The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina AT-X 14-20mm F2 Pro DX and the Canon 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM 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. Tokina AT-X 14-20mm F2 Pro DX is the longer of the two lenses at 106mm. The Canon 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM with a length of 96mm, is 10mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tokina AT-X 14-20mm F2 Pro DX also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Canon 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM's 77mm 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. Canon 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM weighs 480g, 33% (245g) lighter than the Tokina AT-X 14-20mm F2 Pro DX's weight of 725g.
Filter Threads
The Tokina AT-X 14-20mm F2 Pro DX has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Canon 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina AT-X 14-20mm F2 Pro DX:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM:
Lens Mounts
The Tokina AT-X 14-20mm F2 Pro DX has the Canon EF lens mount whereas the Canon 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM has the Canon EF-S lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF Mount and Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF-S Mount.
Tokina AT-X 14-20mm F2 Pro DX is also available in the Nikon F (DX) mount.
Focal Range
Tokina AT-X 14-20mm F2 Pro DX has a focal range of 14-20mm and
1.4X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
22.4-32mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Canon 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM has a focal range of 18-135mm and 7.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 28.8-216mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
