Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD vs Sony FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS
Both are Sony E lenses for full frame. Here is what actually differs.
Pick the Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD if
- You need ⅔ stop more light for low light or background blur (f/4.5 vs f/5.6)
- You want a wider view: 50mm vs 100mm at the wide end
- You shoot close-ups: it focuses down to 0.25 m vs 1.13 m
- You want bigger close-ups: 0.5× vs 0.41× maximum magnification
- Our notes say it suits: Wildlife, sports, travel telephoto
Pick the Sony FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS if
- You want the lighter lens to carry: 501 g lighter (654 g vs 1155 g)
- You prefer a newer design: released 2026 vs 2022
Spec differences
14 differences| Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD | Sony FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand |
Tamron
|
Sony
|
| Type |
Zoom
|
Telephoto Zoom
|
| Focal length |
50-400mm
|
100-400mm
|
| Max aperture |
f/4.5
⅔ stop faster
|
f/5.6
|
| Weight |
1155 g
|
654 g
lighter
|
| Length |
183 mm
|
164.5 mm
shorter
|
| Diameter |
89 mm
|
78.2 mm
slimmer
|
| Min focus distance |
0.25 m
closer
|
1.13 m
|
| Max magnification |
0.5×
larger
|
0.41×
|
| Aperture blades |
9
|
not listed
|
| Optical design |
24 elements / 18 groups
|
not listed
|
| Autofocus motor |
VXD
|
not listed
|
| Weather sealing |
Yes
|
not listed
|
| Released |
2022
|
2026
|
4 identical specs hidden: mount, format, filter thread, image stabilization. Show all
- Mount
- Sony E both
- Format
- Full frame both
- Filter thread
- 67 mm both
- Image stabilization
- Yes both
Our notes
Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD
Full-frame telephoto zoom for Sony with VC stabilization covering 50-400mm. It reaches 400mm without the weight of a 150-600mm.
Pros
- 8x range
- VC stabilization
- Lighter than 150-600mm lenses at about 1,155 g
Cons
- Slow variable aperture
- Heavier than short telephotos
Our notes
Sony FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS
More comparisons
Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS vs Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD
810 g lighter vs wider (50mm)
Tamron 150-500mm F/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD vs Sony FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS
⅓ stop faster vs 1071 g lighter
Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS vs Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD
530 g lighter vs wider (50mm)
Sony FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS vs Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary
486 g lighter vs ⅓ stop faster
Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD vs Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary
Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD: ⅓ stop faster, wider (50mm)
Sony FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS vs Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports
1446 g lighter vs ⅓ stop faster