The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro and the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD 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. Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 166mm. The Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro with a length of 106mm, is 60mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro also has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro's 71mm 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. Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro weighs 515g, which means it is 405g (44%) lighter than the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro which has a weight of 920g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro and the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Sigma SA and Sony E mounts.
Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 70mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
112mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 288mm.