The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro and the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR 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. Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 116mm. The Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro with a length of 80mm, is 36mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro's 73mm 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 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro weighs 400g, which means it is 320g (44%) lighter than the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR which has a weight of 720g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR 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 55mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro is also available in the Canon EF and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 60mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
90mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon Micro-105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 105mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 157.5mm.