The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron AF 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 and the Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Tamron AF 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 70mm. The Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III with a length of 64mm, is 6mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron AF 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III's 65mm diameter.
The 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. Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III weighs 175g, 26% (62g) lighter than the Tamron AF 28-80mm f3.5-5.6's weight of 237g.
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 the Tamron AF 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 and the Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III 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 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Sony Alpha and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron AF 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 has a focal range of 28-80mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 44.8 - 128mm.
Canon 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III has a focal range of 35-80mm and 2.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 56 - 128mm.