The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Otus 28mm F1.4 and the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM 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 28mm F1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 137mm. The Canon 35mm f2 IS USM with a length of 63mm, is 74mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Zeiss Otus 28mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM'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. Canon 35mm f2 IS USM weighs 335g, 75% (1055g) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 28mm F1.4's weight of 1390g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Otus 28mm F1.4 has a filter size of 95mm whereas the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM 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 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Zeiss Otus 28mm F1.4:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 28mm F1.4 and the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K.
Zeiss Otus 28mm F1.4 is also available in the Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Zeiss Otus 28mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 28mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
42mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 35mm f2 IS USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 56mm.
