The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD and the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM 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 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 199mm. The Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM with a length of 143mm, is 56mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM's 77mm 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. Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM weighs 630g, 44% (505g) lighter than the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD's weight of 1135g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD and the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD has a focal range of 100-400mm and
4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
160 - 640mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM has a focal range of 70-300mm and 4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 112 - 480mm.