The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 and the Canon 300mm f4.0L 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. Canon 300mm f4.0L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 221mm. The Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 with a length of 138mm, is 83mm shorter. On the other hand, the Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Canon 300mm f4.0L IS USM's 90mm 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 300mm f4.0L IS USM weighs 1190g, 0% (10g) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4's weight of 1200g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Canon 300mm f4.0L IS USM has a 77mm 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 85mm F1.4:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 300mm f4.0L IS USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 and the Canon 300mm f4.0L 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 85mm F1.4 is also available in the Nikon F (FX) , Sony E, Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts.
Focal Range
Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
136mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 300mm f4.0L IS USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 480mm.
