The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW and the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro 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. Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW is the longer of the two lenses at 124mm. The Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro with a length of 97mm, is 27mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro'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. Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro weighs 405g, 67% (850g) lighter than the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW's weight of 1255g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro has a 55mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW has the Pentax KAF4 lens mount whereas the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are , and for the Pentax KAF4 Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro is also available in Canon EF , Sony Alpha and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW 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 90mm f2.8 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 90mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 135mm.