Compare lenses

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM vs Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC

The Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM and the Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC side by side, computed from this guide's catalogue.

Which to pick

Pick the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM if you want a wider view (from 22mm equivalent). Pick the Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC if you want more reach (to 300mm equivalent) and a fit on more cameras (31 against 14 in this guide).

Still torn? Ask the guide about the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM and the Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC

Specs side by side

Rows that differ are in full colour; the better value is marked where one is better by any measure.
SpecCanon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USMTamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
MakerCanonTamron
Focal length15-85mm (zoom)18-200mm (zoom)
Full-frame equivalent22-128mm on APS-C27-300mm on APS-C
Maximum aperturef/3.5-5.6f/3.5-6.3
Made forAPS-CAPS-C
MountsCanon EFCanon EF, Nikon F
Stabilisedyesyes
Autofocusyesyes
Zoom range5.7×11.1×more range
Cameras it fits14 in this guide31 in this guidefits more cameras

Focal range, in full-frame terms

142435508513520040080022-128mm equiv.Canon
Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM: 15-85mm on APS-C, like 22-128mm.
142435508513520040080027-300mm equiv.Tamron
Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC: 18-200mm on APS-C, like 27-300mm.

Aperture

f/3.5
Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM: f/3.5 wide open.
f/3.5
Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC: f/3.5 wide open.

Each opening drawn to scale against f/1.4: a smaller f-number lets in more light and blurs the background more.

Field of view

Canon at 15mm · 77°Tamron at 18mm · 67°Canon at 85mm · 16°Tamron at 200mm · 7°
How wide each sees, at each end, on the sensor it was made for.

Cameras they fit

14 cameras in this guide take both, so either works on the same body. In all, the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM fits 14 and the Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC 31.

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

and 4 more

Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC

and 21 more

On their own pages