The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II PZD and the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA 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 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II PZD is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA with a length of 83mm, is 5mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II PZD also has a larger diameter of 74mm compared to the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA's 72mm 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 DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA weighs 445g, 1% (5g) lighter than the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II PZD's weight of 450g.
Filter Threads
Both the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II PZD and the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA have the same Filter thread size of 62mm.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II PZD and the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58.
Focal Range
Tamron 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II PZD has a focal range of 18-270mm and
15.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
27-405mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA has a focal range of 16-80mm and 5.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-120mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.