The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS and the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II 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. Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS is the longer of the two lenses at 96mm. The Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD with a length of 88mm, is 8mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS also has a larger diameter of 77mm compared to the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD's 74mm 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 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD weighs 450g, 12% (65g) lighter than the Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS's weight of 515g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD has a 62mm 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 Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD:
Lens Mounts
The Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS has the Canon EF-S lens mount whereas the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF-S Mount and Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF Mount.
Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS is also available in the Canon EF-S mount.
Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD is also available in Nikon F (DX) mount.
Focal Range
Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS has a focal range of 18-135mm and
7.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
28.8-216mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD has a focal range of 18-270mm and 15.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 28.8-432mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
