I have been very curious as to how of these two lenses stack up against each other. The Tamron is $1000 cheaper than the Canon version. Watch the review to see how much of a difference there is.
Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 VC
Pros:
- $1000 cheaper than the canon ($1100 with the rebate available now)
- Stands up well to the Canon in most areas
- Smaller than the huge Canon version
- VC is fantastic
Cons:
- Focus ring is small and on the rear of the lens
- Vignetting is worse than the canon
Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS II
Pros:
- Truly lovely focus and zoom rings
- Slightly better build quality than the Tamron
- Suffers less from vignetting
Cons:
- Huge bulky lens
- Expensive
Conclusion
I’ve been ask many many times which lens is best. And from what I’ve seen and experienced with these lenses I tell everyone the same thing; if you think you’ll be using a 70-200mm lens 70+% of the time get the Canon. If you think you’ll use this focal length less, get the Tamron. It is all about opportunity cost. Don’t waste that extra $1100 on a lens when you could have invested that in a second lens or other gear.