TAMRON 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD A056SF Large Aperture Zoom Telephoto Lens for Sony E Full Frame Mirrorless Cameras

Product Information

To avoid questions about the reliability of my handholding vs that of another photographer, I decided the easiest way to do it was to make some comparisons with my Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM. Keeping in mind the low weight and reasonable price tag you should neither expect an all metal construction nor as fancy polycarbonate that is used for the Sony GM lenses. The build quality does not disappoint though, the 70-180mm 2.8 feels pretty much exactly like the Tamron 17-28mm 2.8, so if you like that you will also like this.

Focus performance is usually pretty easy for me to test. I’d generally head out to my local kitesurfing spot, and the only constraint would be wind. The second thing to consider is that this is entirely dependent on your ability to handhold a lens at low shutter speeds. I would recommend this YouTube video called “Da Grip” if you want some hints on how to stabilise a camera for lower shutter speeds. Yes, that sentiment is definitely out of date. 10-20 years ago, lenses just weren't that optically "flawless", and slapping a TC on would definitely have a highly destructive, almost image "ruining" effect. I already loved the original 70-180 but Tamron has managed to refine the experience even further. The bokeh is much more natural and pleasing to the eye, and sharpness has been refined over an already very sharp lens to begin with. Although the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 VXD VC G2 is slightly heavier and larger it is still a very easy-to-carry lens by f/2.8 telephoto standards. Tamron has managed to make a great lens even better and this adds even more value to an already affordable optic. I truly hope to see this lens expand beyond Sony E-mount. A fast tele like the G2 is ideal for portraiture and candid street shots. Alternatives: The arrangement of the focus ring (close to camera) and zoom ring (front) is similar to that of the Tamron 17-28mm 2.8 Tamron and 28-75mm 2.8, good news, if you are using more than one of these. The zoom ring (~80° from 70mm to 180mm) is less stiff than it was on the 17-28mm 2.8 and can be moved with one finger only.

Cons:

The new Tamron 70-180mm telephoto zoom features a constant aperture of f/2.8 throughout the range, an impressive minimum focus distance of 0.85m throughout the zoom range, an all-new VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear focus motor for quiet and fast AF operation, and a moisture-sealed construction.

As a sports and portrait photographer, I would love to have this out with my usual sports activities, or potentially take it out to some model shoots in abandoned buildings. Sadly, none of those options is available at the moment. Lens profile: The lens comes with a lens profile for vignette-, CA-, and distortion-compensation which can be controlled from the camera. Adobe’s RAW converter (as of version 16.0) does not recognize the profile completely: Vignette is compensated as it was set in camera (but you cannot switch between off and auto in post-processing) while CA-compensation is always ON, distortion compensation always OFF. To get rid of the distortions in RAW files you currently need to manually correct them. [+]The zoom mechanism is well balanced. It isn’t light enough to move with a single finger, but this also means it won’t creep at all.