The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM and the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 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. Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 204mm. The Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 with a length of 88mm, is 116mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50's 72mm 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. Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 weighs 530g, 67% (1110g) lighter than the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM's weight of 1640g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 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 86mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM and the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 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.
Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is also available in the Canon EF , Sigma SA and Sony Alpha mounts.
Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 is also available in Canon EF and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
270mm.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T2/50 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 75mm.
