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 and the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 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 is the longer of the two lenses at 210mm. The Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 with a length of 137mm, is 73mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 also has a larger diameter of 93mm compared to the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6's 79mm 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. Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 weighs 1020g, 40% (690g) lighter than the Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7's weight of 1710g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has a 72mm 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:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 has the Fujifilm X lens mount whereas the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Fujifilm X-T30 III, Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujifilm X-M5 for the Fujifilm X Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 is also available in the Sony E and Nikon Z mounts.
Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 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 Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has a focal range of 80-400mm and 5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 120 - 600mm.
