The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC and the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC 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 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC is the longer of the two lenses at 124mm. The Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD with a length of 101mm, is 23mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC'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. Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD weighs 560g, 21% (150g) lighter than the Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC's weight of 710g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the SuperZoom Lenses in Nikon F (DX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (DX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
Both the Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC and the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD have the same Filter thread size of 72mm.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC and the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has the same Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (DX) lenses are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600.
Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC is also available in the Canon EF-S mount.
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC has a focal range of 18-400mm and
22.2X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
27-600mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD 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.
