The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD and the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 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. Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD is the longer of the two lenses at 227mm. The Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II with a length of 196mm, is 31mm shorter. On the other hand, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD's 94mm 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 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD weighs 1237g, which means it is 263g (17%) lighter than the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II which has a weight of 1500g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 86mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD and the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 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 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD is also available in the Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has a focal range of 200-500mm 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
300 - 750mm.
On the other hand, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a focal range of 70-400mm and 5.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 600mm.
