Battle of the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS Lenses: $2,200 Canon Versus $1,500 Tamron

Looking to buy a lens in the popular 70-200mm focal range for your Canon DSLR? If want the best money can buy, you’re probably looking at a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, which costs a hefty $2,200. If you’d like the same range, fixed f/2.8 aperture, and stabilization but at a more affordable price point, the $1,500 Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC might be a product you’ve been eyeing. But how do these two lenses stack up against each other, and how big of a difference is there?

In the 10-minute video above, Kai Wong of DigitalRev pits the two options against each other on the streets of Hong Kong.

After testing the lenses from different angles, here’s Wong’s conclusion on the matter:

“For sure, if you want the best overall lens, go for the Canon. It is the complete overall package of sharpness, performance, and bokehliciousness,” he says. “But what a Tamron represents is nothing to be ashamed of. It has 95% of what the Canon has to offer for 1/3 of the price less of the Canon, which all sounds… sensible. But lens choices aren’t always about being sensible.”

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