Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA vs Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA vs Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
When comparing Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 and Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA, which one is better?
1. Lens Weight Comparison
Draw
Winner: Tied
Regarding weight: The weight of a lens is something you need to consider, since you have to carry it around on the camera as long as you're shooting. It adds to the total weight of your camera and it's important to keep the weight low if you get tired in your arms when taking photographs or filming.
2. Lens Mount Comparison
These two lenses use the same lens mount, the Sony E. This means that both lenses are compatible with cameras that use this mount.
Winner: Tied
Regarding lens mount: Popular lens mounts are Canon RF and EF, Micro Four Thirds and Nikon Z. Different lens mounts lets you connect different lenses to camera bodies, but some might not be compatible. This can be helped by using an adapter, like a Canon EF to RF adapter.
3. Largest Aperture Comparison
Both lenses share the same aperture of 1.8 — this means that you may buy both Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA and Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 in this regard; they''re the same.
Winner: Tied
Regarding largest aperture: A lower aperture number means that the widest aperture on the lens is larger. This means that more light will hit the sensor and also that the depth of field will be shallower, better separating your subject from the background.
4. Anamorphic Comparison
Neither Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 or Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA are anamorphic lenses.
Winner: Tied — Neither have this feature
Regarding anamorphic: Anamorphic lenses are usually used on cinema cameras and squeezes the image when its recorded, which gives the final, stretched out, image oval bokeh and a different angle of view. The most common lenses, however, are not anamorphic but spherical, which gives a spherical bokeh and is a much cheaper lens design.
5. Focus Distance Comparison
Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 features a minimum focus distance of 22.1 cm while Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA has a minimum focus distance of 50 cm. Depending on your shooting style, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 might be a better choice.
Winner: Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
Regarding minimum focus distance: The minimum focus distance of a lens is the smallest distance from the lens to the subject you want to be in focus; subjects closer than the lens' minimum focus distance will not be in focus. Whether or not this is important to you is up for you to decide, but some want to take close photos and videos and in those cases it's important to have a lens with a low minimum focus distance.
6. Lens Type Comparison
Both lenses are Prime lenses, which means that you can choose both Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA or Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 if you're looking for that type of lens.
Winner: Tied
Regarding type: There are two types of lenses; zoom lenses and prime lenses. Prime lenses have a fixed focal length and cannot be zoomed, while zoom lenses have a focal length range and can be zoomed in to get closer to the subject. Prime lenses are usually lighter, cheaper and let in more light. Zoom lenses are more versatile but are more expensive since they require a more advanced lens design.
7. Aperture Blade Comparison
Both Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA and Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 have 9 aperture blades, which means they should both have a similar bokeh shape and roundness.
Winner: Tied
Regarding aperture blades: The number of aperture blades makes a difference because the bokeh is smoother the more aperture blades the lens has. Of course, this does not mean the lens is better in other regards, but it can be an interesting aspect when deciding of a lens.
Specifications
Full specifications table of Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA and Sony FE 35mm f/1.8:
| Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA | Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 | |
 |  | |
| Brand | Zeiss | Sony |
| Weight | 281 g | 281 g |
| Lens Mount | Sony E | Sony E |
| Focal Length | 55 mm | 35 mm |
| Largest Aperture | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| Anamorphic | No | No |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 50 cm | 22.1 cm |
| Type | Prime | Prime |
| Aperture Range | Missing | 1.8 - 22 |
| Filter Thread Diameter | Missing | 55 |
| Lens Front Diameter (Not Filter Thread) | 49 mm | Missing |
| Aperture Blades | 9 | 9 |
| Image Stabilization | Missing | No |
| Autofocus | Missing | Evet |
| Macro | Missing | No |
| Weather Seal | Missing | No |