The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 and the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L 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 12-20mm f2.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 121mm. The Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L with a length of 103mm, is 18mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 also has a larger diameter of 90mm compared to the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L's 85mm 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. Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L weighs 550g, 5% (35g) lighter than the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8's weight of 585g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L has a 77mm 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 12-20mm f2.8:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 has the Nikon Z lens mount whereas the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L has the Leica L lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Nikon Z Mount and Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Leica L Mount.
Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 is also available in the Sony E mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 has a focal range of 12-20mm and
1.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
18 - 30mm.
On the other hand, the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 16mm.
