The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 50-300mm F4.5-6.3 and the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD 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 50-300mm F4.5-6.3 is the longer of the two lenses at 150mm. The Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD with a length of 96mm, is 54mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 50-300mm F4.5-6.3 also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD's 74mm 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 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD weighs 540g, 18% (125g) lighter than the Tamron 50-300mm F4.5-6.3's weight of 665g.
Filter Threads
Both the Tamron 50-300mm F4.5-6.3 and the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD have the same Filter thread size of 67mm.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 50-300mm F4.5-6.3 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 50-300mm F4.5-6.3 has a focal range of 50-300mm and
6.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75 - 450mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 VC PZD has a focal range of 28-300mm and 10.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 42 - 450mm.