The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR 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. Nikon 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 120mm. The Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD with a length of 88mm, is 32mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR also has a larger diameter of 83mm 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, 45% (380g) lighter than the Nikon 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR's weight of 830g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the SuperZoom Lenses in Nikon F (DX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (DX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Nikon 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR has a filter size of 77mm 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 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR and the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD has the same Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (DX) lenses are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600.
Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR has a focal range of 18-300mm and
16.7X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
27-450mm 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 27-405mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.