The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS and the Canon TS-E 135mm F4L 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 135mm F4L Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 139mm. The Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS with a length of 106mm, is 33mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 89mm.
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. Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS weighs 965g, which means it is 145g (13%) lighter than the Canon TS-E 135mm F4L Macro which has a weight of 1110g.
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 Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Canon TS-E 135mm F4L Macro has a 82mm 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 Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS:
And these are the 82mm filters that we recommend for the Canon TS-E 135mm F4L Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS and the Canon TS-E 135mm F4L 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.
Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is also available in Pentax KAF , Sony Alpha and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 121mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
193.6mm.
On the other hand, the Canon TS-E 135mm F4L Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 216mm.