The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro and the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS 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 TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 115mm. The Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS with a length of 106mm, is 9mm shorter. On the other hand, the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro's 87mm 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 TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro weighs 945g, which means it is 20g (2%) lighter than the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS which has a weight of 965g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Perspective Control Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
PC Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro and the Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Hartblei Macro 120mm F4 TS is also available in Pentax KAF , Sony Alpha and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Canon TS-E 50mm F2.8L Macro 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.
On the other hand, the 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 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 193.6mm.