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 Nikon 85mm f1.8D 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 Nikon 85mm f1.8D with a length of 59mm, is 56mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro also has a larger diameter of 76mm compared to the Nikon 85mm f1.8D'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. Nikon 85mm f1.8D weighs 380g, 30% (170g) lighter than the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro's weight of 550g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Nikon 85mm f1.8D has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 85mm f1.8D:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro and the Nikon 85mm f1.8D 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.
Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro is also available in Canon EF 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 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
135mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 85mm f1.8D is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 127.5mm.