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 Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD 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. Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 115mm. The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro with a length of 81mm, is 34mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro also has a larger diameter of 76mm 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 310g, which means it is 240g (43%) lighter than the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro which has a weight of 550g.
Filter Threads
The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro has a 58mm 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 58mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro:
Lens Mounts
The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro has the Canon RF lens mount whereas the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon R6 V, Canon R6 III and Canon C50 for the Canon RF Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro is also available in the Sony E , Leica M, Nikon Z and Leica L mounts.
Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD 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.
