The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX and the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 LD 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 17-35mm f4 Pro FX is the longer of the two lenses at 94mm. The Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 LD with a length of 87mm, is 7mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 LD's 83mm 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 17-35mm f2.8-4 LD weighs 440g, 26% (160g) lighter than the Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX's weight of 600g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Ultra-Wideangle Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 LD has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 LD:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX and the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 LD 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.
Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 LD is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
17-35mm but while Tokina 17-35mm f4 Pro FX has the fastest aperture of
F4.0, the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 LD's widest aperture value is
F2.8 - F4.0.