The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 and the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD 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. Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 92mm. The Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 with a length of 88mm, is 4mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50's 72mm 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. Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 weighs 530g, which means it is 10g (1%) lighter than the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD which has a weight of 540g.
Filter Threads
Both the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 and the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD have the same Filter thread size of 67mm.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 and the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD 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.
Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 is also available in Pentax KAF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 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.
On the other hand, the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD 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.