Super Zoom Lens Comparison

Reading the comparison

Select lenses to overlay their maximum-aperture curves. Move the focal-length slider, or hover over the chart, to compare the apertures available at the same focal length. A lens outside its zoom range has no aperture result at that position.

The chart starts with the Sigma 20–200mm and Tamron 25–200mm G2. The earlier Tamron 28–200mm is greyed out and unselected by default, but remains available for comparison. The other four lenses extend the comparison to faster apertures or longer focal lengths. Distinct line patterns accompany the colours. Use the checkboxes to isolate overlapping curves.

Wider apertures sit at the top. Rows are evenly spaced nominal one-third-stop settings, rather than a linear f-number axis. The default logarithmic focal-length axis gives equal space to equal ratios, so 25–50 mm spans the same width as 50–100 mm. Choose Linear to give equal space to equal millimetre intervals.

The table’s stop differences are calculated as 2 × log₂(f-number / widest f-number at this focal length), rounded to one decimal. They describe the difference in nominal aperture, not measured light transmission, image quality or autofocus performance. Rounded camera f-numbers can produce small differences from exact one-third stops. For framing, try the Field of View Calculator.

Data and limitations

These curves use supplied aperture notes; the breakpoint values have not been independently verified. Each recorded aperture holds from its breakpoint until the next one, with no interpolation. Integer-millimetre boundaries should not be read as laboratory precision. Focus distance, camera reporting and lens version may affect real-world readings.

The Tamron 25–200mm G2 curve includes f/4 at 43 mm, f/4.5 at 54 mm and f/5 at 75 mm. Its supplied breakpoint notes are more detailed than the earlier plot, which omitted some settings. The complete notes are used here.

The supplied Tamron 150–500mm notes are excluded: they name an f/5–6.7 lens but end at f/6.3, without an f/6.7 transition. An incomplete curve could give a misleading comparison.

Recorded aperture ranges

Ranges below reproduce the supplied whole-millimetre notes. The interactive chart applies each change at the start of the listed range.

Lens	Focal length (mm) → maximum aperture
Sigma 20–200mm F3.5–6.3 DG Contemporary	20–21 → f/3.5; 22–27 → f/4; 28–37 → f/4.5; 38–49 → f/5; 50–82 → f/5.6; 83–200 → f/6.3
Tamron 25–200mm F/2.8–5.6 Di III VXD G2	25–26 → f/2.8; 27–33 → f/3.2; 34–42 → f/3.5; 43–53 → f/4; 54–74 → f/4.5; 75–95 → f/5; 96–200 → f/5.6
Tamron 28–200mm F/2.8–5.6 Di III RXD	28–30 → f/2.8; 31–42 → f/3.2; 43–53 → f/3.5; 54–77 → f/4; 78–112 → f/4.5; 113–146 → f/5; 147–200 → f/5.6
Tamron 28–300mm F4–7.1 Di III VC VXD	28–31 → f/4; 32–43 → f/4.5; 44–53 → f/5; 54–77 → f/5.6; 78–169 → f/6.3; 170–300 → f/7.1
Tamron 35–150mm F/2–2.8 Di III VXD	35–38 → f/2; 39–58 → f/2.2; 59–79 → f/2.5; 80–150 → f/2.8
Tamron 50–300mm F/4.5–6.3 Di III VC VXD	50–69 → f/4.5; 70–101 → f/5; 102–178 → f/5.6; 179–300 → f/6.3
Tamron 50–400mm F/4.5–6.3 Di III VC VXD	50–60 → f/4.5; 61–83 → f/5; 84–150 → f/5.6; 151–400 → f/6.3