The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 70-200mm f2.8G ED VR II 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 an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Nikon 70-200mm f2.8G ED VR II is the longer of the two lenses at 209mm. The Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD with a length of 197mm, is 12mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 70-200mm f2.8G ED VR II also has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD's 86mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD weighs 1470g, 4% (70g) lighter than the Nikon 70-200mm f2.8G ED VR II's weight of 1540g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 70-200mm f2.8G ED VR II and the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is also available in Canon EF and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of 70-200mm and the fastest aperture of F2.8.