The Tamron 70-300VC is pretty much the same difference as the Nikon version, with considerably slower AF and strange VR. You can see Tamron's vibration reduction work in the viewfinder. It's strange and hard for panning subjects. This lens may have been a good deal when the Nikon version was much more expensive, but now refurbished versions are within $15 of each other, so just get the Nikon 70-300VR.