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 600mm f4D ED-IF II 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 600mm f4D ED-IF II is the longer of the two lenses at 455mm. The Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 with a length of 138mm, is 317mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II also has a larger diameter of 166mm compared to the Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4's 101mm 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. Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 weighs 1140g, which means it is 4760g (80%) lighter than the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II which has a weight of 5900g.
Filter Threads
The Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II has a 52mm 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 52mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Zeiss Otus 85mm F1.4 and the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II 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 600mm f4D ED-IF II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 600mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 900mm.