The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 85mm f1.8D and the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra 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. Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 125mm. The Nikon 85mm f1.8D with a length of 59mm, is 66mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 72mm.
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. Nikon 85mm f1.8D weighs 380g, which means it is 258g (40%) lighter than the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro which has a weight of 638g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 85mm f1.8D has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro 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 Nikon 85mm f1.8D:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro :
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 85mm f1.8D and the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF2 and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon 85mm f1.8D 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 Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 150mm.