The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD and the Nikon 24-120mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF 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 24-120mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF VR is the longer of the two lenses at 94mm. The Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD with a length of 92mm, is 2mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Nikon 24-120mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF VR's 77mm 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 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD weighs 520g, which means it is 55g (9%) lighter than the Nikon 24-120mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF VR which has a weight of 575g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Nikon 24-120mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF VR has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 24-120mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD and the Nikon 24-120mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF VR has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD is also available in the Canon EF and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 45mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
67.5mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 24-120mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF VR has a focal range of 24-120mm and 5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 36 - 180mm.