The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x 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. Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 116mm. The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro with a length of 81mm, is 35mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro's 53mm 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 85mm f5.6 2x Macro weighs 289g, which means it is 431g (59%) lighter than the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR which has a weight of 720g.
Filter Threads
The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR:
Lens Mounts
The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro has the Leica M 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 M EV1, Leica M11-D and Pixii Max for the Leica M Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro is also available in the Sony E , Canon RF, Nikon Z and Leica L mounts.
Focal Range
Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm.
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.
