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 Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR 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 Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR with a length of 116mm, is 13mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR's 83mm 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. Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR weighs 720g, 48% (685g) 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 Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR has a 62mm 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 62mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 and the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR 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.
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 Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 105mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 157.5mm.