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Home → Cameras and Lenses

Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S vs Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3

By Spencer Cox 14 Comments
Published On July 7, 2023

Partly for fun – and partly to see if you get what you pay for – I wanted to compare two rather different telephoto zooms today. One of them is among Nikon’s most coveted professional lenses, the Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S; the other is a third-party optic that costs about 1/3 as much, the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3. Which lens wins? Well, that’s not going to be a surprise, it’s the Nikon. But by how much? That’s what I’ll cover below!

Table of Contents

  • Focal Length (and Related Considerations)
  • Size and Weight
  • Build and Handling
  • Image Quality
    • Distortion
    • Lateral Chromatic Aberration
    • Vignetting
    • Sharpness
  • Value
  • Conclusion

Focal Length (and Related Considerations)

Starting with the obvious, these two lenses have different focal length ranges and different maximum aperture values at each focal length. For most photographers, reaching to 400mm on the long end will be more helpful than reaching to 70mm on the wide end, especially if you have other lenses that already cover 70mm.

In terms of maximum aperture, the Nikon lens has about a 1/3-stop advantage at 100mm and about a 1/2-stop advantage at 300mm. It’s nothing major, but still a win for the Nikon lens. You can also add a teleconverter to the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S to extend your reach, while the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 is incompatible with Nikon’s teleconverters.

Lastly, the Nikon Z lens has vibration reduction built-in, while the Tamron doesn’t. That’s not a big negative for Tamron so long as your camera has in-body image stabilization. However, if you intend to use this lens with any Nikon Z camera without IBIS, you’ll be much better off with the Nikon Z 100-400mm.

Nikon-Z9-00015
NIKON Z 9 + NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S @ 320mm, ISO 800, 1/1250, f/5.3
tamron-70-300-f4.5-6.3-iii-rxd-00003
NIKON Z 7 + TAMRON 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD A047Z @ 70mm, ISO 64, 1/13, f/5.6

Size and Weight

Unsurprisingly, the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S is a much larger and heavier lens than the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3. However, until you’ve held both of these lenses, the degree of difference might be difficult to understand.

I’ll put it this way – even with its tripod collar removed, the Nikon lens is 2.5 times as heavy as the Tamron lens. And the size difference feels even greater. Here’s a rough comparison, to scale, of both lenses:

Nikon 100-400 f4.5-5.6 S versus Tamron 70-300mm f4.5-6.3 Size Comparison to Scale

When I was testing these two lenses in the field, the Tamron was easy to throw in my backpack (or just handhold) with barely a second thought. As for the Nikon lens, it’s not like it stayed in my bag the whole time, but carrying it around all day was a lot tougher. You don’t need a tripod when you’re using the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S, but you’ll probably want one.

Some photographers may prefer the reassuring heft of the Nikon lens over the lightweight feel of the Tamron, but if I had to bring either lens on a long hike, I know which one I’d reach for.

Nikon-Z-100-400-4.5-5.6-sample-small-00018
NIKON Z 9 + NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S @ 175mm, ISO 64, 1/125, f/7.1
tamron-70-300-f4.5-6.3-iii-rxd-00004
NIKON Z 7 + TAMRON 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD A047Z @ 198mm, ISO 64, 1/400, f/6.3

Build and Handling

There’s no contest here – the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S is a pro-level lens with excellent build quality and handling features. I was actually impressed by the Tamron lens’s build quality and weatherproofing, but in terms of handling, it’s terrible by comparison.

The Nikon Z 100-400mm has a multitude of buttons and switches – two function buttons, an extra control ring, a focus limiter, an illuminated display, and an A-M switch. The side of the lens looks like this:

Nikon Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR S
The Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S

Meanwhile, the Tamron lens doesn’t have any buttons or switches at all – not even an A-M switch. There’s just the usual focus and zoom rings. Of course, that’s part of how Tamron got the weight and price down, so some photographers won’t care one way or another.

Both lenses extend when zoomed, with a single barrel telescoping design. This isn’t ideal for working in rainy or dusty conditions, but the sealing on both lenses never gave me any problems even in harsh weather.

tamron-70-300-f4.5-6.3-product-image-size-comparison-zoomed-out-vs-zoomed-in
The Tamron lens at 70mm and 300mm
Nikon Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR S size at 100mm and 400mm
The Nikon lens at 100mm and 400mm

Image Quality

1. Distortion

Telephoto lenses aren’t known for having high levels of distortion, but the Tamron lens does get higher than I’d like to see. Here are my distortion measurements for both lenses:

Nikon-Z-100-400mm-f4.5-5.6-VR-S-Distortion-Performance-New

Tamron-70-300mm-f4.5-6.3-Di-III-RXD-Distortion-Performance-New

The Nikon lens maxes out at 1.95% pincushion distortion, while the Tamron lens reaches as high as 3.14% pincushion distortion. This is usually easy to correct in post-processing regardless, but it’s still a win in the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6’s column.

Lateral Chromatic Aberration

Neither lens has high levels of chromatic aberration at the wider focal lengths. Unfortunately, the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 jumps sharply in CA at 300mm. Here are the full charts:

Nikon-Z-100-400mm-f-4-5-5-6-VR-S-Chromatic-Aberration-Performance

Tamron-70-300mm-f4.5-6.3-Chromatic-Aberration-Performance

Both lenses achieve very good performance levels in the shared range from 100-200mm. I’m not sure why the Tamron lens spikes so high at 300mm by comparison. Meanwhile, the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S has its own spike at 400mm, but it’s still less than the Tamron. Adding a teleconverter to the Nikon 100-400mm increases chromatic aberration further, unsurprisingly.

3. Vignetting

Now let’s take a look at vignetting – another area where the Nikon Z lens comes out ahead:

Nikon-Z-100-400mm-f4.5-5.6-VR-S-Vignetting-Performance-New

Tamron-70-300mm-f4.5-6.3-Di-III-RXD-Vignetting-Performance-New

I wouldn’t call the differences striking, but they definitely favor the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 over the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3. At 100mm, wide open, it’s about a 0.3-stop difference. That difference jumps to about 0.4 stops at 200mm and 0.5 stops at 300mm.

4. Sharpness

Now for the real fun! Does the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 continue its winning streak by being sharper? In a word, yes.

Here’s 100mm, the first shared focal length of these two lenses:

Nikon-Z-100-400mm-f-4-5-5-6-VR-S-MTF-Performance-100mm

Tamron-70-300mm-f4.5-6.3-MTF-Performance-100mm

This really is no contest, regardless of where you look in the frame. The Nikon Z lens is much sharper at 100mm, from the center to the corners. It’s not that the Tamron lens is bad (although its corners aren’t great at 100mm) – it’s more that the Nikon lens is unusually good. The differences narrow a bit, but never equalize, at f/11 and f/16.

Now for 200mm:

Nikon-Z-100-400mm-f-4-5-5-6-VR-S-MTF-Performance-200mm

Tamron-70-300mm-f4.5-6.3-MTF-Performance-200mm-New

This time, the Tamron lens’s corners have improved significantly, while the Nikon 100-400mm is not quite as sharp as it was at 100mm. But that’s not enough to change the story; the Nikon lens is ahead at every aperture and portion of the frame.

Lastly, here’s 300mm:

Nikon-Z-100-400mm-f-4-5-5-6-VR-S-MTF-Performance-300mm

Tamron-70-300mm-f4.5-6.3-MTF-Performance-300mm

If you’ve read my Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S review, you may recall that it weakens a bit in sharpness at the longer focal lengths. The Tamron also maintains very good performance at 300mm, unlike a lot of third-party lenses. Even so, the Nikon lens is significantly sharper wide-open, and it’s sharper in the corners at every aperture. At the narrower apertures, the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 does manage slightly better central and midframe performance.

Overall, I think the answer is pretty clear – you do get what you pay for with a pro-level Nikon Z lens. The Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S is a vastly sharper lens than the Tamron at 100mm and 200mm, and it’s still the better performer at 300mm (although less dramatically). The Nikon lens also comes out ahead in distortion, vignetting, and chromatic aberration. It’s simply a better-corrected lens, as it should be for the price and weight.

Value

These two lenses live in very different worlds. Frankly, it’s unfair of me to compare them under a microscope optically, with the $700 Tamron doomed to lose to the $2700 Nikon S-line lens.

But seeing the differences like this side-by-side lets you get a good sense of each lens’s value. If you’re on a budget, I would get the Tamron, no contest. The same is true for any lightweight situations. As a landscape photographer who likes to hike long distances, the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 is immediately appealing because it still manages solid performance without breaking my back. With Tamron’s usual $100-off sale, it makes for a very good value.

Still, considering the Nikon’s impressive performance (and 400mm capabilities), it’s also a good value. They’re just made for different audiences. Professional photographers who want excellent performance and maximum versatility, even at the expense of weight and price, can’t go wrong with the Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S.

You can check the current prices, and support my testing efforts at Photography Life, at the following B&H affiliate links:

  • Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S at B&H – Check prices and current sales
  • Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 for Nikon Z at B&H – Check prices and current sales
Nikon-Z7-ii-00001
NIKON Z7 II + NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S @ 400mm, ISO 160, 1/400, f/5.6
tamron-70-300-f4.5-6.3-iii-rxd-00024
NIKON Z 7 + TAMRON 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD A047Z @ 300mm, ISO 100, 1/200, f/6.3

Conclusion

I hope this article helped you decide which one of the two lenses is right for you – or justify the purchase of whichever one you already have :)

The truth is that the Nikon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 is optically fantastic, while the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 performs well for a lens that’s 1/3 the price and less than 1/2 the weight. Even though this comparison has a clear winner, neither lens is a bad choice. They’re just made for different photographers.

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about these two lenses, and I’ll do what I can to answer!

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Filed Under: Cameras and Lenses Tagged With: Choosing a Lens, Nikon, Nikon Lens, Nikon Mirrorless, Tamron, Tamron Lens

About Spencer Cox

I'm Spencer Cox, a landscape photographer based in Colorado. I started writing for Photography Life a decade ago, and now I run the website in collaboration with Nasim. I've used nearly every digital camera system under the sun, but for my personal work, I love the slow-paced nature of large format film. You can see more at my personal website and my not-exactly-active Instagram page.

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Till
Till
July 11, 2023 7:53 am

Nice comparison!
Is the Tamron, in terms of sharpness and resolution, good enough for the sensor used in the Z8?

0
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Mike Su
Mike Su
July 9, 2023 11:17 pm

I had the Nikon Z 100-400 mm with Z9 in my recent Stellers’s Sea Eagle and White tailed Eagle shootings in Hakkido Japan. It was a perfect match with handheld and the photos came out exetremely beautiful. The lens is sharp, quick and smooth. I love this lens and strongly recommend others to consider for owning one.

3
Reply
Richard Angeloni
Richard Angeloni
July 8, 2023 7:45 pm

I have (and love) the Z 100mm-400mm, as well as the F mount FX AF-P 70mm-300mm lens, so this lens, without VR, is not really of interest. The AF-P lens is light and handles well with the FTZ, even on the Z50.

2
Reply
Jason Frels
Jason Frels
July 8, 2023 2:17 pm

It might be a nice lightweight lens to have with a Z50 if it had VR.

3
Reply
Richard Handler
Richard Handler
July 7, 2023 8:11 pm

Spencer, this is a valuable comparison. As a Sony shooter I’ve ditched the Sony 70-200 f/4 and the excellent 100-400 f4.5-5.6 GM for the optically superb Tamron 70-180 f2.8 (which in MF @ 70mm produces 2:1 macro). With 61 mp I can crop for longer reach into the 300mm fov range.

My travel lens: The Tamron 28-200 f2.8-5.6 – 575 g, 67mm filters, and only $649 new at B&H when on sale. Hope Z mount versions will be offered for Nikon shooters. I’m old enough to be your grandfather and cannot tote monster gear.

Keep your Honda Element going. Mine turns 200,000 mi on its present tank of gas!

1
Reply
R John Anderson
R John Anderson
July 7, 2023 5:25 pm

The dunes image is great 👍

4
Reply
Spencer Cox
Spencer Cox
Author
Reply to  R John Anderson
July 7, 2023 6:00 pm

Thank you! Glad you like it. That’s one of my favorites too.

1
Reply
R John Anderson
R John Anderson
Reply to  Spencer Cox
July 7, 2023 7:05 pm

Just curious where was that?

0
Reply
Spencer Cox
Spencer Cox
Author
Reply to  R John Anderson
July 7, 2023 7:12 pm

It’s in the Liwa Desert in Abu Dhabi – I took it on our workshop there last year.

2
Reply
Vernon Rogers
Vernon Rogers
July 7, 2023 5:22 pm

I would like to know how the Tamron compares with the Nikon F mount AF-P 70-300, which I already have?

0
Reply
Spencer Cox
Spencer Cox
Author
Reply to  Vernon Rogers
July 7, 2023 5:23 pm

You’re in luck! I just posted this: photographylife.com/nikon…-f-4-5-6-3

0
Reply
Vernon Rogers
Vernon Rogers
Reply to  Spencer Cox
July 7, 2023 7:44 pm

Thank you, I just noticed it in the website. My conclusions so far is neither. What appeals, except for weight, is the Nikon 100-400. But finance doesn’t allow for that. Too bad Tamron doesn’t make a 100-400. Well, they do but it is F mount. I have had the FTZ adapter for a while now and it is sometimes a rescue for me. But I do like a longer lens, especially zoom. So guess it is a waiting game, like it is for me now with my Z8 order. I enjoy your articles.

1
Reply
Charlie
Charlie
July 7, 2023 4:04 pm

The affiliate link for the Nikon lens is miss labeled. It says 24-200mm, but the link is for the 100-400mm.

0
Reply
Spencer Cox
Spencer Cox
Author
Reply to  Charlie
July 7, 2023 4:28 pm

Good catch, thank you! Just fixed it.

0
Reply

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