The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC and the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II 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. Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II is the longer of the two lenses at 136mm. The Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC with a length of 91mm, is 45mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II'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. Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC weighs 700g, which means it is 50g (6%) lighter than the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II which has a weight of 750g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II has a 62mm 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 85mm F1.8 VC:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC and the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC is also available in the Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
127.5mm.
On the other hand, the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II has a focal range of 70-300mm and 4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 450mm.
