The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 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 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 143mm. The Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 with a length of 137mm, is 6mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD also has a larger diameter of 82mm 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. Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD weighs 765g, which means it is 255g (25%) lighter than the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 which has a weight of 1020g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD has a filter size of 62mm 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 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 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 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD and the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD is also available in Canon EF mount.
Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD has a focal range of 70-300mm and
4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
105 - 450mm.
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 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 120 - 600mm.