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 Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR 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 Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR with a length of 116mm, is 18mm shorter. On the other hand, the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR has a larger diameter of 83mm 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 199g (27%) lighter than the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR which has a weight of 720g.
Filter Threads
Both the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro and the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR have the same Filter thread size of 62mm.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro has the Leica L lens mount whereas the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Leica SL3-P, Panasonic S1 II and Panasonic S1 IIE for the Leica L Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro is also available in the Sony E , Nikon Z and Canon RF mounts.
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 Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 105mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 157.5mm.
