The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic S 70-300 F4.5-5.6 OIS and the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD 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. Panasonic S 70-300 F4.5-5.6 OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 148mm. The Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD with a length of 143mm, is 5mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic S 70-300 F4.5-5.6 OIS also has a larger diameter of 84mm compared to the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD's 82mm 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 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD weighs 765g, 3% (25g) lighter than the Panasonic S 70-300 F4.5-5.6 OIS's weight of 790g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic S 70-300 F4.5-5.6 OIS has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD 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 Panasonic S 70-300 F4.5-5.6 OIS:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic S 70-300 F4.5-5.6 OIS has the Leica L lens mount whereas the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD 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 Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
70-300mm but while Panasonic S 70-300 F4.5-5.6 OIS has the fastest aperture of
F4.5-5.6, the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 VC USD's widest aperture value is
F4.0 - F5.6.
