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 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. Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II is the longer of the two lenses at 196mm. The Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 LD with a length of 194mm, is 2mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 LD's 90mm 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 70-200mm f2.8 LD weighs 1330g, which means it is 170g (11%) lighter than the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II which has a weight of 1500g.
Filter Threads
Both the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 LD and the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II 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 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 70-200mm f2.8 LD is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX) and Pentax KAF mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 LD 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.
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.