The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon TS-E 45mm f2.8 and the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro 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 TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 115mm. The Canon TS-E 45mm f2.8 with a length of 90mm, is 25mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro also has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Canon TS-E 45mm f2.8's 81mm 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 TS-E 45mm f2.8 weighs 645g, which means it is 300g (31%) lighter than the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro which has a weight of 945g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Perspective Control Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
PC Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Canon TS-E 45mm f2.8 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro 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 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon TS-E 45mm f2.8:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon TS-E 45mm f2.8 and the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Focal Range
Canon TS-E 45mm f2.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 45mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
72mm.
On the other hand, the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 80mm.