The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX and the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro 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. Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX is the longer of the two lenses at 135mm. The Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM with a length of 70mm, is 65mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM'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. Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM weighs 335g, 60% (510g) lighter than the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX's weight of 845g.
Filter Threads
The Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM:
Lens Mounts
The Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX has the Canon EF lens mount whereas the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM has the Canon EF-S lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF Mount and Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF-S Mount.
Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX is also available in the Nikon F (DX) mount.
Focal Range
Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX has a focal range of 50-135mm and
2.7X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
80-216mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 60mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 96mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.