The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon TS-E 90mm F2.8L Macro and the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM 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 500mm f4.0L IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 383mm. The Canon TS-E 90mm F2.8L Macro with a length of 117mm, is 266mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM also has a larger diameter of 146mm compared to the Canon TS-E 90mm F2.8L Macro's 67mm 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 90mm F2.8L Macro weighs 915g, which means it is 2275g (71%) lighter than the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM which has a weight of 3190g.
Filter Threads
The Canon TS-E 90mm F2.8L Macro has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM has a 52mm 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 90mm F2.8L Macro:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon TS-E 90mm F2.8L Macro and the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM 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.
Focal Range
Canon TS-E 90mm F2.8L Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 90mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
144mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 800mm.