Tamron is one of the few companies whose lenses fit like a glove on Nikon and Sony mirrorless mounts. This was not the case earlier, particularly when Nikon had launched its first set of mirrorless cameras. However, in the past few years, Tamron has made significant strides to achieve a perfect solution, where its zoom lenses are not only affordable but also provide images that are clear and detailed. The company is pursuing this path, and the newly launched ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, the 16-30mm f2.8 Di III VXD G2, is a testament to that. Let’s take a look at what it has to offer.
According to Tamron 16-30mm f2.8 Di III VXD G2 lens is now a part of the G2 trinity“Daisangen”, which consists of the standard zoom 28-75mm f2.8 G2 (Model A063) and 70-180mm f2.8 G2. The 16-30mm, in fact, expands on the success of its predecessor, the 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD, which was launched in 2019. With this focal range, Tamron is expanding its line to street, architecture, and landscape photographers, as well as wedding and event photographers, who need new lenses for their arsenal. Here is a look at the specifications:
- Model: A064
- Focal Length: 16-30mm
- Maximum Aperture: F2.8
- Angle of View (diagonal): 107°2′- 71°35′ (for full-frame mirrorless format)
- Optical Construction: 16 elements in 12 groups
- Minimum Object Distance: 0.19m / 7.5” (WIDE), 0.3m / 11.8” (TELE)
- Maximum Magnification Ratio: 1:5.4 (WIDE) / 1:7 (TELE)
- Filter Size: Ø67mm
- Maximum Diameter: Ø74.8mm
- Length:
- 101.8mm (4”) for Sony E-mount
- 103.9mm (4.1”) for Nikon Z mount
- Weight:
- 440g (15.5oz) for Sony E-mount
- 450g (15.9oz) for Nikon Z mount
- Aperture Blades: 9 (circular diaphragm)
- Minimum Aperture: F16
- Standard Accessories: Flower-shaped hood, front cap, rear cap
- Price: $929
The E-mount version will be available on July 31, and the Z-mount will come later, on August 22. The lens’ close focusing distance makes it ideal for tabletop and indoor shots. It is lightweight and features weather sealing, which makes it easy to carry around. In fact, we are not at all worried about its performance, as Tamron has been able to excel at their latest launches. The 28-75mm lens, for example, got five out of five stars in our review for its image and build quality, autofocus performance, and compactness. On the other hand, the 70-180mm f2.8 G2 also impressed us with bokeh, clarity, image quality, and update. “The Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 G2 has image quality that’s pretty incredible,” we said in our review. “We prefer it to the super clinically clean approach that Sony takes while adding in extra color depth and a bit more pop.” Considering all the factors, the 16-30mm will certainly be a winner for many.
The price of $929 is also exciting since Sony’s own 16-35mm f2.8 GM II costs over $2000. There is also Nikon lens, which comes close in terms of price but has a higher aperture, the 14-30mm f4 S. The choice is then price vs brighter aperture. However, on the whole, it seems whatever Tamron has been doing so far is working out in its favor. We are simply excited to see how the new 16-30mm performs in our test. Keep an eye out for more.