The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM and the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD 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 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 197mm. The Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM with a length of 143mm, is 54mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM's 77mm 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 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM weighs 630g, which means it is 840g (57%) lighter than the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD which has a weight of 1470g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD 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 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM and the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K.
Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM has a focal range of 70-300mm and
4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
112 - 480mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD has a focal range of 70-200mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 112 - 320mm.
