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 Nikon AF 80-200mm f2.8D ED for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is the longer of the two lenses at 197mm. The Nikon AF 80-200mm f2.8D ED with a length of 187mm, is 10mm shorter. On the other hand, the Nikon AF 80-200mm f2.8D ED has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD's 86mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Nikon AF 80-200mm f2.8D ED weighs 1300g, 11% (170g) lighter than the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD's weight of 1470g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD and the Nikon AF 80-200mm f2.8D ED 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 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is also available in Canon EF 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 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 300mm.
Nikon AF 80-200mm f2.8D ED has a focal range of 80-200mm and 2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 120 - 300mm.