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 Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro 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 Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro with a length of 166mm, is 61mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro's 85mm 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 180mm f3.5 LD Macro weighs 920g, 25% (317g) lighter than the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD's weight of 1237g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro has a 72mm 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 72mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD and the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro 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.
Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro is also available in 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 Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 270mm.
