The previously teased Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD is aiming to be an all-in-one zoom lens for Sony FE cameras.
If the Sony FE platform needed something, it’s an all-in-one zoom lens. And today, the cat is out of the bag with the Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD. Previously teased on their website, this new lens is coming in at $729. For that price tag, photographers are getting a package of all these focal lengths in a lens that’s just under five inches and weighs 20.3 oz. There’s also a 67mm diameter, so there’s extra proof that it’s not all that large. Tamron is also big on pointing out specific apertures at different focal lengths: f3.5 at 50mm, f4.5 at 100mm, and f5.6 at 150mm through 200mm. Believe it or not, these are very important. Tamron is gearing this lens up for rough conditions in making it moisture-resistant. There are lots of good things about this lens despite there being no image stabilization.
Let’s spend some time talking about that. The Sony a7 and a9 camera bodies have image stabilization on the sensor since Gen 2 of the a7 lineup. However, it’s not always enough. On the wider end, sensor-based stabilization is pretty impressive. But as focal lengths get longer, one really needs lens-based stabilization. Every manufacturer acknowledges this (even down to Olympus). And so I’m personally of the belief that if Tamron gave this lens image stabilization and charged more money while making it larger, it would still be a hit. However, they deserve praise for sticking to the ideals of mirrorless cameras. I thought about this pretty hard the other day; the reason why I don’t pick up my Sony a7r III more often is that the giant honker of a Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art DG DN is always glued to it. But I attached the Sony 55mm f1.8 Zeiss lens to it, and my entire experience changed. In some ways, I feel I personally bought the 35mm f1.2 because of the evident innovation made and buying into the hype, plus the substantial discount that The Phoblographer’s Editors get from various manufacturers and retailers. However, the tactile experience is far different. And I adore small lenses more. It’s why I’m smitten with the likes of Leica, Fujifilm, and Sony’s prime lenses. Nikon and Canon even do a pretty good job here.
When one considers these focal lengths and these apertures, though, you realize that this is a very workable lens, at least on paper. You could shoot an entire event with a flash and your shutter speed set to anywhere from 1/125 to 1/250th in TTL mode. You’d want your ISO to be a bit on the higher side, but the TTL readout would still make shooting a gig with this lens totally possible. And it’s not even designed for doing that. Instead, it’s more for a hobbyist photographer.
So, of course, the Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD is coming with a few trade-offs, but this pricing is more than sustainable. It’s even favorable to the customer. More tidbits from the press release and image samples are below.
Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Specs
Model |
: A071 |
Focal Length |
: 28‐200mm |
Maximum Aperture |
: F2.8-5.6 |
Angle of View (diagonal) |
: 75°23′-12°21′ (for full-frame mirrorless format) |
Optical Construction |
: 18 elements in 14 groups |
Minimum Object Distance |
: 0.19m /7.5 in (WIDE), 0.8m /31.5 in (TELE) |
Maximum Magnification Ratio |
: 1:3.1 (WIDE) / 1:3.8 (TELE) |
Filter Size |
: Ø67mm |
Maximum Diameter |
: Ø74mm |
Length* |
: 4.6“ |
Weight |
: 20.3 oz. |
Aperture Blades |
: 7 (circular diaphragm)** |
Minimum Aperture |
: F16-32 |
Standard Accessories |
: Flower-shaped hood, Lens caps |
Compatible Mounts |
: Sony E-mount |