The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR and the Nikon Micro 40mm F2.8 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-85mm f3.5G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 99mm. The Nikon Micro 40mm F2.8 with a length of 65mm, is 34mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR also has a larger diameter of 73mm compared to the Nikon Micro 40mm F2.8's 69mm 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. Nikon Micro 40mm F2.8 weighs 235g, 33% (120g) lighter than the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR's weight of 355g.
Filter Threads
Both the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR and the Nikon Micro 40mm F2.8 have the same Filter thread size of 52mm.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR and the Nikon Micro 40mm F2.8 has the same Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (DX) lenses are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600.
Focal Range
Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
127.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon Micro 40mm F2.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 40mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 60mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.