The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR LD and the Canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
Size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses.Canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 97mm. The Tamron AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR LD with a length of 92mm is 5mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to Tamron AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR LD's 73mm diameter.
Weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Tamron AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR LD weighs 510g, which means it is 30g (5%) lighter than the Canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM which has a weight of 540g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the 'Standard Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both Tamron AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR LD and Canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS 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 AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR LD is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Sony Alpha and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR LD has a focal range of 28-75mm and 2.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 44.8 - 120mm.
Canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM has a focal range of 28-135mm and 4.8X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 44.8 - 216mm.