The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 28mm f1.8 USM and the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD 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 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD is the longer of the two lenses at 96mm. The Canon 28mm f1.8 USM with a length of 56mm, is 40mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 74mm.
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 28mm f1.8 USM weighs 310g, which means it is 230g (42%) lighter than the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD which has a weight of 540g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 28mm f1.8 USM has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD 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 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 28mm f1.8 USM:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 28mm f1.8 USM and the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Canon 28mm f1.8 USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 28mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
44.8mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD has a focal range of 28-300mm and 10.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 44.8 - 480mm.