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 Z 105mm F2.8 VR S 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 Z 105mm F2.8 VR S is the longer of the two lenses at 140mm. The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro with a length of 81mm, is 59mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S also has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro's 53mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro and Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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 314g, which means it is 316g (50%) lighter than the Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S which has a weight of 630g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Nikon Z Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Lenses in Nikon Z Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S 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 Z 105mm F2.8 VR S:
Lens Mounts
Both the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro and the Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S has the same Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon Z lenses are Nikon Zf, Nikon Z8 and Nikon Z30.
Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro is also available in Sony E , Leica M, Canon RF and Leica L mounts.
Focal Range
Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro 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 Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S 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.