The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro and the Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III 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. LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 134mm. The Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III with a length of 126mm, is 8mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III has a larger diameter of 79mm compared to the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro'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. LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro weighs 521g, which means it is 109g (17%) lighter than the Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III which has a weight of 630g.
Filter Threads
The LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III:
Lens Mounts
The LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III has the Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Nikon Z Mount.
LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro is also available in the Nikon Z , Canon RF and Leica L mounts.
Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III is also available in Sony E mount.
Focal Range
LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
270mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III 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.
