The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 and the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 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. Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD is the longer of the two lenses at 227mm. The Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 with a length of 172mm, is 55mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3's 83mm 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. Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 weighs 985g, which means it is 252g (20%) lighter than the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD which has a weight of 1237g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has a 86mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3:
And these are the 86mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD is also available in Canon EF and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 has a focal range of 100-400mm and
4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
200-800mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has a focal range of 200-500mm and 2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 300 - 750mm.
