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 Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 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 100mm F1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 129mm. The Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 with a length of 75mm, is 54mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2's 78mm 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. Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 weighs 548g, 60% (857g) 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 Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 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 86mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2:
Lens Mounts
The Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 has the Canon EF lens mount whereas the Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 has the Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount and Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount.
Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 is also available in the Nikon F (FX) mount.
Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 is also available in Canon EF , Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
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 Samyang MF 85mm F1.4 Mk2 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.
