The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro and the Nikon 50mm f1.8G 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 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 80mm. The Nikon 50mm f1.8G with a length of 53mm, is 27mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro also has a larger diameter of 73mm compared to the Nikon 50mm f1.8G's 72mm 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 50mm f1.8G weighs 185g, 53% (215g) lighter than the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro's weight of 400g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Nikon 50mm f1.8G has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 55mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 50mm f1.8G:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Nikon 50mm f1.8G has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro is also available in Canon EF and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 60mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
90mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 50mm f1.8G is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 75mm.