The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 and the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM 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 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 137mm. The Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM with a length of 115mm, is 22mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 also has a larger diameter of 79mm compared to the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM's 71mm 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 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM weighs 420g, 58% (600g) lighter than the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6's weight of 1020g.
Filter Threads
The Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 and the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has a focal range of 80-400mm and
5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
128 - 640mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 90-300mm f4.5-5.6 USM has a focal range of 90-300mm and 3.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 144 - 480mm.