The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 and the Canon 400mm f5.6L USM 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. Canon 400mm f5.6L USM is the longer of the two lenses at 257mm. The Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 with a length of 129mm, is 128mm shorter. On the other hand, the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Canon 400mm f5.6L USM's 90mm 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 400mm f5.6L USM weighs 1250g, 11% (155g) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4's weight of 1405g.
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Canon 400mm f5.6L USM has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 86mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 400mm f5.6L USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 and the Canon 400mm f5.6L USM 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 100mm F1.4 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
160mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 400mm f5.6L USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 400mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 640mm.