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 Nikon Micro-60mm f2.8D 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. Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Nikon Micro-60mm f2.8D with a length of 75mm, is 13mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Nikon Micro-60mm f2.8D's 70mm 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 Micro-60mm f2.8D weighs 440g, 16% (90g) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50's weight of 530g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Nikon Micro-60mm f2.8D has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Micro-60mm f2.8D:
Lens Mounts
Both the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 and the Nikon Micro-60mm f2.8D 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.
Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF 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 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon Micro-60mm f2.8D is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 60mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 90mm.