The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron SP 70-200mm 2.8 Di VC USD G2 and the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM 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 SP 70-200mm 2.8 Di VC USD G2 is the longer of the two lenses at 194mm. The Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM with a length of 115mm, is 79mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron SP 70-200mm 2.8 Di VC USD G2 also has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM's 71mm 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. Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM weighs 420g, 72% (1080g) lighter than the Tamron SP 70-200mm 2.8 Di VC USD G2's weight of 1500g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tamron SP 70-200mm 2.8 Di VC USD G2 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM 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 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron SP 70-200mm 2.8 Di VC USD G2:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron SP 70-200mm 2.8 Di VC USD G2 and the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM 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 SP 70-200mm 2.8 Di VC USD G2 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Tamron SP 70-200mm 2.8 Di VC USD G2 has a focal range of 70-200mm 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
112 - 320mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM has a focal range of 90-300mm and 3.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 144 - 480mm.