The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 and the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM 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 1.4/55 is the longer of the two lenses at 141mm. The Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM with a length of 68mm, is 73mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 also has a larger diameter of 92mm compared to the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM'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. Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM weighs 505g, 47% (465g) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55's weight of 970g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
Both the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 and the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM 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
Both the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 and the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is also available in Pentax KAF3 , Sony Alpha, Sigma SA, Nikon F (FX) and Four Thirds mounts.
Focal Range
Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 55mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
88mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 80mm.