The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 15-30mm f2.8 VC USD and the Nikon 12-24mm f4G ED-IF 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 15-30mm f2.8 VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 145mm. The Nikon 12-24mm f4G ED-IF with a length of 90mm, is 55mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 15-30mm f2.8 VC USD also has a larger diameter of 98mm compared to the Nikon 12-24mm f4G ED-IF's 83mm 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. Nikon 12-24mm f4G ED-IF weighs 485g, 55% (615g) lighter than the Tamron 15-30mm f2.8 VC USD's weight of 1100g.
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 15-30mm f2.8 VC USD has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Nikon 12-24mm f4G ED-IF has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount and Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount.
Tamron 15-30mm f2.8 VC USD is also available in Canon EF and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 15-30mm f2.8 VC USD has a focal range of 15-30mm and
2.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
22.5 - 45mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 12-24mm f4G ED-IF has a focal range of 12-24mm and 2.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 18-36mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.