Compare lenses

Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR vs Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD

The Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR and the Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD side by side, computed from this guide's catalogue.

Which to pick

Pick the Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR if you want optical stabilisation, which helps most on bodies without it. Pick the Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD if you want a brighter f/2.8 (1.0 stops more light), for dim light and softer backgrounds and a fit on more cameras (39 against 17 in this guide).

Still torn? Ask the guide about the Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR and the Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD

Specs side by side

Rows that differ are in full colour; the better value is marked where one is better by any measure.
SpecNikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VRTamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD
MakerNikonTamron
Focal length16-35mm (zoom)17-35mm (zoom)
Full-frame equivalent16-35mm17-35mm
Maximum aperturef/4f/2.8-4brighter
Made forFull frameFull frame
MountsNikon FCanon EF, Nikon F
Stabilisedyesstabilisedno
Autofocusyesyes
Zoom range2.2×2.1×
Weight680 gnot listed
Cameras it fits17 in this guide39 in this guidefits more cameras

Focal range, in full-frame terms

142435508513520040080016-35mm equiv.Nikon
Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR: 16-35mm.
142435508513520040080017-35mm equiv.Tamron
Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD: 17-35mm.

Aperture

f/4
Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR: f/4 wide open.
f/2.8
Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD: f/2.8 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

Nikon at 16mm · 97°Tamron at 17mm · 93°Nikon at 35mm · 54°Tamron at 35mm · 54°
How wide each sees, at each end, on the sensor it was made for.

Cameras they fit

17 cameras in this guide take both, so either works on the same body. In all, the Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR fits 17 and the Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD 39.

Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR

and 7 more

Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD

and 29 more

On their own pages