The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD and the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD 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 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 197mm. The Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD with a length of 83mm, is 114mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD's 72mm 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 AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD weighs 300g, which means it is 1170g (79%) lighter than the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD which has a weight of 1470g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD and the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58.
Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD is also available in the Canon EF and Nikon F (DX) mounts.
Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD has a focal range of 55-200mm and
3.6X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
82.5-300mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD has a focal range of 70-200mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 300mm.
