The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR and the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G 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 Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR with a length of 99mm, is 17mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR's 73mm 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-85mm f3.5G ED VR weighs 355g, 50% (365g) lighter than the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR's weight of 720g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR has a 52mm 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 Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Nikon Micro-85mm f3.5G ED VR has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount and Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount.
Focal Range
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.
On the other hand, the 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.
