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 Nikon 300mm f4E PF 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. Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR is the longer of the two lenses at 148mm. The Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 with a length of 138mm, is 10mm shorter. On the other hand, the Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR's 89mm 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 300mm f4E PF VR weighs 750g, 34% (390g) lighter than the Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4's weight of 1140g.
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 85mm F1.4 has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR 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 Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 and the Nikon 300mm f4E PF 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 85mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF mount.
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 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
127.5mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 450mm.