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 Macro and the Samyang 85mm F1.4 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 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 117mm. The Samyang 85mm F1.4 with a length of 75mm, is 42mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC Macro also has a larger diameter of 79mm compared to the Samyang 85mm F1.4's 78mm 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. Samyang 85mm F1.4 weighs 539g, 11% (70g) lighter than the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC Macro's weight of 609g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC Macro has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Samyang 85mm F1.4 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 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC Macro:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang 85mm F1.4:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC Macro and the Samyang 85mm F1.4 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 Macro is also available in Sony Alpha and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Samyang 85mm F1.4 is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha, Sony E and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 90mm F2.8 VC 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 Samyang 85mm F1.4 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.