Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS § 03 Head to head
Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS vs Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD
Sony 70–300mm f/4.5-5.6 has a brighter maximum aperture. Tamron 70–300mm f/4.5-6.3 is 309 g lighter.
Both lenses are made for the Sony E mount: the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS is a 70–300mm f/4.5-5.6 zoom, and the Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD is a 70–300mm f/4.5-6.3 zoom. On paper they trade blows, with 4 advantages each.
Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS 
Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD 01
Key differences
Why is the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS better than the Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD?
- Brighter maximum aperture (f/4.5-5.6 vs f/4.5-6.3)
- 5 mm shorter (143.5 mm vs 148 mm long)
- Has optical image stabilization
- More aperture blades (9 vs 7)
Why is the Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD better than the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS?
- 309 g lighter (545 g vs 854 g)
- Focuses 10 cm closer (0.8 m vs 0.9 m)
- Smaller filter thread (67 mm vs 72 mm)
- Newer design (2020 vs 2016)
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Which should you buy?
- portrait For portrait photography, the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS has the edge: its f/4.5-5.6 aperture gathers more light than f/4.5-6.3.
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Specification
| Specification | Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS | Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD |
|---|---|---|
| Focal length | 70–300mm | 70–300mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/4.5-5.6 ◆ | f/4.5-6.3 |
| Minimum aperture | f/22-29 | f/22-32 |
| Lens type | Telephoto zoom lens | Zoom lens |
| Format | Full Frame | Full frame |
| Weight | 854 g (1.88 lbs) | 545 g (19.22 oz) ◆ |
| Dimensions | 84 mm (diameter) x 143.5 mm (length) | 77 x 148 mm |
| Minimum focusing distance | 0.9 m (35.4 inches) | 0.8 m / 1.5 m (31.5 in / 59.1 in) ◆ |
| Maximum magnification | 0.31x | — |
| Image stabilization | Yes (Optical SteadyShot) ◆ | No |
| Weather sealing | Yes | Yes |
| Aperture ring | No | — |
| Aperture blades | 9 (circular) ◆ | 7 |
| Optical construction | 16 elements in 13 groups | 15 elements / 10 groups |
| Filter size | 72 mm | 67 mm ◆ |
| Lens mount | Sony E | Sony E, Nikon Z |
| Released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Price | — | $549 launch price |
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Size
- A · Sony
- B · Tamron
- 143.5 × 84 mm
- 148 × 77 mm
The Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD is 4 mm longer and 309 g lighter than the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS.
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Sample frames
Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS
Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD
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Video reviews
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Questions
- Which lens has the brighter aperture, the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS or the Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD?
- The Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS opens to f/4.5-5.6, against f/4.5-6.3 on the Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD.
- Which is lighter, the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS or the Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD?
- The Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD weighs 545 g, 309 g less than the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS (854 g).
- Which focuses closer, the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS or the Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD?
- The Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD focuses down to 0.8 m, against 0.9 m for the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS.
- Do the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS and the Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD have image stabilization?
- Only the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS has optical image stabilization.
- Is the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS or the Tamron 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD better for portrait photography?
- For portrait photography, the Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS has the edge: its f/4.5-5.6 aperture gathers more light than f/4.5-6.3.
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