The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD and the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS 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 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 197mm. The Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM with a length of 189mm, is 8mm shorter. On the other hand, the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM has a larger diameter of 92mm compared to the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD's 86mm 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 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM weighs 1380g, 6% (90g) lighter than the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD's weight of 1470g.
Filter Threads
Both the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD and the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM have the same Filter thread size of 77mm.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD and the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS 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 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
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 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
112 - 320mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM has a focal range of 100-400mm and 4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 160 - 640mm.