The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Meike 50mm f1.8 AF and the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 XR II VC LD for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
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. Meike 50mm f1.8 AF weighs 382g, which means it is 188g (32%) lighter than the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 XR II VC LD which has a weight of 570g.
Filter Threads
The Meike 50mm f1.8 AF has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 XR II VC LD 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 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Meike 50mm f1.8 AF:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 XR II VC LD:
Lens Mounts
The Meike 50mm f1.8 AF has the Leica L lens mount whereas the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 XR II VC LD has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Leica SL3-P, Panasonic S1 II and Panasonic S1 IIE for the Leica L Mount and Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF Mount.
Meike 50mm f1.8 AF is also available in the Sony E and Nikon Z mounts.
Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 XR II VC LD is also available in Nikon F (DX) mount.
Focal Range
Meike 50mm f1.8 AF is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 XR II VC LD has a focal range of 17-50mm and 2.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27.2-80mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
