The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G 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 Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G with a length of 45mm, is 121mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro also has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G's 68mm 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. Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G weighs 174g, which means it is 746g (81%) lighter than the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro which has a weight of 920g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G 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 Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro:
Lens Mounts
The Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G 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.
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 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 270mm.
