The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD and the Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS 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 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD is the longer of the two lenses at 210mm. The Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS with a length of 108mm, is 102mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD also has a larger diameter of 93mm compared to the Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS's 64mm 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. Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS weighs 345g, 79% (1379g) lighter than the Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD's weight of 1724g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS has a 49mm 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 Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD:
And these are the 49mm filters that we recommend for the Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD and the Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS 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.
Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD is also available in Fujifilm X and Nikon Z mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD has a focal range of 150-500mm and
3.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
225 - 750mm.
On the other hand, the Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS has a focal range of 55-210mm and 3.8X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 82.5-315mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.