The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE and the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di 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 70-180mm F2.8 Di is the longer of the two lenses at 149mm. The Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE with a length of 130mm, is 19mm shorter. On the other hand, the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE has a larger diameter of 93mm compared to the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di's 81mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE and Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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. Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE weighs 772g, which means it is 43g (5%) lighter than the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di which has a weight of 815g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE and the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR.
Focal Range
Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
202.5mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di has a focal range of 70-180mm and 2.6X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 270mm.