The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Venus 12mm f2.8 AF and the Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 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. Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 104mm. The Venus 12mm f2.8 AF with a length of 80mm, is 24mm shorter. On the other hand, the Venus 12mm f2.8 AF has a larger diameter of 77mm compared to the Tamron 16-30mm f2.8's 75mm 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. Venus 12mm f2.8 AF weighs 390g, which means it is 60g (13%) lighter than the Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 which has a weight of 450g.
Filter Threads
The Venus 12mm f2.8 AF has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 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 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Venus 12mm f2.8 AF:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 16-30mm f2.8:
Lens Mounts
Both the Venus 12mm f2.8 AF and the Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 has the same Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon Z lenses are Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z.
Venus 12mm f2.8 AF is also available in the Sony E mount.
Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 is also available in Sony E mount.
Focal Range
Venus 12mm f2.8 AF is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 12mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
18mm.
On the other hand, the Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 has a focal range of 16-30mm and 1.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 24 - 45mm.
