The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM and the Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 60mm. The Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM with a length of 45mm, is 15mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM's 70mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM weighs 150g, which means it is 145g (49%) lighter than the Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro which has a weight of 295g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Prime Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM and the Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58.
Focal Range
Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 30mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 45mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera. Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.