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 Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG 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. Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is the longer of the two lenses at 106mm. The Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro with a length of 98mm, is 8mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro's 74mm 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. Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro weighs 460g, 52% (505g) 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 Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro 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 Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS and the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro 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.
Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha, Sigma SA and Four Thirds 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 Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro 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.