The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di G2 and the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX 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 70-180mm F2.8 Di G2 is the longer of the two lenses at 157mm. The Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX with a length of 135mm, is 22mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di G2 also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX's 78mm 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 50-135mm f2.8 DX weighs 845g, 1% (10g) lighter than the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di G2's weight of 855g.
Filter Threads
Both the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di G2 and the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX 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 70-180mm F2.8 Di G2 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX has the Canon EF 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 Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF Mount.
Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di G2 is also available in the Nikon Z mount.
Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX is also available in Nikon F (DX) mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di G2 has a focal range of 70-180mm and
2.6X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
105 - 270mm.
On the other hand, the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX has a focal range of 50-135mm and 2.7X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 80-216mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
