Lens Review: Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 VC USD vs. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

On this 2 part in-depth head to head video comparison by photographer Matthew Gore (from lightandmatter) we look at two very popular professional zoom lenses – the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 VC USD and the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM.

Gore is one of the most technical reviewers we know and this 2 part look at two pro lenses from Tamron and Canon is no exception. The first part – above was not completed because Gore felt that his copy of the Canon lens was not performing good enough. He waited and got a different copy and tested again (see the video below). He also added some pretty interesting comments about lens breathing which is a subject that has been discussed quite a bit in connection to different 70-200mm lenses – his conclusions in this respect are indeed interesting.

The second (possibly more important) part of the review from 2015

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSuFrIYiINU[/youtube]

So what is the bottom line – well, although there doesn’t seem to be a winner by a landslide, the Tamron does seem to be a better bang for the buck although both options seem to be very good (as long as you get a good copy).

The Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 VC USD is currently selling on Amazon for $1500, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM is significantly more expensive – selling for $2200 (with rebates after the purchase).

You can find many more previews and reviews on our Photography review section here on LensVid. We also encourage you to take a look at Matthew Gore’s other videos and we are waiting eagerly for his next one.

Iddo Genuth
Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.

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