21 has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Zeiss Milvus 18mm F2.8 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Carl Zeiss Distagon T2,8/21 is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Zeiss Milvus 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 Carl Zeiss Distagon T2,8/21 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 21mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 31.5mm.