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 Venus 105mm F2 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 Venus 105mm F2 with a length of 99mm, is 30mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Venus 105mm F2's 76mm 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. Venus 105mm F2 weighs 745g, 46% (660g) 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
The Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Venus 105mm F2 has a 67mm 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 67mm filters that we recommend for the Venus 105mm F2:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 100mm F1.4 and the Venus 105mm F2 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.
Venus 105mm F2 is also available in Sony E , Canon EF, Pentax KAF2 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 Venus 105mm F2 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.