The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro and the Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM 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. Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 123mm. The Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro with a length of 97mm, is 26mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro'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. Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro weighs 405g, which means it is 220g (35%) lighter than the Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM which has a weight of 625g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM has a 67mm 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 90mm f2.8 Macro:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro is also available in the Canon EF , Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 90mm f2.8 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 Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 160mm.
