The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM and the Canon 50mm f1.8 II 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. Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM is the longer of the two lenses at 70mm. The Canon 50mm f1.8 II with a length of 41mm, is 29mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM also has a larger diameter of 73mm compared to the Canon 50mm f1.8 II's 68mm 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. Canon 50mm f1.8 II weighs 130g, 61% (205g) lighter than the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM's weight of 335g.
Filter Threads
Both the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM and the Canon 50mm f1.8 II have the same Filter thread size of 52mm.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM has the Canon EF-S lens mount whereas the Canon 50mm f1.8 II has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF-S Mount and Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV for the Canon EF Mount.
Focal Range
Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 60mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
96mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Canon 50mm f1.8 II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 80mm.