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 Sigma 85mm F1.4 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 100mm F1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 129mm. The Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM with a length of 126mm, is 3mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM's 95mm 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 85mm F1.4 DG HSM weighs 1130g, 19% (275g) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4's weight of 1405g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
Both the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 and the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM have the same Filter thread size of 86mm.
Below are links to the 86mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 and the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM 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.
Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM is also available in Sigma SA and Canon EF 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 Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM 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.