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 AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR VC 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. Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS is the longer of the two lenses at 96mm. The Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR VC LD with a length of 78mm, is 18mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR VC LD has a larger diameter of 99mm compared to the Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS'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 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS weighs 515g, which means it is 40g (7%) lighter than the Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR VC LD which has a weight of 555g.
Filter Threads
Both the Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS and the Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR VC LD have the same Filter thread size of 67mm.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS has the Canon EF-S lens mount whereas the Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR VC LD 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 Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Canon 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS is also available in the Canon EF-S mount.
Tamron AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR VC LD is also available in Nikon F (FX) 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 AF 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 XR VC LD has a focal range of 28-300mm and 10.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 44.8 - 480mm.
