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 Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM 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 Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM with a length of 88mm, is 27mm shorter. On the other hand, the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro's 76mm 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. Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro weighs 550g, which means it is 175g (24%) lighter than the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM which has a weight of 725g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM has a 77mm 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 77mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro and the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC USD Macro is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF3 and Sigma SA 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 Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM 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.