The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD and the Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM 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 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 175mm. The Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM with a length of 97mm, is 78mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD also has a larger diameter of 76mm compared to the Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM's 70mm 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. Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM weighs 310g, 63% (549g) lighter than the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD's weight of 859g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD and the Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD has a focal range of 70-210mm and
3.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
112 - 336mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM has a focal range of 55-200mm and 3.6X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 88 - 320mm.