The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 105mm f2D DC and the Tokina 100mm f2.8 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. Nikon 105mm f2D DC is the longer of the two lenses at 111mm. The Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro with a length of 95mm, is 16mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 105mm f2D DC also has a larger diameter of 79mm compared to the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro's 73mm 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. Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro weighs 540g, 15% (100g) lighter than the Nikon 105mm f2D DC's weight of 640g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 105mm f2D DC has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro has a 55mm 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 Nikon 105mm f2D DC:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 105mm f2D DC and the Tokina 100mm f2.8 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.
Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 105mm f2D DC 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.
On the other hand, the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 150mm.