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 Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD 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 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD is the longer of the two lenses at 227mm. The Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD with a length of 210mm, is 17mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD's 93mm 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 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD weighs 1237g, 28% (487g) 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 Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has a 86mm 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 86mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR for the Sony E Mount and Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 VC VXD is also available in Fujifilm X and Nikon Z mounts.
Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) 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 Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has a focal range of 200-500mm and 2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 300 - 750mm.