The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD and the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 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 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 199mm. The Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 with a length of 137mm, is 62mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6's 79mm 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. Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 weighs 1020g, 10% (115g) lighter than the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD's weight of 1135g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has a 72mm 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 Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD and the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 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 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD has a focal range of 100-400mm and
4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
160 - 640mm.
On the other hand, the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has a focal range of 80-400mm and 5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 128 - 640mm.