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 Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD 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 Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 LD with a length of 194mm, is 3mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 LD has a larger diameter of 90mm 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. Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 LD weighs 1330g, which means it is 140g (9%) lighter than the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD which has a weight of 1470g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 LD and the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD 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.
Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of 70-200mm and the fastest aperture of F2.8.