The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro and the Canon 85mm f1.8 USM 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 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 115mm. The Canon 85mm f1.8 USM with a length of 72mm, is 43mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro also has a larger diameter of 76mm compared to the Canon 85mm f1.8 USM's 75mm 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. Canon 85mm f1.8 USM weighs 425g, 22% (125g) lighter than the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro's weight of 550g.
Filter Threads
Both the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro and the Canon 85mm f1.8 USM have the same Filter thread size of 58mm.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro and the Canon 85mm f1.8 USM 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.
Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
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.
On the other hand, the Canon 85mm f1.8 USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 136mm.