Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR vs Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD

Side-by-side comparison from our catalogue data. Better values are highlighted only where a clear difference exists.

Nikon

AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

Tamron

SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD

Verdict at a glance

Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD is faster by 1.4 stops (f/2.8 vs f/4.5), letting in more light.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR is lighter by 755g.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR reaches further (300mm vs 200mm).

Specification comparison
Spec	AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR	SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD
Brand	Nikon	Tamron
Mount	Nikon F	Nikon F
Type	Telephoto Zoom	Telephoto Zoom
Focal length	70-300mm	70-200mm
Max aperture	f/4.5	f/2.8 (faster)
Released	2006	n/a
Format	full-frame	n/a
Groups	12	n/a
Af motor	SWM	n/a
Elements	17	n/a
Weight g	745.0 (lighter)	1500
Filter mm	67	n/a
Length mm	143.5	194.0
Stabilized	Yes	n/a
Diameter mm	80.0	n/a
Min focus m	1.5	0.95 (closer focusing)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

A lightweight telephoto zoom for Nikon FX cameras with vibration reduction and a silent-wave motor.

Pros

Light (745 g)
Vibration reduction
Silent-wave AF

Cons

Soft at 300mm
Variable aperture
Slow in low light

Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD

Tamron's first-generation f/2.8 telephoto zoom with Vibration Compensation and a USD focus motor, later replaced by the G2. It weighs about 1,500 g and focuses as close as 1.3 m.

Pros

Constant f/2.8 aperture
Built-in stabilization (VC)
USD ring-type autofocus
77mm filter thread

Cons

Weighs about 1,500 g
Autofocus and VC are less refined than on the G2

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