The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 and the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD 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. Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD is the longer of the two lenses at 117mm. The Rokinon 85mm F1.4 with a length of 75mm, is 42mm shorter. On the other hand, the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD's 77mm 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. Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD weighs 435g, 19% (104g) lighter than the Rokinon 85mm F1.4's weight of 539g.
Filter Threads
The Rokinon 85mm F1.4 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD 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 Rokinon 85mm F1.4:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD:
Lens Mounts
Both the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 and the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD 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.
Rokinon 85mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF , Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha and Samsung NX mounts.
Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD is also available in Canon EF , Sony Alpha and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Rokinon 85mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
127.5mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD has a focal range of 70-300mm and 4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 450mm.