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 Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM 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 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 80mm. The Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM with a length of 45mm, is 35mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro also has a larger diameter of 73mm compared to the Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM's 70mm 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. Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM weighs 170g, 57% (230g) lighter than the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro's weight of 400g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM has a 49mm 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 49mm filters that we recommend for the Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro and the Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58.
Tamron 60mm f2 II LD IF Macro is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (DX) 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 Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.