The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX and the Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR 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. Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 115mm. The Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX with a length of 78mm, is 37mm shorter. On the other hand, the Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX has a larger diameter of 84mm compared to the Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR's 83mm 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. Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX weighs 610g, which means it is 190g (23%) lighter than the Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR which has a weight of 800g.
Filter Threads
Both the Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX and the Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR 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
The Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX is also available in the Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Tokina 16.5-135mm f3.5-5.6 DX has a focal range of 17-135mm and
7.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
25.5-202.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR has a focal range of 28-300mm and 10.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 42 - 450mm.
