The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S 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. Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S is the longer of the two lenses at 140mm. The Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro with a length of 115mm, is 25mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S also has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro's 76mm 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. Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro weighs 550g, 12% (80g) lighter than the Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S's weight of 630g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S has a filter size of 62mm 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 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 VR S has the Nikon Z 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 Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Nikon Z Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
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.
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.