Compare lenses

Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW vs Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2

The Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW and the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 side by side, computed from this guide's catalogue.

Which to pick

Pick the Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW if you want more reach (to 450mm equivalent) and the flexibility of a zoom. Pick the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 if you want a brighter f/4 (0.3 stops more light), for dim light and softer backgrounds; a wider view (from 70mm equivalent); and a fit on more cameras (59 against 20 in this guide).

Still torn? Ask the guide about the Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW and the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2

Specs side by side

Rows that differ are in full colour; the better value is marked where one is better by any measure.
Spec	Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW	Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2
Maker	Pentax	Tamron
Focal length	150-450mm (zoom)	70-300mm (macro)
Full-frame equivalent	150-450mm	70-300mm
Maximum aperture	f/4.5-5.6	f/4-5.6brighter
Made for	Full frame	Full frame
Mounts	Pentax K	Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K
Stabilised	no	no
Autofocus	yes	yes
Zoom range	3.0×	4.3×more range
Weight	2000 g	not listed
Cameras it fits	20 in this guide	59 in this guidefits more cameras

Focal range, in full-frame terms

Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW: 150-450mm.

Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2: 70-300mm.

Aperture

Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW: f/4.5 wide open.

Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2: f/4 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

How wide each sees, at each end, on the sensor it was made for.

Cameras they fit

20 cameras in this guide take both, so either works on the same body. In all, the Pentax HD D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW fits 20 and the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 59.