The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 35mm f2.8 Macro DX and the Canon 50mm f2.5 Macro 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 50mm f2.5 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 63mm. The Tokina 35mm f2.8 Macro DX with a length of 60mm, is 3mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tokina 35mm f2.8 Macro DX has a larger diameter of 73mm compared to the Canon 50mm f2.5 Macro's 68mm 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. Canon 50mm f2.5 Macro weighs 280g, 17% (60g) lighter than the Tokina 35mm f2.8 Macro DX's weight of 340g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
Both the Tokina 35mm f2.8 Macro DX and the Canon 50mm f2.5 Macro have the same Filter thread size of 52mm.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 35mm f2.8 Macro DX and the Canon 50mm f2.5 Macro has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3.
Tokina 35mm f2.8 Macro DX is also available in the Nikon F (DX) mount.
Focal Range
Tokina 35mm f2.8 Macro DX is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
56mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Canon 50mm f2.5 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 80mm.
