The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD and the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR 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. Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 123mm. The Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD with a length of 117mm, is 6mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 77mm.
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 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD weighs 435g, which means it is 95g (17%) lighter than the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR which has a weight of 530g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount and Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount.
Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD is also available in the Canon EF , Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD has a focal range of 70-300mm and
4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
105 - 450mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has a focal range of 55-300mm and 5.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 82.5-450mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
