Today’s Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 review is exactly that; something unprecedented, but in a modest way that is within reach of most photographers. It’s a professional quality lens, yet with a massive savings compared to the average professional f/2.8 zoom lens in this range. We’ve already seen so many unique zooms already that buck the trends of traditional zooms. We’ve seen quite a few totally unique ultra-wide lenses lately, such as the Tamron 16-30mm f/2.8 G2, the 20-40mm f/2.8, and the 17-50mm f/4. Simply put, across the board, nobody else is making lenses like these.

The thing is, with so many excellent zoom lenses on the market now, how do you know if this exact focal range is right for you? Read this review and I promise you’ll find out… I’m not an influencer, though, so don’t let my bold “clickbait” type statement trick you; instead, check out these sample photos and decide for yourself.

What I do have to offer you is, my 20+ years of experience as a photographer, including professional weddings and portraits, but also countless other types of professional work, plus more hobby / amateur subjects than I can count. That is to say, whatever type of imagery you create, I’ll probably be able to advise you on whether or not the Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lens is right for you.

Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Di III VXD | Specifications

• FOCAL LENGTH & ANGLE OF VIEW: 35-100mm (63° to 24°)
• LENS MOUNT(S): Sony E (FE full-frame), Nikon Z (FX full-frame)
• APERTURE & RANGE: f/2.8 (constant), minimum f/22 rounded 9-blade diaphragm
• STABILIZATION: No
• AUTOFOCUS: VXD linear motor, near-silent
• MANUAL FOCUS: digitally controlled, dedicated focus ring, “custom function” switch
• OPTICAL CONSTRUCTION: 15 elements in 13 groups, 2 aspherical, 1 low-dispersion aspherical, 1 low-dispersion, 1 XLD (extra-low dispersion)
• MECHANICAL BUILD: metal barrel & mount, weather-sealed, USB port
• MAGNIFICATION & FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.3x magnification, 8.66” (0.22m) close focusing
• FILTER THREADS & HOOD: 67mm, 1-piece hood included
• SIZE: 3.2 x 4.7″ (80.6 x 119.2 mm)
• WEIGHT: 1.2 lb (565g)
• PRICE: $899

Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Review | Who Should Buy It?

Let’s dive right in and talk about why this lens even exists, then we’ll talk about who should consider it. Simply put, you probably already know that the most common zoom range is 24-70mm. Such lenses seem to pop up like weeds, and most of them are pretty good!

Honestly, though? Right off the bat, I will say that as a portrait and wedding photographer, I never liked that exact zoom range. Especially for almost all types of portraits except maybe large groups, I never spent much time at 24mm, and I always wished for a little bit more than 70mm.

Therefore, for portraits (and weddings) in particular, I actually find myself wondering, …where was this exact focal length 20 years ago? It’s actually perfect for so many different types of portraits. Whether I’m doing engagement portraits of a couple, or newborn / maternity portraits, or headshots, high school senior portraits, graduation portraits, …but I’m getting ahead of myself now. The bottom line is this: If you take pictures of people, and if you value bokeh (background blur) …then you should really consider making this your go-to standard, mid-range zoom, instead of a common 24-70mm.

Portrait & Wedding Photography

I’ve already set the stage for which types of photographers I’m going to recommend this lens to, so, here I will just rattle off a list of all the different types of (people) photography that I’ve done, and whether or not I think this a good lens…

This Lens Is Perfect For:

• Engagements / Couples
• Individual headshots (corporate, graduation)
• Maternity & newborns
• Editorial & fashion
• Candid street photography
• Detail shots AKA “food portraits” etc
• Concerts, theater, stage etc

I Might Prefer a 24-70mm or 28-75mm for:

• Up-close photojournalism & indoor weddings
• Large groups of families, corporate teams, etc
• Environmental portraits, elopements, etc

Vloggers & Content Creators (Video)

This is where things get complicated, especially since many cameras apply a crop factor depending on which exact video settings you’re using. There is, however, one thing I wanted to point out where this lens might feel truly perfect for you!

I imagine that there are a lot of video shooters of all types who previously used a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. However, in the past a lot of cameras applied a crop factor when switching from photo to video, and they got used to that.

Now, more and more cameras are offering “full-width” video capture, meaning there is no longer a crop applied! Suddenly, your 24-70mm might feel “too wide”. In this specific instance, you might absolutely love the arrival of this 35-100mm.

Of course, the same logic applies to all video shooters past and present. When deciding which mid-range zoom is best for you, consider your current camera’s crop factor, (1.2x, 1.5x, etc) …and also consider what camera you might eventually upgrade to! You might decide that this lens isn’t right for you, and maybe the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 is a better choice. Ultimately, this decision is a complicated one because there are both creative and technical factors, so, give it a lot of thought.

Action Sports & Wildlife Photography

Both of these types of subjects often benefit from “a little extra reach”, so, again I will strongly recommend checking out the Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8. Maybe you’re photographing your kid’s gymnastics, theater, or music recital. Maybe you’re sitting in a blind waiting for wildlife to pass by. Either way, obviously your primary lens is going to be a much bigger telephoto option, but this mid-range zoom makes a much better complement to add to your camera bag.

Landscape & Nightscape Photography

Last but not least, here we have a mixed bag of suggestions that I’ll make. Simply put, I could see this lens being a great mid-range zoom if your bread-and-butter lenses are a 16-35mm and a 100-400mm. Obviously, the 35-100mm literally fits perfectly between two such lenses!

On the other hand, if I had to pick just one mid-range lens for either landscapes or nightscapes, I have to admit that it would be a good 24-70mm f/2.8.

On the other (third?) hand, honestly? I really like how much more lightweight, compact, and affordable this 35-100mm lens is. So, I come full-circle back to my initial advice: If your main landscape/nightscape lens is a 16-35mm, this is a perfect supplement. On the other hand, if your go-to is a 14-24mm or a 12-24mm, then yes, you ought to consider a mid-range zoom that is slightly wider.

Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Review | Pros & Cons

I’m going to be as brief as I can be in this section, because I want the photos to really speak for themselves. I’ll sum up this entire section for you right here: The Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Di III VXD delivers excellent image quality, is built to feel professional and rugged, yet fits into a decently compact package compared to “exotic flagship” glass.

Image Quality

As you’ll see, whether it’s the clinical sharpness or the subtle bokeh, I’m impressed with the results. Especially for a lens that is likely oriented towards portraits, it is important to find a balance between technical perfection and the “character” of an image. In each instance, I think Tamron has done a very good job.

Technical factors such as vignetting, distortion, and chromatic aberrations are minimal, or at least they seem to be. This is likely thanks to built-in lens profiles that correct (hide) some amount of vignetting and distortion. However, this is par for the course in virtually all modern mirrorless lenses, and what really matters is the end result: Not only do you get excellent final images, but you also don’t have to lug around a massive piece of glass to get those results.

I do wish that this particular lens could focus just a little more close-up. The particular zoom range could lend itself to being an excellent “semi-macro” lens, and therefore I do wish that the magnification had been capable of 0.5x compared to 0.3x. With that being said, the close-up images are indeed stunning and I’m very happy with what I can get from this Tamron.

Build Quality, Ergonomics, & Portability

The Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Di III VXD joins a growing arsenal in Tamron’s lineup, one that offers both professional quality yet also compact portability. We’ve seen this trend already; Tamron’s lenses getting smaller and lighter while offering different zoom ranges. Years ago, we started with lenses like the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 and 28-75mm f/2.8, both of which were significantly more compact and lightweight versus traditional flagship lenses.

More recently, we’ve seen options such as the Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8, and the 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2. Across the board, there’s been a common theme: durable, professional quality, with significant weight (and price) savings.

For this particular 35-100mm f/2.8 lens, the theme is similar: It’s lighter and smaller than a 24-70mm f/2.8, and yet it feels solid and professional.

Honestly, I was expecting something even more lightweight and compact when I first heard this lens announcement. I think, maybe, I have been spoiled by such ultra-light lenses as the Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8, (365g) the Tamron 16-30mm f/2.8, (440g) or the APS-C crop sensor Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8. (530g) I think, however, that this 35-100mm f/2.8 lens is just a touch heavier than those because it is very difficult for any lens to bridge the gap between “normal”, AKA ~50mm.

Simply put, there’s no other f/2.8 zoom on the market which offers this exact zoom range, and this Tamron does it in a relatively compact package with just a tiny bit more heft than, shall we say, “weighing almost nothing”.

Autofocus Performance, Manual Focus, Focus Breathing

Compared to the older types of autofocus, Tamron’s latest VXD AF lenses are excellent. They’re virtually silent, fast, and accurate. I had no trouble nailing focus with this lens, even in low light and even with tricky subjects.

Of course, this may depend on the exact camera body you’re using; older mirrorless camera bodies don’t have the same AF chops as, say, Sony or Nikon’s latest-gen AF algorithms that use AI to help detect and track all manner of subjects.

All in all, I’m very happy, and I think anyone else considering this lens will be impressed as well. Whether you’re doing precise manual focus work for landscapes & astrophotography, or you’re pulling focus for video work, there’s nothing negative to note here.

Features & Customizations

I’m delighted to see Tamron begin to include an AF/MF switch on their newer lenses. Well, this isn’t a dedicated AF/MF switch, it’s a 1/2/3 position custom function switch, but of course you can use it to switch between autofocus and manual focus.

There is also a custom function button, which I personally don’t use very often but it’s a nice professional feature for those who want it.

Last but not least, there’s a USB port for customizing the lens and updating its firmware, and apparently this USB-C port is weather-proof.

Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Review | Value & The Competition

Here’s what you need to know: There’s no other 35-100mm f/2.8 zoom on the market, period. If you want this exact zoom range, this is your only option. (It’s an excellent range too, in my opinion!)
Having said that, there are still alternatives, if you’re flexible. Multiple 28-70mm or 28-75mm options exist, and some of them are more lightweight & compact while others are a bit heavier. Or, if you’re looking for the most traditional option, tons of 24-70mm f/2.8’s exist.

I do want to note that Tamron themselves have yet to release a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for mirrorless cameras. They have a phenomenal “SP” DSLR-made 24-70mm f/2.8, but so far in the mirrorless realm they have focused on alternatives that are a slightly different focal range, and much more portable. In my opinion, this was a very smart move, but it’s worth noting that if what you really want is a 24-70mm f/2.8, maybe Tamron will offer one someday.

With all of that said, here’s the bottom line: For under $900, this Tamron is in a class of its own. The flagship 24-70mm f/2.8’s start around $1400, and easily get up to $2400. Any other option in a similar ~$900 price range is going to be a significantly different offering; not just the zoom range but also the image quality, autofocus reliability, etc.

In summary, if you like this zoom range, this isn’t just your best choice by default, it is truly an excellent lens that beats any “close but not quite” alternative.

Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Review | Conclusion

I hope you now have a better idea of whether or not the Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lens is right for you! It’s not for everyone, however, there is definitely a huge group of both photographers and video creators who should strongly consider it.

If you photograph portraits or people in general, you should consider this lens before you think about a standard mid-range zoom. If you photograph people or animals in action, …same! To my own surprise, I’m even extending my recommendation to landscape and nightscape photographers, depending on which exact ultra-wide zoom you are using.

Currently, the Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 DI III VXD sells for $899 on the Sony E mount, or $929 on the Nikon Z mount. From time to time you might see a $50 or $100 savings offered, as is common for many lenses, but for now (spring 2026) it’s a rather new, popular item so you’ll be fortunate if it’s in stock!

Video: 5 Simple Portrait Ideas & Tips for Any Outdoor Park

For our 5 portrait ideas, we’ll be using a pair of lenses sent to us by Tamron. We’ll be trying out the 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 and the 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lenses for Sony. The wide range of focal lengths as well as Tamron’s incredible lens build will help us get the perfect portrait series with our model, my friend, Sabrina. You can check her out on Instagram here.

#1: Backlight Your Portrait

Starting with the 28-75mm f/2.8, my first tip is to backlight your subject. I placed Sabrina underneath the dabbled sunlight created by the trees above.

Compare this with an image in direct sunlight.

#2: Reflector Bump

I had Sabrina pose beside the shaded side of a tree. The only problem is that the sunlight was bouncing off of the ground and creating a slight “underlight.”

To even this out, I used a white reflector and held it up to bounce the light back on her face. This created a very pleasant and even light, perfect for portraits.

#3: Shoot in Open Shade

Let’s switch to the 70-180mm f/2.8. I call this concept the “Open Shade.” You’ll notice that one side is shaded, in this case, by the tree, and the other side is open to the sky.

This essentially creates a giant soft directional light source. You can add an accent piece or shoot plainly. Either way, the light makes for great portraits.

#4: Compress the Scene

Take advantage of the zoom lens to squash the foreground and background together to really focus in on your subject. I combined this concept with tip #1 to create a backlight on Sabrina.

I then framed her in front of a dark area in the trees beside other backlit trees and captured these great images showcasing her dance skills.

#5: Find the Brightest Spot

This is one of my favorite framing elements because it places your subject where the most attention is drawn to in the image.

In this instance, the brightest spot in the frame was the opening in the trees in the background. Check out the difference.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article/video. Give these portrait ideas a try during your next park portrait session! Be sure to visit SLR Lounge Premium for complete courses on photography related subjects including Mastering Lightroom and Creating a Successful Photography Business. You can also visit Visual Flow for all of our intuitive Lightroom presets and retouching tools. Lastly, be sure to check out Tamron’s incredible 28-75mm f/2.8 as well as the 70-180mm f/2.8 lenses to cover your full range of focal lengths for all types of photography at a great price.

Thanks for watching and see you next time!

This G2 version builds on the success of the original 28-200mm f/2.8–5.6 RXD, which earned a reputation as one of the most practical, high-performance superzooms in the E-mount ecosystem. By extending the wide end to 25mm, the updated model delivers more flexibility for landscapes and interior shots, while still covering a 200mm telephoto range — all without increasing in size or weight.

Compact, Versatile, and Sharper

Tamron has packed meaningful upgrades into the G2, including an improved optical design (18 elements in 14 groups) and a faster, more accurate autofocus system powered by its VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor. The result is better image quality across the frame and performance fast enough for tracking fast-moving subjects like kids, pets, or action scenes.

Another standout feature is the lens’s ability to focus extremely close — just 6.3 inches (0.16m) at the wide end — allowing for a 1:1.9 maximum magnification ratio. That puts it in half-macro territory, which adds even more creative flexibility for travel, product, and food photography.

Key Features at a Glance

• Focal range: 25–200mm, with a variable f/2.8–5.6 aperture
• VXD linear motor for fast, silent AF
• Minimum focusing distance of 6.3″ at 25mm (1:1.9 macro)
• Weight: 575g (20.3oz) and just 121.5mm in length
• Unified 67mm front filter thread, consistent with most modern Tamron mirrorless lenses
• Compatible with Tamron Lens Utility for on-the-go customization
• Updated grip texture and smoother control rings for improved ergonomics

Ideal Use Cases

This lens is purpose-built for photographers who want to carry one lens and still be ready for anything. The wide end is now truly useful for sweeping landscapes, tight indoor scenes, or environmental portraits, while the 200mm reach makes it capable for distant wildlife, candid moments, or compressed portraits. Whether you’re backpacking, shooting family vacations, or capturing run-and-gun content, this lens covers it all without the need to swap glass.

With its strong close-up performance, it’s also a natural fit for detail-oriented work — like travel food shots, craft or lifestyle content, or even makeshift product photography — especially in situations where carrying a dedicated macro lens isn’t practical.

Who Is This Lens For?

The Tamron 25-200mm G2 is ideal for hybrid creators, travel photographers, and everyday shooters who want a compact yet capable lens that can handle nearly any situation. Beginners moving up from a kit lens will appreciate the faster f/2.8 wide end and macro ability, while advanced users will value the improved optics and responsive autofocus — all in a single lens that doesn’t demand constant lens swaps.

Those seeking top-tier edge-to-edge sharpness at all focal lengths or constant f/2.8 performance throughout the zoom range may still gravitate toward Tamron’s more specialized primes or pro zooms. But for anyone looking to simplify their kit without sacrificing quality, this G2 update offers serious versatility in a well-refined package.

Sample Images

Pricing and Availability

The Tamron 25-200mm f/2.8–5.6 Di III VXD G2 will be available on November 20, 2025 for $899 USD / $1,199 CAD.

After 20+ years as a wedding photographer, and even longer as a landscape photographer who absolutely loved dramatic views and epic scenery, I’ve always appreciated a good wide-angle lens. Also, I’ve usually preferred zooms, because when your view extends to the horizon, you cannot “just take a few steps back” to increase your angle of view with, say, a 24-70mm lens.

So, what if you could stop juggling your mid-range zoom and wide-angle zoom? What if you could actually improve your photography, by being more present in the moment, and not worrying about whether or not you need to switch lenses again?

That is what the Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD is all about. With a totally unique zoom range that literally no other full-frame mirrorless lens offers, there is a very good chance that you should check this thing out. I don’t say this very often, but it could actually be a game-changer…

Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD Specifications

• Tamron Model No: A068
• FOCAL LENGHT & ANGLE OF VIEW: 17mm (103°) to 50mm (46°)
• LENS MOUNT(S): Sony FE (full-frame) mirrorless
• APERTURE & RANGE: f/4 to f/22, 9-blade rounded aperture
• STABILIZATION: No optical stabilization
• AUTOFOCUS: VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor, nearly silent
• MANUAL FOCUS: electronically controlled, focus breathing: yes, moderate
• OPTICAL CONSTRUCTION: 15 elements in 13 groups, 2 hybrid aspherical, 1 molded aspherical, fluorine front coating (weather resistant) 
• MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION: Plastic barrel, metal mount, weather-sealed, internal zoom & focus
• MAGNIFICATION & FOCUS DISTANCE: 7.5 in (0.19m) & 1:4.6 reproduction @ 17mm, 11.8 in (0.3m) & 1:3.8 reproduction @ 50mm
• FILTER THREADS & HOOD: 67mm, plastic hood included
• SIZE: 2.94×4.49 in (75x114mm)
• WEIGHT: 1.01 lb (460g)
• PRICE: $699
  (B&H | Adorama | Amazon) 

Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Review | Who Should Buy It?

The Tamron 17-50mm f/4 is a totally unique lens; as I mentioned, no other lens on the market offers the same zoom range. (That is, full-frame lenses; indeed there are 17-50mm lenses for APSC cameras!)

What does that mean for you as a photographer or videographer? Well, I could just say, EVERYBODY should consider this lens, and that wouldn’t be a lie, but it also wouldn’t be useful advice at all, either.

So, before we dive in, I’ll say this: If you’ve ever used a wide-angle zoom that stops at 24mm, 28mm, or 35mm, and been frustrated by how frequently you have to switch back and forth between it and your mid-range zoom, then you really want to consider this lens. Oppositely, if you’ve mostly stuck with a 24-70mm, and you’ve hesitated to ever buy an ultra-wide lens because you know you’d rarely use the widest end yet often find yourself switching it out, again, check this thing out!

Landscape & Cityscape Photography

Whenever I get my hands on any wide-angle lens, my first thought is always of landscape photography. Backpacking and hiking are my passion, so I’m always looking for lenses that are lightweight, compact, and yet extremely sharp. (Oh, and I’m always on a budget, too!)

Honestly, the idea of 17mm to 50mm was very exciting to me when this lens was announced, but I had fears about its optical performance. How sharp would the lens be in the extreme corners? Surely there must be a reason why no other lens maker has ever created a 17-50mm zoom before; it can’t be easy!

Well, as you will see when we get to the Image Quality portion of this lens review, there is indeed a bit of a compromise in the corners. It absolutely qualifies as nit-picking, though, and I wouldn’t hesitate to take this lens on a backpacking trip where weight savings was important. Pairing this with a lightweight telephoto zoom such as the Tamron 70-300mm would be a dream adventure landscape photography and vlogging kit!

Having said that, if you are absolutely obsessed with sharpness, and you’re planning on closely inspecting the corners of 40-60 megapixel images, you might want to either curb that bad habit, or consider a different lens.

Content Creation & Videography

Whether you are a vlogger or any sort of influencer, you’ll understand the value of being able to cover this zoom range. At the wide end, you’ll likely find yourself constantly battling the restriction of an “Active” sensor-based image stabilization system, and having 17mm means you can still get an end result that is somewhere around 20-24mm. Or, even more useful is Sony’s new AI-based subject “follow cropping” as I call it; where the image frame is cropped in very significantly for the purpose of following a subject around the frame.

Either way, the zoom range from 17mm to 50mm makes this one of the most versatile lenses that any content creator or videographer could ask for. It doesn’t have optical stabilization, but thankfully many cameras today have sensor-based stabilization, and digital stabilization is getting truly phenomenal.

Architecture & Real Estate Photography

Similarly, the Tamron 17-50mm’s unique zoom range will allow you to accomplish more with less. You might very well be able to do all of your work with just this lens and maybe one additional telephoto lens that you hardly ever reach for!

The only drawback is that for close quarters, the 17mm wide end might not be wide enough for small rooms such as bathrooms. A skilled professional can usually make 17mm work, but then again, if this is a workhorse lens that pays your bills, there is no denying that a 14-24mm would be optimal.

Candid & Street Photography

Candid imagery of any kind is where needing to zoom back and forth around the medium-wide focal lengths has been a “pain point” for many content creators who struggle to decide which lens to use, and when to switch between two lenses.

In other words, think of it this way: when you go out and about to do candid street photography, you could own all the lenses money can buy, but you’d still prefer to go out with just ONE!

In this scenario, The Tamron 17-50mm f/4 is one of the best choices around. One might argue in favor of a faster aperture lens such as the Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8, but its zoom range is restricted on BOTH ends. Of course, if you primarily focus on portraits, you might simply opt for a 35mm prime, but again, such a lens is so vastly different that I’d want to own both it and the Tamron 17-50mm.

Portrait, Wedding, & Event Photography

17mm isn’t exactly an optimal portrait focal length, but, hear me out! Even though this lens is near the top of the list as one of the best landscape photography lenses I’ve ever used, I honestly can’t decide if it’s better for landscape, or better as an event journalism lens. Here’s why:

With landscape (and real-estate) photography, you might appreciate the weight savings of being able to leave your mid-range lens at home, however, you’re not really going to ever find yourself urgently zooming from, say, 24mm to 50mm, and grateful that you didn’t have to switch lenses.

With wedding and event photography, however, you absolutely will hesitate to switch from your 24-70mm to your ultra-wide lens for this exact reason. You don’t want to get caught without the ability to zoom beyond 24mm, 28mm, or 35mm!

For this reason, I absolutely think that the Tamron 17-50mm is the absolute best ultra-wide zoom for event photography. Yeah, you might not replace your 24-70mm lens, but you’ll probably still get better wide-angle photos because you won’t hesitate to throw this lens on your camera. I hope this makes sense!

Action Sports & Wildlife Photography

This last category is a bit of an odd one, but it’s all about how the 17-50mm, when combined with certain other telephoto lenses that are well-suited to wildlife photography, might allow you to leave your mid-range zoom at home. (The “leave your mid-range zoom at home” mantra is  a common theme in this review, but wildlife and action sports photography deserves a special mention, because of which lenses perfectly meet at the 50mm point!)

Simply put, this lens would pair perfectly with a Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3. You would be able to do all of your photography with just two lenses. (Which might allow you to more quickly save up for something exotic such as a 300mm f/2.8; always beware of “Gear Acquisition Syndrome”! If you’re on a tighter budget for price and/or weight, the new Tamron 50-300mm comes in at just $799.

It must be a world record, to cover from 17mm to 300mm for under $1,500, let alone with just two lenses!

In all seriousness, check out this article here for some suggestions about just how diverse the telephoto options are from Tamron.

NOTE: What If You’re On A Crop Sensor?

One last thing that deserves mentioning is this: The 17-50mm focal range is actually a very popular zoom range for APSC type cameras. In fact, Tamron’s own 17-50mm f/2.8 (2006) was the very first lens of its kind.

So, it begs the question: If you’re currently using an APSC camera such as a Sony A6700, should you consider buying this relatively affordable, compact 17-50mm lens, so that if you upgrade to full-frame some day, you can still use the same lens?

It depends, of course. The difference between sensor sizes is absolutely massive. So, if you like this lens on APSC, it actually means you’ll need to get a 28-75mm lens on full-frame, and this 17-50mm will become a whole new lens.

My advice would be this: Go for it; get this lens, but also, try out the Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 as well, and see if you like that lens on APSC, because that is a much better approximation of what you’ll be getting if/when you use the 17-50mm on full-frame. Maybe just rent the Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 for a weekend and see how you like it; you don’t have to buy it, but you should understand what you’re getting into.

Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD Review | Pros & Cons

The main advantage of the Tamron 17-50 is indeed its zoom range. Unprecedented on full-frame, it stands alone versus competitors. However, it still deserves consideration based on its actual performance, and the price tag or the value it offers. Of course, if a lens just isn’t very sharp or has poor autofocus, it doesn’t matter how unique the zoom range is!

Image Quality

Here’s the quick-and-dirty verdict: If you’re not a pixel-peeper, you’re going to be thrilled with this lens. The Tamron 17-50mm f/4 delivers stunning image quality, including plenty of sharpness, beautiful colors & contrast, and minimal aberrations such as flare or color fringing.

However, it does have some issues, especially if you closely inspect the image corners, or if for any reason you want to turn off the built-in lens correction profile.

Sharpness

The Tamron 17060mm f/4 is Incredibly sharp at the center, throughout its entire zoom range. However, it’s not so great in the corners, especially wide open and especially at 17mm.

Image quality gets very sharp by f/8, and is actually better at 50mm than 17mm! This was an interesting find, because usually an ultrawide zoom makes some terrible compromises at its telephoto end, and in the past I have encountered at least a few lenses that were practically un-usuable at their telephoto (28mm or 35mm) end. So, the fact that this 17-50mm is very sharp at 50mm is exciting! Unfortunately, the corner performance at 17mm is a little disappointing. It’s bad enough that you might just barely notice it on a very sharp 4K video frame, and you’ll definitely notice it in 40-60 megapixel still images.

Bokeh

Although it is an ultra-wide lens with a relatively slow f/4 aperture, the bokeh of the Tamron 17-50mm f/4 is surprisingly soft and smooth. There is a little bit of onion ring effect in bokeh dots, but this isn’t a workhorse portrait lens, so, I don’t see it being an issue.

Colors & Contrast

As stated earlier, the colors & contrast out of this lens are beautiful. There is no noticeable color shift, and the crystal-clear clarity that the glass offers will allow your camera sensor to capture its maximum dynamic range.

Having said that, I always make note of one of my biggest gripes with almost all mirrorless lenses these days, and that is, you can notice some color shift in extreme scenarios that involve severe vignetting compensation. Say, for example, you take a picture of a pure white snowbank, and you heavily correct the vignetting. You will likely notice that the center of the image is a bit warmer, and the corners are all a bit cooler. This is a natural drawback of heavily corrected lenses that rely on “lens profiles” to reduce things like vignetting and distortion, and I am always campaigning for modern lens designs to keep this adverse effect at a minimum. With that said, you’re unlikely to ever notice such an issue.

Vignetting & Distortion

This, however, is something that you may notice, but again only in specific scenarios. Severe distortion is, in fact, present, although you will only see it if the built-in correction is turned off. By default, most Sony mirrorless cameras leave this correction set to “automatic”, so you’ll probably never notice. You’ll probably never notice this, but if you ever do turn it off, you’ll see just how much extra image frame you’re giving up.

NOTE: usually, this does not mean you are actually getting an 18mm or 19mm lens when you “chop off” the corners by using the built-in correction. The horizontal and vertical angles of view are almost completely unaffected, and the diagonal angle of view is likely calculated AFTER corrections are applied.

Sunstars & Flare

As I have grown accustomed to appreciating with Tamron lenses, there are almost no flare dots or other issues, so you can point this lens towards the sun or bright light sources with relative confidence. There is a natural amount of warm haze when doing so, which is usually a desirable effect, and only a faint hint of other flares depending on the exact angle of your image framing.

Sunstars, on the other hand, are a bit underwhelming, like many modern lenses. I’m actually pretty happy with them, they’re well-defined some of the time, and yet at other times they’re a bit dull; it seems to depend on the light source and the exact aperture used. Above is one of the best examples I could find, at 50mm and f/8. F/16 would yield even better sunstars, of course!

Either way, for a lens that is likely optimal for landscapes and cityscapes, I would have preferred the aperture iris blades to be more optimal for sunstars than smooth bokeh. I’ll mention this in every ultra-wide lens review until optical engineers start listening!

Color Fringing, Aberration, Coma & Astigmatism

As an f/4 lens with mediocre wide-open corner sharpness, I’m not going to spend much time talking about using it for actual astro-landscape photography. There are so many f/2.8 ultra-wide zooms that are so much better for this! However, I will note that things like color fringing are well-corrected, (again, using the in-camera tools and lens profile) …and other aberrations such as coma and astigmatism are present, but they won’t be deal-breakers for other photographers besides nightscape shooters.

Macro & Close-Up Photography

Again, to my surprise, this lens is incredibly sharp at its closest focus distances, with only a minimal loss of sharpness. It is an especially decent macro lens at 50mm, with a respectable (but not nearly dedicated) reproduction ratio, AKA magnification. In other words, its a great close-up lens, though not an actual macro lens.

Video Performance (Focus Breathing, Sound, Weight Shift)

Videographers have a whole different set of criteria to measure lens performance by, so we’re giving them their own category of testing now! Videographers care about subtle details, such as, when zooming in/out, does the weight of the lens shift forward/backward very much? This can ruin a rig’s balance on a gimbal, so I am pleased to report that the 17-50mm/s internal zooming (and focusing) has barely any effect whatsoever on weight balancing.

Also, how loud is/are the lens’ autofocus motor(s)? If you’re recording your audio with an on-camera microphone, some lenses’ focusing can ruil your audio with an obnoxious buzz. Again, this newest Tamron VXD type autofocus motor is nearly silent, and even in the quietest church you will not hear the lens focusing in your audio.

Last but not least, videographers care about focus breathing. That is, when focusing near-to far, does the image also appear to be zooming in or out? This can create a slightly disturbing “tunnel vision” effect, which is usually a bad thing. In this regard, I cannot say that the Tamron 17-50mm is perfect, because there is indeed a bit of focus breathing. However, it is not overly pronounced and most active filmmakers such as vloggers or influencers will never notice it.

Design & Durability

Like Tamron’s other modern mirrorless lenses, the 17-50mm’s design is simple, and the build quality is sturdy. It adopts the “no frills” approach of most other Tamron mid-range and wide-angle mirrorless zooms, without any switches. (More on that later) It does have the USB port for updating the lens’ firmware and using certain special custom functions, and there is a lens function button.

The lens is weather-sealed, and its physical durability feels quite professional. In fact, with its internal zoom & focusing design, the whole lens feels a lot more professional than many other Tamron mirrorless lenses that do extend the barrel when zooming.

Personally, I’ve always been a fan of at least some high-grade plastic or “composite” plastic being used in lens barrels; it actually seems to absorb hard knocks and bumps much better than the aluminum/metal lens barrels of yesteryear used to!

Last but not least, I must give props to Tamron for being so consistent with their 67mm filter thread standard! Virtually every mirrorless lens they have made over the years has maintained this filter thread size, and it’s a breath of fresh air to have a standard that is so budget-friendly and compact, compared to the expensive, large 82mm filters that have become so common now.

Ergonomics & Portability

The Tamron 17-50mm is incredibly lightweight for an ultra-wide zoom, but it is not as ultra-portable as some of the other Tamron ultra-wides such as the 17-28mm f/2.8 or the 20-40mm f/2.8 which is downright tiny.

Still, it’s very compact for a dual-use lens that covers more than one range. In other words, any time you spend handling this lens will feel significantly more enjoyable for your wrists compared to, say, lugging around a 24-70mm, or a 14-24mm!

Autofocus Performance

AF is very fast and snappy, thanks to one of the newest Tamron VXD motors to date. Also, thanks to the f/4 aperture and generous DOF, you’ll basically never miss a shot.

Manual Focus Performance

MF is precise, with smooth operation, as many Sony users have grown accustomed to. The focus ring is a good size, and towards the front of the lens instead of the rear, and I like that too.

Features & Customizations

This is one complain I always have with Tamron’s “keep it simple”! designs in recent years: I do miss the AF/MF switch. Also, video shooters might miss the omission of an aperture ring, especially now that so many Sony, Nikon, and Canon lenses all have a customizable aperture or control ring on them. (NOTE: A further advantage of those native name brand lenses is that you can usually fully customize the “command ring” in-camera; you  don’t need to un-mount the lens and plug it into your computer via USB!)

So, yeah, I know that Tamron lenses can be customized using the USB connection, and this lens does include a custom function button. But still, it’s a drawback that I must mention.

Value

At $699, there is no denying that this is an incredible value. Even by itself as one lens, I love the value, but let’s also consider that it is sort of like buying 1.5 lenses! The zoom extension to 50mm will allow many photographers to reduce the total number of lenses that they need to take into the field, and/or at least minimize the number of times they must switch lenses for work in that medium-wide range.

So, either way, at under $700 it is an absolute steal. I honestly expected this optic to command a bit more of a “flagship” price tag, considering the likes of the Tamron  70-180mm f/2.8 VC G2, at around $1,200-1,300 or the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8, at around $1,800-1,900. Heck, even the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is $800-900!

In short, this ought to be at least a $999 lens. I suppose it might have been, if Tamron had beefed up the optical formula enough to make the corner sharpness go from “decent” to “incredible”. However, I’m honestly glad that they settled on this optical design because it’s an excellent balance of price, portability, and performance.

All in all, Tamron has impressed me, even with their already excellent value standards…

Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Review | Compared To The Competition

I’ve got good news, and I’ve got MORE good news that some folks might see as bad news, but I don’t. Allow me to explain…

Simply put, the world of wide-angle zooms has been absolutely flooded with incredible options in the last 5 years. When I first got into photography 20+ years ago, there were virtually no good ultra-wide lenses whatsoever. Just 10 years ago, we did have a few great options, but they were almost all the exact same focal lengths, and they were almost all absolutely enormous, heavy as a brick, and rather expensive.

Today, the situation could not be more different. There are tons of options, many of them are very affordable, many are very portable, and almost all of them are incredibly sharp!

So, picking the right ultra-wide lens for you could be an entire article dedicated to itself, in fact, maybe I’ll write such an article some day. For now, let me say this about the Tamron 17-50mm f/4: It stands alone with its zoom range! If you really want a 17-50mm lens, this is literally your only option, there is no competition.

WIth that being said, let’s consider some of the next-closest alternatives. You might be willing to compromise by giving up 50mm, in which case there is an absolute landslide of wide-angle zooms that offer various benefits.

Primarily, maybe you’re hesitant about the f/4 aperture, and want to consider something that offers f/2.8 instead. In this case, Tamron offers both the 17-28mm f/2.8, which is a solid performer despite its age. Also, if you’d rather not give up so much zoom range on the long end, there is the Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 which we have already cited as one of the best, most unique lenses for content creators with its 40mm long end and f/2.8 aperture. (Another truly peerless combination of zoom range and aperture!)

There are many more options, of course, some of which go wider tha 17mm, and many of which stop at 35mm, 28mm, or even 24mm. A lens such as a 14-24mm f/2.8 is an entirely different beast, of course. It may be much more useful for nightscape and serious landscape photography, but it will be significantly less versatile for event journalism and almost everything else.

For those who are okay with an f/4 aperture, there are a few more noteworthy alternative ultra-wide zoom lenses, but the only one that really stands out as a close alternative is the Sony 16-35mm f/4 PZ. It’s an excellent choice if you are primarily a videographer, with its electronic zoom control, minimal focus breathing, and physical aperture control with de-clicking.

Last but not least, a very different but also highly unique honorable mention might go to the Sony 20-70mm f/4; for those who are liking the idea of a mid-range zoom that goes a little wider, instead of an ultra-wide zoom that goes a little mid-range. (Pictured above, on the right)

Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Review | Conclusion

It’s a packed market, with tons of competition that offer very strong, valuable options. However, Tamron has yet again created something truly unique here, and it deserves consideration by many different types of photographers and videographers.

For those of you who spend most of your time at the wider end of a mid-range zoom, or if you’re often frustrated by having ti switch back and forth between a 24-70mm and an ultra-wide zoom, this could be the perfect choice for you!

If you do landscape photography, real estate photography, events, weddings, or any sort of travel content creation, whether photo or video, the Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD should be towards the top of your list. Whether you are a high-end professional or a complete beginner, both the image quality, build quality, and price tag are all very attractive. What else can I say? I’m a bit of a pixel-peeper analyst who loves to scrutinize extreme corner sharpness, however, I would still love to own this lens for its truly unique zoom range that stands apart from all the rest.

Check Pricing & Availability

The Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD is currently selling for $699, which is lower than most alternatives even when they include automatic savings/rebates!

(B&H | Adorama | Amazon) 

Tamron accomplished something special, indeed, with their 35-150mm f/2-2.8. I’ve lost count of how many times I wished my 70-200mm f/2.8 could zoom out to 50mm or 35mm, even at the expense of a little bit off the telephoto end. Today, here’s that exact lens I’ve dreamed of for literally over a decade!

So, is it too good to be true? Is the reason that such a lens has never been made before, because it’s just not a “good” optical formula? Actually, the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 offers incredible image quality, and a professional level of performance, function, and durability.

With that said, let’s dive into this review.

Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD | Specifications

• FOCAL LENGHT & ANGLE OF VIEW: 35-150mm, 15° 26′ to 63°
• LENS MOUNT(S): Sony E (full-frame mirrorless)
• APERTURE & RANGE: F/2-2.8, f/16-22 9-blade rounded aperture
• STABILIZATION: No
• AUTOFOCUS: VXD quiet, linear focus
• MANUAL FOCUS: Fully electronic, linear response available
• OPTICAL CONSTRUCTION: 21 elements in 15 groups, 3 glass-molded aspherical, 4 low dispersion
• MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION: Metal & Plastic, full weather-sealing
• MAGNIFICATION & FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.17x, 0.33 m (12.99 in. )
• FILTER THREADS & HOOD: 82mm, locking plastic hood
• SIZE: 89x158mm (3.5×6.22 in.)
• WEIGHT: 1165g (41.1 oz)
• PRICE: $1,899
  (B&H | Adorama | Amazon)

Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Review | Who Should Buy It?

At first, you might see the “35-150mm” numbers and think that this lens would be a great all-around lens for all types of photography. You’d be right, however, there are two caveats to that! First and foremost, this lens costs about $1,900, which is almost on par with flagship pro lenses. Second, it weighs about as much as a pro 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, too!

So, “who should buy it” is going to depend on these things, and how they might affect you. In other words, this is a very versatile, useful lens, but also a highly specialized, professional one, too.

Portrait Photography

The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 has got to be one of the “ultimate” portrait lenses of all time. I don’t say that lightly; I’ve been a portrait (and wedding) photographer for nearly 20 years now, and have tried virtually every genre of the field. This is the zoom lens that I wish existed for virtually every job I’ve ever done.

Having said that, no, this lens will not replace the iconic look of a 50mm f/1.2 or an 85mm f/1.4, (let alone a 105mm f/1.4 or 135mm f/1.8!) …if you’re really trying to achieve maximum background blur and creamy bokeh.

Or, if you’re already fully accustomed to using primes, and you already own the best 35mm, 50mm, and/or 85mm that money can buy, I can understand why you might pass on this zoom. Personally, though, I can’t ignore how useful and practical the zoom range is, whether I’m doing corporate headshots or large family groups. It’s just the perfect range for portraits.

Wedding Photography

Wedding photographers should also give this lens a try, because the zoom range could potentially be perfect for them too. If you find yourself constantly switching between your 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8, for example, and yet not really using those lenses at their 24mm and 200mm lens, then, obviously, check out the 35-150mm!

Unfortunately, though, wedding photographers also often find themselves in pitch-dark working conditions, sometimes even capturing fast action in near darkness. In this regard, the Tamron 35-150mm’s autofocus performance can leave a bit to be desired, because of how much glass it its AF motors are pushing back and forth.

As a wedding photographer, I would own this lens for portraits, though I may still reach for a 70-200mm (or the Tamron 70-180mm) for low-light action.

Fashion & Editorial Photography

One genre of portrait photography where everything is usually well-controlled and well-lit is fashion & editorial or commercial work. Such photographers will likely find that they love the zoom range of this lens.

Subjects like a fashion runway might really benefit from having the 35mm wide end, and I would dare use the phrase “the ultimate lens” once again, as long as the lighting is adequate and the pace of action is slow enough for the autofocus to nail almost every photo.

Candid, Everyday, Vacation, & Street Photography

What about as an all-around, everyday lens? The weight and size of the Tamron 35-150mm may make it feel like a bit “overkill” compared to, say, a typical compact/travel zoom, or a tiny little f/1.8 prime.

Having said that, the zoom range and fast aperture do make this an excellent lens for virtually all types of photography, even the most casual, everyday snapshots. It’s just super convenient to have that exact focal length combination all in one! I really cannot stress this enough.

Action Sports Photography

The same goes for action sports photography. Does your type of photography lend itself to having both a decent wide angle and a decent telephoto reach? This could be the lens you’ve been dreaming of.

Of course, it will simply depend on the exact working distance between you and your subjects, and the types of images you’re framing. There’s still a very good chance that a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is better for you. Simply ask yourself how often you find yourself “bumping into” the 70mm end, or the 200mm end, of that focal range, and you’ll have your answer as to whether or not you should try the Tamron 35-150mm.

Theater & Concert Photography

One type of photography that deserves special mention here is theater and concert photography. Anything on a stage, really, could be a perfect genre for this lens to really shine. I photographed children’s theater for a decade, and I had the perfect luck of being able to photograph one theater performance during my review of this lens. I can honestly say, this is the exact lens I’ve been wishing existed since the mid-2000s.

As with portrait photography, it’s almost the only lens you need; you really could photograph an entire job with it if you had to. Or, as with wedding photography, pair it with the lightweight, compact Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 for a truly complete array of focal lengths.

Wildlife Photography

One realm where I think the Tamron 35-150mm might not give the same vibe of “best lens ever!” is definitely wildlife photography. Simply put, with almost all wildlife, “reach” (focal length + sensor size) is paramount. A 70-200mm f/2.8 is likely a better choice, and even 200mm is often not nearly close enough for wildlife. Instead, consider a super-telephoto zoom such as the Tamron 150-500mm. Or, if you’re intrigued by the wider end of this 35-150mm, I would instead recommend considering the Tamron 50-400mm. Our review of that lens will be coming out soon!

[Related: The 5 Best Telephoto Tamron Lenses for Mirrorless Cameras]

Having said that, I sure had fun photographing “local/domestic” wildlife with this Tamron, as long as I could safely get close enough!

Landscape Photography

This is one genre where it could be a toss-up. On the one hand, 35-150mm is a nice zoom range that many landscape photographers likely use a lot, especially when paired with the common 16-35mm ultra-wide focal range, or something highly portable like the Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 or 17-28mm.

I would only recommend the Tamron 35-150mm for landscapes, though, if the genre was only one of the subjects you photograph, and you also did things like portraiture etc. that actually suited this lens. Otherwise, again, I’d rather have the awesome Tamron 50-400mm for medium-to-telephoto landscape photography.

Nightscape & Astrophotography

With such a fast aperture range, the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 could indeed make an interesting complement to other lenses for any photographer capturing the night skies. Maybe you do deep-sky astrophotography with a telescope or wide-angle astro-landscape photography with an ultra-wide lens. Either way, you’d likely use that lens most of the time, and only reach for this one for specialized situations.

Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Review | Pros & Cons

I’ll make this quick: there’s a lot to like about this lens, and not much to complain about. The image quality is excellent, the build quality is professional, and the value is, well, this lens could do the job of 3-4 lenses, so…

In terms of drawbacks, there’s really not much to complain about. Its size and weight are understandable, though your right wrist will not be happy if you try to hand-hold it without using your left hand to support the lens like you would a 70-200mm. Other than that, the autofocus is a tad bit less snappy and consistent compared to a 70-200mm f/2.8, but it’s not a deal-breaker.

With that said, let’s get more in-depth. Or just scroll through the pretty sample pictures!

Image Quality

Sharpness

Despite the truly unique zoom range and aperture speed, images are tack-sharp at every focal length, even at f/2-2.8. Sharpness isn’t flawless in the extreme corners with the aperture wide-open, but that shouldn’t be a concern for portrait & event photographers, of course.

Bokeh

One of the reasons why portrait photographers prefer primes that are faster than f/2.8 is, of course, the ability to “kill” a background with soft, buttery bokeh. Throughout its whole zoom range, the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 delivers gorgeously blurred backgrounds. Not only is the added shallow DOF of f/2 useful at the 35mm end, but the aesthetic of the blur is smooth in general.

I would strongly recommend that all portrait photographers check out this lens, even if they love primes! (And especially if they love zooms!)

Colors & Contrast

Clear, crisp, saturated images are delivered right out of the box, even with raw defaults applied. There is no color cast to speak of, with the exception of vignetting-related effects which we’ll get to next.

Vignetting & Distortion

Both of these aspects of image quality are now highly managed by software, so if you leave your Sony camera body’s default profile correction settings to “auto”, you won’t see much of either artifact.

Having said that, it’s definitely there, and if you work in extreme conditions, you may notice a touch of odd color vignetting. This will only be a problem if you’re heavily editing images with large portions of neutral, smooth tone. Basically, a snowstorm or a flat grey sky, and that’s it. This is a problem with virtually all modern mirrorless lenses, though.

Sunstars & Flare

Flare is beautiful when you want that warm wash of hazy light in a backlit portrait situation. Those annoying “flare dots” are, however, negligible. Because this lens is rather optimized for subjects like portraits, with fully rounded aperture blades at all apertures; sunstars are not very pin-point-y.

Color Fringing, Aberration, Coma & Astigmatism

This is the nitty-gritty side of image quality that not many photographers care about, and rightly so. Simply put, there is some chromatic aberration and other effects, especially around the edges and corners of this lens. However, they’re well-controlled when turning on the in-camera profile, and using the Adobe Lightroom removal tools.

If you look “under the hood” and turn off the automatic corrections, you see a different story. Maybe, for example, you’re interested in doing deep-sky astrophotography. In this case, as with many recent mirrorless lenses that rely heavily on lens correction profiles, …there is a substantial amount of various aberrations around the edges of images. Again, most photographers will never see this, though.

Macro & Close-Up Photography

While it is not a dedicated macro lens by any means, it can indeed focus quite closely. If you’re just looking to do a little bit of close-up photography here and there, you’ll at least find that images like the above are possible. When focusing at 150mm and the absolute minimum focus distance, there is some loss of sharpness at f/2.8 that cleans up by f/5.6.

Design & Durability

Okay, let’s move on from image quality and talk about the lens itself, physically! In terms of the mechanics and operation of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8, it’s decidedly a professional lens. I’m actually surprised Tamron omitted the “SP” nomenclature which they had been using for their flagship DSLR lenses.

I’ll get into the features & customizations later, but, suffice it to say that this is a rock-solid lens that is built to professional standards. It’s got some metal parts and some plastic parts, which is an overall combination that I actually prefer. These types of lenses seem to absorb and dissipate excessive abuse much better than some of the older “pro” lenses that were all-metal, and more susceptible to dents and dings that could cause a zoom ring or focus ring to literally grind to a halt.

This Tamron is fully weather-sealed, so I’d expect it to be ready for many years of professional duty.

Ergonomics & Portability

Make no mistake, I described this lens as “3-4 lenses in one” …and so that’s what you are getting! It’s a big, heavy lens! There is no free lunch; if you want a zoom that rivals multiple primes, you’re going to get a slightly oversized zoom.

With that in mind, The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is only a little heavier than you’d expect. It’s heavier than the Sony and Canon mirrorless 70-200mm f/2.8’s, and almost as heavy as the relatively oversized Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8.

This is to be expected, so I shouldn’t complain. All I can say is, treat it like a 70-200mm f/2.8 and you’ll be fine. You may just want to keep your 35mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.8 prime around for those times when you want to give your hands/wrists a rest.

Autofocus Performance

Autofocus is the one area where we can actually say that the Tamron 35-150 simply fell a little short. Autofocus is good, but there’s definitely a noticeable difference between this lens and a name-brand 70-200mm f/2.8 in terms of both speed and reliability.

In other words, in most photography conditions, you’ll get consistently accurate, sharp results. However, in low light, or with fast action, you’ll start to see a few missed-focus images here and there. It’s noticeable enough that I’d advise photographers check focus on their most important shots. Or, click at least a few photos in more active and/or low-light conditions.

Features & Customizations

The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is packed with professional functionality. It has the AF/MF switch that we dearly miss on most other Tamron E-mount lenses. It also has a custom mode switch that controls what the two lens function buttons do. (Something that has usually been reserved for the most high-end flagship pro lenses!) There is also a zoom lock switch.

One of the more subtle things that I want to mention is this: Tamron put the zoom and focus rings in the “normal”, old-school arrangement, and I really appreciate that. I spent over a decade doing professional work with 70-200mm and 24-70mm lenses, and my hand just naturally prefers the zoom right being where it is on the Tamron 35-150mm.

I hope Tamron makes more of these flagship-class lenses with all the bells and whistles. (Don’t get me wrong; as I mentioned with regard to portability, I’ll still opt for the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 for a 14+ hour weddings.)

Value

At $1,899, this Tamron zoom costs quite a bit more than all other fast-aperture Tamron lenses. The Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8, for example, is priced at $1,199, making it $700 cheaper. I think, however, that the 35-150mm is worth its price tag, and I bet you already know why: It’s 3-4 lenses in one.

A Tamron 28-75 2.8 G2 and the 70-180 2.8 would add up to $2100. You might prefer that route, of course, because the value is still present in the greater zoom range. A bag full of primes, however, might also cost about the same, and depending on which primes you get, there could still be significant gaps in the range.

In other words, this is the best value around. You’re not going to save money unless you compromise on focal range and/or aperture.

Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Review | Compared To The Competition

Well, this is going to be the shortest “versus the competition” part of an SLR Lounge lens review! There is no other lens like the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8. It covers a truly unique focal range, making it perfect for quite a few different types of photography.

You could buy 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm prime lenses, and still not cover the whole range of this lens. You would have to buy two f/2.8 zooms to beat its range, but of course, you’d lose the f/2 aperture at the wide end.

Either way, it isn’t hyperbole to say that the Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8 Di III VXD is peerless. To match or beat it you will have to juggle multiple lenses, period. Some portrait photographers might prefer (or “make do”) with just a couple of primes that weigh and cost less, but only if their style is very well-defined and simple. Most types of photographers would do well to consider the 35-150mm.

Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Review | Conclusion

One final note to wrap up this review: This was one of the hardest-to-get lenses that we have reviewed in many years! It has been a popular lens ever since it first became available for pre-order, and we aren’t surprised. It’s a real winner!

It’s almost perfect, but not quite, although we can’t really fault it for its excessive weight since it counts as 3-4 lenses in one. We do wish the autofocus was just a touch more snappy and consistent, but that’s only a problem in dim light or with faster action.

All in all, if you photograph literally any type of portrait, you should check out this lens. Seriously, do you photograph family groups? Maternity portraits? Newborn portraits? Boudoir? Engagements? High school graduations?  Weddings? High-end fashion, editorial, or commercial portraiture? You should all rent this lens at least once to try it out.

Check Pricing & Availability

The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD is currently priced at $1,899, and can be found at the following links:

(B&H | Adorama | Amazon)

The “original” Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 was already so good, that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it instead of the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM. The old Tamron is $880, the Sony GM is about $2K, and the new Tamron is (are you ready for this?) … a mere $20 more than the old one, at $900.

If you think that makes this new lens a no-brainer, however, there is more to consider. To state the obvious, 28mm is not 24mm. So, first and foremost, to anyone looking for a fully professional mid-range zoom, 28mm might not feel wide enough.

If the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM isn’t up to your standards in terms of optical performance, however, there is now an excellent alternative in the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art, for just $1,100. Both f/2.8 zooms that reach 24mm are significantly larger and heavier than the Tamron, though.

Secondly, there’s also new competition for Tamron, in terms of compact, portable, affordable f/2.8 zooms. Sigma decided to make a Contemporary lens, the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN C. Shockingly, this lens is downright tiny, and is also priced at $900 but also on sale for $800 at times! Needless to say, it’ll be a very tough call if the Sigma is any good. (Our review of the Sigma is coming soon, but we’ll spoil the ending in this review, below!)

So, is this new Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 the best choice for you? It certainly looks like it could be the best choice for quite a few different types of photographers. In this Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 review, we’ll talk about the lens’ strengths and weaknesses, which types of photography it’s perfect for, and what the competition looks like! On that note, let’s dive in.

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Specifications

• LENS MOUNT(S): Sony E (FE full-frame)
• APERTURE: Constant f/2.8
• STABILIZATION: No
• AUTOFOCUS: Linear motor (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive)
• MANUAL FOCUS: Electronically controlled, focus distance on-camera
• OPTICS: 17 elements in 15 groups, 2 Low Dispersion, Glass Molded Aspherical elements
• MECHANICS: Metal & Plastic, extends when zooming, weather-sealed, L-Fn button
• MAGNIFICATION & FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.37x, 0.18m (7.09 in)
• FILTER THREADS & HOOD: 67mm filter threads, one-piece plastic hood
• SIZE: 76×118 mm (2.99×4.65 in)
• WEIGHT: 540 g (1.19 lb)
• PRICE: $899
  (B&H | Adorama | Amazon)

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Review | Who Should Buy It?

Just like its predecessor, the Tamron 28-75 2.8 G2 is perfectly suited to a whole bunch of different genres and photographers ranging from beginner to professional. Simply put, if you do a lot of photography at medium-range focal lengths, and want a relatively fast, constant aperture, then this lens is automatically a top pick!

Wedding Photography

The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 is perfect for wedding photography, depending on your creative style as an artist. The f/2.8 aperture makes it usable in low light, and the image quality at that wide-open setting delivers not just “usable” but absolutely beautiful images.

Having said that, a lot of wedding photographers may often find themselves “cramming in” large numbers of people into a frame for a formal group photo, in which case having 24mm at your disposal can really make a difference.

My suggestion? As an up-close, in-the-action type of wedding photographer, I’d actually pair this 28-75mm with Tamron’s 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD, and I’d be super happy!

Portrait Photography

All types of portraiture can benefit from using a mid-range, fast-aperture zoom. Also, if you are in total control of your environment, you probably want to avoid putting human faces at the edges of a 24mm frame. So, really, this lens is another winner!

Some portrait photographers love prime lenses more than zooms, and with good reason. There is a big difference in the character of an image captured with an f/2.8 aperture and, say, f/1.4 or f/1.2. Personally, as a full-time portrait and wedding photographer, I prefer to have both zooms and primes at my disposal, and with potentially redundant focal lengths in my camera bag, I like zoom lenses that are lightweight and compact. In other words, yes, I’d buy this Tamron G2!

Fashion & Editorial Photography

If your style of portraiture is more about high-end fashion models or similar types of work, then you might want to first look at a telephoto f/2.8 zoom instead, to minimize distortion on your subjects; Tamron’s 70-180mm f/2.8 is an impressive alternative to Sony’s pricey FE 70-200mm f/2.8

Casual Everyday Photography

Any type of walk-around photography, from a random hang-out with friends to that big family vacation to somewhere exotic, could be well-documented with this one single lens. Also, when you’re carrying around a camera literally all day, the lighter the better! The 28-75mm f/2.8 is an excellent alternative to the bigger, heavier flagship 24-70mm’s.

Having said that, 28-75mm isn’t even a 3x zoom, it’s a mere 2.6x zoom. (A 24-70mm is a 2.9x zoom, by the way) So, if maximum versatility is what you’re looking for, personally I wouldn’t hesitate to instead choose the impressive Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6, a 7.1x superzoom that is one of the sharpest superzooms I’ve ever reviewed!

It all depends on what type of photography subjects you are into. If you do mostly close-quarters, low-light candids with friends and family, then get the Tamon 28-75mm f/2.8 G2. If you’re looking for a lens that you use for exotic family vacations, however, with subjects ranging from cityscapes and landscapes to wildlife or other distant scenes, then the 28-200mm will be your best choice.

[Related: Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Review | The Superzoom Reimagined]

Landscape Photography

If you’re doing all of your landscape photography work at f/11, you might not care whether your zoom lens is an f/2.8 or an f/4. In fact, in this article here, I outline exactly why you might opt instead to go with the Sony 24-105mm f/4 G OSS, for its impressive sharpness.

Alternately, again, the Tamron 28-200mm is so sharp at f/8 that you might prefer it for “traditional” landscape photography, plus you get f/2.8 at 28mm where it might really count for low-light work.

Nightscape & Astrophotography

When you’re photographing a landscape by moonlight or starlight, then f/2.8 becomes essential! Honestly, however, 28mm is often not wide enough. I would say, “just add the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 to your bag,” but the reality is, you should probably start with that wide-angle zoom, not this mid-range one!

Having said that, technically speaking this lens is indeed quite impressive in terms of its optical performance for astro-landscape photography. If you can afford both Tamron lenses, go for it!

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Review | Pros & Cons

Image Quality

The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 may appear to be a modest or even kit-style lens at first, however, don’t be fooled. The images coming out of its optics are technically impressive, and more importantly, aesthetically beautiful.

There are a few subtle caveats that have to do with vignetting and distortion correction, for those of you who heavily process your images, but in general, the image quality delivers the goods: plenty of sharpness/resolution at f/2.8 and all focal lengths, smooth bokeh for portraiture background blur, and no pesky aberrations to worry about.

Sharpness

Sharpness is truly impressive. It out-resolved my 24-megapixel test camera, and seems ready for your 40-60-megapixel beasts if you have a Sony A7R III or Sony A7R IV.

Even at f/2.8, at all focal lengths, sharpness extends well away from the center of the image, reaching the edges quite nicely, and only showing a bit of softness in the extreme corners.

This is an improvement over the previous version of the lens, actually; the original is indeed quite sharp, however, it wasn’t as excellent especially off-center and especially at 75mm. I was not able to directly compare the old and new versions, however, I feel confident in this claim based on how much work I’ve done with both lenses.

Bokeh

Background blur is beautifully soft and smooth, making the lens perfect for all types of things from portraiture to wedding details.

“Bokeh dots”, or the well-defined circles of a pin-point light source such as “twinkle lights”, look beautiful and thankfully have only a faint amount of onion rings inside them. Off-center the dots can get oval/lemon-shaped, as with most other mid-range fast-aperture lenses.

Vignetting & Distortion

This is where I get to be highly critical of most modern mirrorless lenses. Thankfully, most photographers won’t be concerned with the following issues, but they can be a problem if you heavily edit your photos.

The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2, like many other modern mirrorless lenses, is designed to be a compromise on optical performance that affords increased portability. In other words, this lens is using quite a lot of “secret” editing to reduce/eliminate both vignetting and distortion from both your raw and JPG photos.

You can leave the correction features turned on in-camera, and you might never notice any vignetting or distortion. There is also a correction for chromatic aberration, and I highly recommend leaving all three settings on “auto” with your Sony full-frame mirrorless camera!

However, you should know that optically speaking, the lens does have significant amounts of vignetting and distortion that are being swept under the rug.

Distortion is virtually nonexistent with the profile left on, and thankfully this lens is more than sharp enough that the correction doesn’t harm image detail.

However, the vignetting correction is a mixed bag. As you can see, with the correction turned off, vignetting is severe. Turning on the correction profile does help, however, it never looks truly perfect when working with, for example, the Dehaze slider on a soft, even-toned sky. Some wide-angle lenses are even worse, mind you, with noticeable color shifts in the corners of images!

All in all, I’d say the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 is almost par for the course. I should also note that as its even more compact size might indicate, the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 does have a tiny bit worse vignetting.

Sunstars & Flare

Flare is incredibly well-controlled, without any annoying dots of light in most conditions, though you can create one or two if you try really hard.

Sunstars on the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 are beautifully classic pinpoints, which is a lovely sight to see compared to most modern lenses with such rounded aperture blades that even at f/10 you don’t see any good “spike” definition. As you can see above, the points aren’t perfectly defined, but they’re quite substantial.

Also, in comparison, the newest competitor from Sigma isn’t as impressive; its sunstars are the typical fuzzy flower petals that many Sigma lenses render, as you can see above.

Color Fringing, Aberration, Coma & Astigmatism

For the most obscure aspects of testing image quality, there is some impressively good news! This new Tamron isn’t perfect, of course, but with the in-camera color fringing correction left on, there is virtually no color fringing, chromatic aberration, and even coma or astigmatism.

If you’re a portrait photographer, you’ll be glad to not have those blue/purple/green halos around high-contrast edges when shooting at f/2.8. If you’re a nightscape photographer, you’ll appreciate pin-point stars even towards the edges and corners of your images, even though there is a slight penalty in sheer resolution. It is worth noting that both the Tamron and the Sigma have solid aberration performance, and ample resolution, although the Sigma does seem to render a little more haze.

Macro & Close-Up Photography

As with many Tamron lenses, the close-up performance is quite good; it’s not what you’d get from a dedicated macro lens, of course, but there is plenty of sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and a solid overall magnification ratio.

Design & Durability

Okay, let’s transition from talking about the images, to talking about the lens itself. Physically speaking, Tamron is using plastic in all the right ways. The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 is sturdy, smooth-operating, and weather-sealed. It does not exactly feel like it is on the same level as, say, a Sony GMaster lens or a Canon L lens, however, don’t let that fool you! There are many years of longevity in the G2 series Tamron lenses, despite not being as “overbuilt” as their name-brand competition.

Also, I do appreciate that Tamron has been creating so many lenses with the modest, portable 67mm filter threads, in an era where 77mm filters have given way to the large, expensive 82mm filters for a professional-grade lens. This might not be possible if Tamron ever makes an “SP” mirrorless lens, but for this series, I’m very grateful.

Autofocus Performance

Tamron’s latest autofocus technology is quite impressive in terms of both sheer speed and precision/reliability. In other words, they didn’t just put a faster motor in this G2 lens, they have also improved our ability to trust the lens to deliver in-focus images even when working in dim, active conditions.

By the way, Tamron claims the lens is actually twice as fast, but I couldn’t measure/confirm such a claim so precisely. I can at least confirm that it is definitely more snappy/responsive, and it just nails focus far more consistently than older third-party lenses!

Manual Focus Performance

Manual focus is done electronically by the smooth-operating focus ring. There is no distance scale on the lens itself, but the in-camera distance scale works well enough, and when turning the camera off and back on I do believe it is memorizing your focus position. Manual precision itself is fantastic.

Features & Customizations

This is one of the biggest areas where Tamron has made improvements compared to the lens’ predecessor. Instead of a total no-frills design, the G2 lens has two major new additions: A customizable function button, and a USB port for firmware updates!

It is unfortunate that firmware updates are now such a common thing for lenses, however, this is a good thing in the long run because it should offer smoother operation overall, and even provide actual autofocus improvements for your existing lenses!

Personally, I do wish Tamron had gone with an AF/MF switch on the side of the lens instead of a function button. Sony camera bodies already have a plethora of customizable buttons, and in my opinion, not enough traditional switches.

When it comes to important settings like autofocus versus manual focus, I really appreciate having a physical switch because it allows me to sense the setting without having to take my eye away from the action even for a split second.

Value

Here is undoubtedly one of the biggest reasons to buy this lens. There is no way to sugar-coat this: The Tamron costs less than half as much as the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, and yet, it’s even better, optically speaking.

Then again, there are some other great values out there, too. If you want an even smaller f/2.8 zoom that covers almost the same focal range, Sigma’s 28-70mm f/2.8 Contemporary is even smaller than the Tamron. Alternately, if you want an excellent value but also want to go to 24mm, you’ll have to invest in the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art.

Lastly, if you want to wait and see if Tamron makes an “SP” 24-70mm f/2.8 for the E-mount someday soon, you could expect it to cost $1,200 or more, and be a very different lens in terms of physical weight and filter thread size, etc.

All in all, $900 is a truly excellent value for the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2. Can you actually beat the value, though? Let’s talk about the alternatives in more detail next…

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 | Versus The Competition

There are different criteria to consider here. Do you want a very similar option to the Tamron 28-75mm G2? There is the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8, and that’s it. Personally, I actually do prefer the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8, because it is a bit more compact than the Tamron, plus, I really like having an AF/MF switch more than I care about having one of those Fn buttons on the lens (Although the USB port on the Tamron is nice!)

Then again, what if you want an f/2.8 zoom that goes to 24mm? If you’ve got the budget and you’re not shopping the Tamron specifically for its compactness, then my advice is to skip the Sony 24-70 GM and get the Sigma 24-70 Art lens that I mentioned earlier.

By the way, not that it should matter too much, but Tamron zooms rotate in the same direction as Sony E-mount zooms, while Sigma zooms rotate in the other direction. (The “Canon direction” that is…)

Last but not least, what about the previous Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8? Well, since the price is so similar, if you don’t own either lens yet, then you should absolutely just get the G2. The difficult question is, what if you already own the previous version? Honestly, if you’re happy with the sharpness and autofocus performance, then yeah, stick with your current investment! The G2 will only give you a consistent, noticeable advantage if you are really pushing the envelope of what is possible with low-light, high-megapixel photography.

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Review | Conclusion

It is exciting to see Tamron delivering a second-gen product for the Sony full-frame mirrorless ecosystem, indeed! The original E-mount Tamron 2-75mm f/2.8 was already impressive, however, today we have 61-megapixel cameras and this will put a high demand on older lenses.

You might not need to upgrade from the previous version if you already own it and you are not an extreme-corners pixel-peeper in terms of image quality, however, if you do any pixel-peeping

Check Pricing & Availability

Despite being almost brand new in late 2021, the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 is already available to ship from B&H, Adorama, and  Amazon, for $899.

Video: 5 Tips to Maximize the Shallow Depth of Field Effect In Your Portraits

Rather than a prime lens, I’ll be using the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2. This is to show that you can still achieve a great shallow depth of field effect with a zoom lens. I paired this lens with a Sony a7III Mirrorless Camera. The key is to always shoot at the widest open aperture.

Our model today is Kiara so be sure to visit her on Instagram. Let’s dive in.

Tip #1: Change Your Angle

Let’s begin by taking our first portrait of Kiara against the bushes. While the image isn’t bad, the scene lacks the shallow depth of field effect because the background itself isn’t very deep.

To change this, we want to find a scene with a foreground that leads into the subject and a background that goes far back. This sidewalk is perfect as the leading lines draw our eyes right to Kiara. The distance in the background also allows it to fall off into a nice blur.

Tip #2: Backlight Your Subject

I always find that backlighting adds depth to the image. I took the photo at the widest focal length and widest aperture and got this great image.

Tip #3: When Wide, Step Close to Your Subject

When shooting wide angles, you have to be close to your subject to get that shallow depth of field. I then stepped in and got a shot from closer up using the same focal length and aperture.

Here are the two images for comparison. Notice the difference in shallow depth of field effect between the two images.

Tip #4: Exaggerate the Effect by Zooming In and Stepping Back

I took the lens up to 75mm and took an image with the same framing. At this focal length, the background is compressed and the depth is exaggerated.

Here are the images side by side.

Tip #5: Add a Foreground

Adding a foreground is a great way to add to the shallow depth of field effect. Ideally, the foreground will also be backlit. I had Kiara stand in the grass and took the image through the leaves.

Putting It All Together

Now it’s time to put it all together. Here are the final images using these techniques to maximize the shallow depth of field effect.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this video/article. Understanding these techniques is a great way to make the most of your portraits, even when you may not have a prime lens. Even with a zoom lens, you can still get great shallow depth of field effects. Be sure to check out SLR Lounge Premium where we have courses on all things photography. In addition, check out Visual Flow for intuitive lighting based presets and retouching tools like we used in this tutorial.

Lastly, this tutorial was edited using LUT’s by Gamut, which you can find here.

Thanks for joining us this week and we’ll see you next time!

To spoil the ending, if you’re looking for a relatively affordable lens with truly excellent performance, this Tamron 150-500mm might be just right for you. However, there are also some great competitors, if you are interested in all of the various focal range options, such as 70-300mm, 100-400mm, 150-600mm, or 200-600mm.

The bad news is, deciding between any of these lenses based on their performance alone would be almost impossible, because they’re all excellent. The good news is, this means that depending on the type of photography you do, what your budget is, and of course how big and heavy of a lens you are willing to carry around, …one of these lenses might be perfect for you!

So, let’s dive into this review of the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7! I’ll go over the different types of uses that this lens would be perfect for when you might want to opt for an alternative for your photography with a telephoto zoom, and of course, I’ll dive deep into things like image quality, build quality, and whether the price is a good value!

Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD Specifications

• FOCAL LENGHT & ANGLE OF VIEW: 150-500mm, (16° 25′ to 4° 57′)
• LENS MOUNT(S): Sony E (FE full-frame)
• APERTURE & RANGE: f/5-6.7, f/22-32; 7-blade rounded aperture
• STABILIZATION: Yes, Vibration Compensation (VC); unspecified number of stops
• AUTOFOCUS: VXD linear motor, virtually silent
• MANUAL FOCUS: Electronically controlled, no focus distance scale
• OPTICAL CONSTRUCTION: 15 elements in 16 groups, 1 extra-low dispersion, 5 low-dispersion, 2 hybrid aspherical elements, BBar-G2 coating, fluorine coating.
• MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION:  Metal, plastic, weather-sealed
• TRIPOD COLLAR: Included, Arca-Swiss foot, removable, no “click” positions
• MAGNIFICATION & FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.32x magnification, 23.6″ (60 cm)
• FILTER THREADS & HOOD: 82mm filter threads, one-piece plastic hood
• SIZE: 3.7 x 8.3 in (93 x 209.6 mm)
• WEIGHT: 4.14 lb (1.88kg)
• PRICE: $1,399 (B&H | Adorama | Amazon)

Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Review | Who Should Buy It?

There are lots of photography subjects that can be truly exciting to view through a lens with a focal length of 500mm. Besides professional athletes and exotic wildlife, of course, you can find a purpose for literally anything from landscapes to abstract nature details.

Honestly, just about the only thing that I wouldn’t love to use this lens for would be, of course, indoor portraits! It may seem over-the-top to claim that I love to see what almost any subject looks like through a lens that starts at 150mm on its widest end and goes all the way to 500mm on the telephoto end, but, it really is quite addicting!

Having said that, the Tamron 150-500mm is, of course, a nearly $1,400 investment, and it does weigh over 4 lbs, so it may not be right for you as just another creative tool. If you’re going to invest in this lens, you’ll want to know that the exact type of photography and your creative style will put it to very good use.

Action Sports Photography

A lot of action sports happen at a distance, of course. Whether you are photographing surfers from a beach or pier, or you’re photographing professional team sports from the sidelines of a game, you’ll probably be able to put the 500mm end of this lens to very good use, and you might not mind that the lens’ widest focal length is 150mm.

Of course, some action sports might actually be better off photographed through a 70-200mm lens; you’ll definitely want to know exactly what your most common shooting distances are before investing in either type of lens.

Last but not least, most action sports take place in very well-lit conditions, so the rather slow aperture range of f/5-6.7 on this lens shouldn’t be too big of a deal-breaker, especially if you are willing to shoot at ISO 1600 or 3200 even in sunlight, in order to achieve an extremely fast shutter speed and really freeze the action.

Wildlife Photography

Wildlife photographers often also need all the “reach” they can get, and in fact, even 500mm might not be enough at times. (We’ll talk about the competitors that reach 600mm later in this review!)

Also, wildlife photography, unlike many action sports, often happens in dimmer lighting conditions, especially around sunrise and sunset, which can really be difficult to do at very dark apertures. (Then again, the similarly priced competitors are also relatively slow apertures at their long end!)

In the sample 100% crop shown below, you are looking at an ISO 1600 image captured at f/7.1.

All in all, this lens is a good choice for any wildlife photographer who wants as much reach as possible but is also on a budget of both money and space/weight.

Landscape Photography

Landscape photographers, of course, care more about sharpness at stopped down apertures than the sheer speed of the aperture at its widest/fastest setting. As such, if you’re a landscape photographer who really loves super-telephoto compression effects, the Tamron 150-500mm is an excellent choice, because as you are about to see, it is very sharp indeed!

Wedding & Portrait Photography

Since this Tamron telephoto lens starts at 150mm, it’s not really practical for portraits or event journalism of any kind. Even if you are photographing a person or event from a great distance, and in bright sunlight, you probably “only” need a 70-200mm, or 70-300mm, or 100-400mm lens at most.

Candid & Street Photography

If you like “people watching” then super-telephoto lenses are always fun. Personally, though, I don’t like the creepy stalker vibe for such street photography; I would much rather use a more normal lens and actually approach people and ask if I can take their picture, or just photograph cityscapes or architecture at wide focal lengths.

Abstract & Fine Art (Close-Up Detail) Photography

Last but not least, I don’t know how else to describe this overall genre of photography, but, simply put, almost any photography subject can be seen in a totally new way when you get to 400mm or 500mm.

Once you really zoom in and get close-up to any subject, the abstract or at least unique creative perspective is just a lot of fun. Compression, subject isolation, and shallow depth of field; each of these visual tools is taken to an extreme once you get towards 500mm.

Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Review | Pros & Cons

The actual pros and cons of this Tamron lens are going to be very different than, say, comparing two different 24-70mm f/2.8 zooms or comparing two 50mm primes. It will be more like trying to compare a 24-70mm f/2.8 against a 24-105mm f/4, or trying to compare a 35mm prime against an 85mm prime.

In other words, this Tamron 150-500mm is so unique, that all of the little quirks, advantages or disadvantages, will probably not be deal-breakers for you. Basically, all that will matter is this: are you, the photographer, interested in this exact zoom range? SPOILER ALERT: This is an excellent lens. It’s just a unique focal range and a pretty big/heavy investment.

Having said that, let’s break down the aspects of image quality and the other pros and cons of this lens.

Image Quality

When testing and demonstrating the image quality of a super-telephoto zoom lens, there are a few things to keep in mind. Basically, the main emphasis is going to be in the central part of the image when it comes to sharpness and other things like color fringing; the extreme corners of this lens just aren’t going to be very important to most action sports and wildlife photographers. Furthermore, sharpness at the telephoto end of this lens is going to be extremely important; nobody wants to buy a super-telephoto lens and then need to then remind themselves to zoom out a little bit if they want the sharpest possible results!

Also, another very important consideration is the bokeh; virtually every photo you take with this lens will have a blurred background. Oppositely, of course, you won’t have to worry very much about things like distortion or vignetting, as long as they’re decently well-controlled.

For these reasons, I’ll be ranking the lens quite highly for image quality, (I might even give it a 10/10, I haven’t decided yet!) …even though I will be holding it to very different standards compared to most other lenses.

Sharpness

Sharpness is truly excellent throughout the entire zoom range. Honestly, if this lens got “a little soft” at 500mm, and if I felt inclined to suggest that you either stop down or zoom back out to, say, 450mm or 400mm, then I flat-out wouldn’t recommend buying this lens, period.

At 500mm, thankfully, sharpness looks nearly identical to every other focal length. This is truly impressive for a lens of this zoom range, price tag, and portability.

If you pixel-peep the extreme corners, you will see softness. However, truthfully, this is a compromise I am happy to make in order to get such incredible image quality in such a relatively portable package.

NOTE: When you are using a super-telephoto lens, you will often be “seeing through” a lot of atmospheric haze and other distortions that can harm your image quality. Whether it is a burning-hot day or just a hazy, smoggy, or un-clear day with poor visibility, don’t be fooled into thinking that a 400mm or 500mm lens is “soft”, just because your images are soft! As the above examples prove, this lens is capable of excellent sharpness. However, as you will see below; in poor conditions, sometimes overall image detail can suffer.

In the above example, you’ll also notice that there are weird patterns in the bokeh. This is one telltale sign that you are in conditions of extreme heat. If the subject had been any further away, the image detail would have been likely totally ruined.

Bokeh

Bokeh is extremely soft and smooth. Any close-up images render both foreground and background blur with a creaminess that you’re only used to seeing with an 85mm f/1.4 prime! I found myself continually surprised at how gorgeous close-up nature imagery was.

In other words, don’t let the relatively slow aperture range fool you; bokeh is not just affected by aperture numbers, it is definitely a subjective characteristic that has a lot to do with the optics of the lens, and of course the focal length and subject+background distances.

Just about the only time bokeh will get “busy” is if you are photographing truly “nasty” stuff like dead twigs in bright sunlight, which is to be expected; even a $10,000+ exotic pro lens isn’t going to do much better in such sub-optimal conditions!

Colors & Contrast

Overall contrast and colors are rendered very clear and vibrant. No complaints! Sometimes third-party lenses can have a faint color cast compared to a name-brand competitor, but in this case, I feel like setting your white balance correctly for the scene will always be far more important than anything else.

Vignetting & Distortion

As I mentioned earlier, this just isn’t a very important aspect of testing for a lens like this.  Unless you have a very urban, architectural shooting environment, or another scientifically accurate photography genre, distortion is just not going to be a noticeable issue on this 150-500mm lens.

Vignetting is going to be present but un-distracting, especially if you leave the in-camera correction turned on.

Sunstars & Flare

You will probably find yourself trying to avoid flare of any kind with this lens, and thankfully, with the substantial hood and the excellent glass coatings, you can expect clear, crisp images even in severely backlit conditions.

Also, sunstars can be visible even at f/8, if you look closely in extremely bright spectral highlights, which is really nice for photographers who might want that faint twinkle but aren’t able to stop all the way down to f/16 or f/22 to get a clear starburst.

Color Fringing, Aberration, Coma & Astigmatism

Almost all of these things are not very important on such a super-telephoto lens. Simply put, unless you want to do deep sky astrophotography with it, (which, you could do!) …your main concern is going to be whether or not there is any color fringing at the edges of your bokeh/in-focus zones when shooting wide-open.

There is virtually no color fringing whatsoever with the Tamron 150-500mm, even around harsh highlights and with wide-open apertures.

Macro & Close-Up Photography

When focusing very close, this lens doesn’t qualify as a “dedicated macro” lens, however, its super-telephoto focal range does render any subject as if it were a macro subject, due to how shallow your DOF inherently will be at such focal lengths as 300-500mm.

Thankfully, this lens is still incredibly sharp even when you’re focusing at its closest/minimum focusing distances.

Stabilization Performance

Before we move on from image quality, there is something that needs to be mentioned which directly relates to image quality, and that is, how well the VC (Vibration Compensation) system works. Unfortunately, Tamron doesn’t list a specific number of stops anywhere, and when you’re capturing moving subjects at a focal length like 500mm, the “safe” shutter speed rule of thumb starts flying out the window.

Basically, at 500mm, a full-frame camera ought to be hand-holdable at 1/500 sec. However, these days with sensor resolutions going higher and higher, I tend to at least double that rule, say for example 1/1000 sec, and maybe even 2 stops just to be safe with fast-action subjects. This means I’m at about 1/2000 sec for most hand-held, high-speed subjects.

In testing, I felt barely comfortable shooting hand-held at around 1/160 or 1/250 sec with the VC “saving the day”, and even then, it wasn’t 100% consistent. So, depending on how you look at it, this lens’ stabilization is “only” helping by 1-2 stops, maybe up to 4 stops if you’re a “safe” shooter who starts counting EVs at an increased rule of thumb.

Design & Durability

Now that we know the image results are able to meet a very high standard, let’s talk about the lens itself from a physical build quality standpoint!

The Tamron 150-500mm lens is incredibly well-built. It is a delightful balance of rugged durability and realistic portability, for all those photographers who aren’t getting paid to lug a “big gun” monster of a lens into the backcountry, but who still want something that can take a beating on their next photography excursion or vacation.

In terms of the actual physical design, it is exactly what I have come to expect from Tamron for this flagship class of lenses. (Meaning, it may not have an “SP” label, but it’s definitely not a basic “kit” lens!) The main parts of the barrel feel nearly indestructible, and the extending part of the zoom feels sturdy enough that it will last a lifetime as long as I don’t drop it, or leave it to rattle around on the floor of my car on a dirt road all day.

I don’t mind extending lens barrels, though some photographers do. Portability is something I can appreciate, though, and as long as the lens is weather-sealed, (this one is) I never hesitate to take a lens like this out into a bit of rain or dust…

Features & Customizations

Again, this is one of Tamron’s better designs, on par with their flagship “SP” line of DSLR lenses. A full array of switches adorn the barrel of the 150-500mm, strategically placed in between the focus ring and zoom ring.

This lens does have a really useful Arca-Swiss compatible dovetail on its tripod foot, however, the removable tripod collar has no click-stops at 90-degree angles like a few others might have.

The zoom ring has a really cool feature that I’ve never seen before, and quickly grew to enjoy: The zoom ring has a forward-shifting clutch mechanism that allows you to lock the lens at any focal length you want, instead of just a single switch to lock the lens at its most collapsed position. (Which, by the way, this lens also has.)

Last but not least, there are no customizable Fn buttons on this lens, unfortunately. Honestly, though, as much as I always love button customization, I’ve never really missed this feature when it’s not there.

Autofocus Performance

For a big telephoto lens, autofocus performance is honestly just as important as image quality itself! If a lens doesn’t have the chops to move all that glass fast enough to focus on, or track, a fast-moving subject, then it becomes almost un-usable for certain types of work.

In the past, affordable super-telephoto lenses would skimp out on a big, powerful autofocus motor, unfortunately. The Tamron 150-500m is not one of those lenses; its AF motor is impressively fast, it can “rack” focus from near to far lightning-quick, and it nails focus almost every time in most lighting conditions, on any of the latest Sony cameras that have their latest-and-greatest AF processors and algorithms.

Manual Focus Performance

Considering how telephoto this lens is, you will probably be relying on autofocus almost all the time. However, sometimes even when you’re using AF and getting close but still not perfectly sharp, (say, in low light, and the subject doesn’t have much texture) being able to manual focus easily is an added bonus for many photographers.

Thankfully, the manual focusing precision and focus throw of this lens are pretty good. It’s not as excellent as a fully mechanical focus ring, and the lens doesn’t have a focus distance window like the DSLR-made 150-600mm, etc. super-telephoto zoom lenses have, but that’s probably not going to be a deal-breaker for any purchasers of this lens. (Focus distance can be displayed on your Sony mirrorless camera’s screen, of course)

Value

At $1,399, this lens is incredibly affordable as far as lenses reaching 500mm are concerned. In fact, when you combine its image quality with its overall build quality, you are basically getting a nearly flagship-grade lens at a “prosumer” price.

The only way to potentially get a slightly better value is if you are either willing to compromise on your focal length, and get a 100-400mm or 70-300mm instead, or willing to use an adapted DSLR lens on your (Sony?) mirrorless camera. Aside from those alternatives, this Tamron is not just a good value, but it’s one of the only choices in its price range.

Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Review | Compared To The Competition

The Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 is the only lens available that offers its exact focal range natively on the Sony E mount, however, there are a few good competitors that you should consider, depending on what you are looking for.

For just a little bit more money, you can get the bigger, heavier, but yet-un-reviewed Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sport. I haven’t reviewed the Sigma yet, so I won’t say something like, “it’s a good choice if you can afford it and are okay with an even bigger lens that is almost a pound heavier” …because that would be unprofessional of me to say without knowing for sure how good a lens actually is.

The only other relatively affordable E-mount lens that offers 500mm is, of course, Sony’s own 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS. It costs $1,998, and it’s a “G” lens, not a “GM” (GMaster) lens, however, it is quite impressive. It reaches 600mm, however, it is also quite big and heavy, with its fully internal zooming and very robust overall construction.

“Cropping In For Extra Reach”

Now, before we talk about alternatives that are less than 500mm, I need to mention something that I haven’t really mentioned yet: Even at 500mm, a lot of the photos in this review were cropped in substantially on a Sony A1, and/or captured on an APS-C (1.5x crop, so, 750mm equivalent) Sony A6600.

So, if you really do love photographing wildlife of any kind or telephoto action sports, you might want to only consider this Tamron 150-500mm, or one of the alternatives that hit 600mm!

Having said that, moving on down the line! For just a little bit less money, ($949 at present) you can get the lighter and smaller Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS C. It doesn’t come with a tripod collar, though, and it really does need one. (It’s not that lightweight, and is very, very front-heavy if you attempt to mount it to a tripod or monopod from the camera’s tripod plate.)

For those who really don’t need 500mm, and are actually just looking for something that is slightly longer than the common 70-200mm focal length, the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD is a winner for its ultralight portability, and low price tag of $499.

I could write an entire article about the DSLR-made alternatives that you could choose, but, suffice it to say, they’re all quite decent, and if you already own one of them you might be happy with what you’ve got. This Tamron’s native E-mount advantage, of course, will be its autofocus reliability and its impressive portability as a 500mm-capable zoom.

Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Review | Conclusion

Finally, the super-telephoto zoom category is getting some great options if you are a Sony E-mount user. Whether you are working with a full-frame mirrorless camera or an APS-C E-mount body, the Tamron 150-500mm is an excellent balance between the traditional 100-400mm focal length and the mirrorless (and DSLR) options that reach 600mm, but are bigger and heavier too.

It’s incredibly sharp, the autofocus is snappy and excellent at tracking fast-moving subjects, and the overall quality is worth the investment. If you like what you see, then you won’t regret acquiring this lens!

Check Pricing & Availability

The Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 is available for $1,399, and includes both an Arca Swiss tripod foot and a sturdy hood.

(B&H | Adorama | Amazon)