Tamron has announced two new full-frame DSLR lenses and an ultra-wide-angle zoom for full frame Sony E-mount cameras, and all three offer a tantalising alternative to mainstream lenses.
There was a time when we only found out about new lenses when they were released, but there’s a fashion now for makers to announce new lens development instead. And that’s a good thing because it adds to the anticipation for these three very interesting optics.
Tamron 35-150mm F/2.8-4 Di VC OSD
This is a very definite break from the norm for zoom lenses. Normally, there are ‘standard zooms’ and ‘telephoto’ zooms with nothing in between, but the Tamron 35-150mm F/2.8-4 Di VC OSD bridges the gap from semi-wideangle up to short telephoto, and with an f/2.8-4 aperture range that means it’s not quite a constant-aperture zoom but it’s the next best thing.
The new lens has a minimum focus distance of 0.45m across the zoom range, LD (low dispersion) and aspheric lens elements, and Tamron’s Dual MPU (Micro Processing Unit) for optimal AF and Vibration Compensation.
This looks like interesting premium-quality ‘walk around’ lens for full-frame DSLRs that could offer a big step up in image quality over a typical superzoom lens.
Tamron SP 35mm F/1.4 Di USD
Tamron’s second full-frame DSLR to be announced is more conventional. It’s a 35mm f/1.4 prime lens that belongs to Tamron’s SP (Superior Performance) range. Judging by Tamron’s past record it will aim to compete with makers’ own-brand prime lenses for optical quality but at a much more affordable price.
This lens looks ideal for capturing a semi-wide angle of view with shallow depth of field and background blur – you need a very fast maximum aperture like this to give wide-angle scenes a sense of depth.
Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD
Tamron’s third new lens is the most exciting. The focal range suggests it’s for APS-C cameras, but this is a full frame lens for Sony FE-mount bodies. This means Sony owners can look forward to a constant-aperture ultra-wide lens that – hopefully – will undercut Sony’s impressive but expensive 16-35mm f/2.6 G Master lens.
The Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD is highly compact, taking unexpectedly small 67mm filters. It has a minimum focus distance of 0.19m at its widest focal length to allow striking perspective effects with nearby objects and Tamron’s own RXD ((Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) for speed, precision and quiet operation.
There’s no news yet on pricing and full specifications, but Tamron says its new lenses will be available ‘Mid 2019’.
