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 Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS 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 Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS with a length of 106mm, is 23mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS's 89mm 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. Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS weighs 965g, 31% (440g) 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 Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS 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 Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 and the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS 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 Otus 100mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF and Sony Alpha 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 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
150mm.
On the other hand, the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 121mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 181.5mm.