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 Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR 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. Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 116mm. The Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS with a length of 106mm, is 10mm shorter. On the other hand, the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR's 83mm 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-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR weighs 720g, 25% (245g) lighter than the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS's weight of 965g.
Filter Threads
The Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR 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 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS and the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR 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.
Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF and Sony Alpha 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 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
181.5mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 105mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 157.5mm.