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Tamron is known for releasing really odd focal lengths that are still good lenses. And for that, they should be applauded because they deliver products no one else is. But the Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 really made me scratch my head when we were told about the lens. Available in both Sony E and Nikon Z mounts, this lens doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in some ways. But then you start to realize that this lens is designed to take on the Sony 24-105mm f4 and the Nikon 24-120mm f4. When you’ve got that in mind, everything changes.

Table of Contents

The Big Picture: Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Review Conclusions

There were times when I wished that the lens were wider and longer. And that’s the weird part: this is a lens that’s mostly meant for serious hobby photography. Compared to the 35-150mm f2-2.8, which I use for professional work, I just don’t feel like I’d want to use this lens for fun shoots. But that’s just me. I totally see how lots of other photographers would — especially those who don’t use the 35-150mm f2-2.8.

The Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 has weather resistance, is lightweight, fairly small, and offers up both solid image quality and autofocus performance. If I had to choose this lens or my Nikon 24-120mm f4, I’d probably take the Tamron instead. But at the same time, I can’t discount just how valuable the focal lengths are for the Nikon lens.

Truthfully, objectively speaking, there isn’t a single bad thing that I can say about the Tamron 35-100mm f2.8. But when it comes to usability, I just wish it went a bit more in either direction.

Weather resistance
Very lightweight
Pretty small overall
Good and sharp image quality for how affordable this lens is
A very versatile set of focal lengths
A constant f2.8 aperture throughout
Firmware can be updated via the built-in USB-C port
67mm filter thread means that you can share all the lens filters you’ve got if you’re using all Tamron lenses for the most part
Great autofocus performance — probably some of the best I’ve seen and experienced
A little too short
A little wider would’ve been nice. In fact, a 28-100mm f2.8 is something that I’d immediately buy.
Sony mount: $899 USD / $1249 CAD
Nikon mount: $929 USD / $1299 CAD

We’re giving the Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 four out of five stars. It’s really excellent overall — but you’ll still want to bring one or two prime lenses with you just for the extra coverage. Want one? Check it out on Amazon.

Experience

For this review, I used the Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III VXD on my own Nikon Zf. With that, I use a camera sensor filter from Kolari Vision. Then, I just shot images as I wished.

I love the Nikon Zf for many reasons. But the biggest one has to be that it immediately helps me realize if a lens is big and heavy or not. So when I coupled it with the Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III VXD, I immediately knew that it was designed for the modern DSLR-style mirrorless cameras. If you’re using it with the Nikon Zf, then you should use it with a grip.

This is one of the reasons why I told Tamron that they could send it to me in Nikon Z mount. Sure, this lens isn’t huge — it can fit into my Billingham bags with ease and even more room to spare when it’s attached to the camera. When put on the camera body, it doesn’t feel very front-heavy at all. Instead, it feels incredibly balanced once a grip is attached.

A Nikon camera with a Sigma lens rests on a wooden surface in soft, natural light.

A black DSLR camera with a wide lens sits on a wooden surface in soft lighting.

Close-up view of a camera lens facing upward on a wooden surface, with blurred background.

A black DSLR camera with a large zoom lens on a wooden surface.

It otherwise becomes a very point-and-shoot style affair. I’d often choose to shoot in AF-S with a medium area focus point used along with scene detection. The Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III VXD handled the autofocus performance really well. Even better, it also worked pretty accurately and quickly when using the 3D tracking setting. This was the case with setting effect preview turned off. This reminded me to go give it a try with the ease of viewing setting turned off and the effects of exposure turned on. Surprisingly so, I don’t think that I’d be able to tell the difference between the Nikon Zf’s autofocus and a higher end Sony camera’s autofocus with this lens. That’s to say that the autofocus is really, really that good with this Tamron lens and with Nikon’s camera bodies.

Additionally, the Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III VXD boasts weather resistance. During my time with the lens I didn’t take it out in the rain or snow because there wasn’t significant rainfall. But it surely did well in NYC’s major cold spells that we’ve had recently. This, however, is to be expected.

The feeling of the Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Di III VXD in the hand is pretty good. It doesn’t feel like a Nikon lens and in some ways, it will sometimes even feel a little cold. But that’s just fine. When I say that, “it feels like a lens” I really mean that it isn’t trying to get in the way of making great images.

Image Quality

For several years now, I haven’t had much of an issue at all with Tamron’s image quality. It’s solid enough that if you’re never pixel-peeping your photos, you won’t care unless you’re comparing one image to another. But comparison is the theft of joy — and always remember that Tamron makes many of the lenses for other manufacturers.

Paired with the right in-camera render, I really didn’t want to edit the images because what I was getting was just so nice.

Is there nice bokeh otherwise? Yeah — but every other lens also has nice bokeh and sharpness. Image quality here isn’t a big factor as to why you’d buy this lens because truthfully, no one can tell the differences these days without pixel peeping the photos. And in 2026, pixel peeping is designed for people who aren’t confident enough in their ability to see good photographs so they have to look at the technical stuff to talk about what’s in the frame.

But if you’ve got a camera that can deliver a special render, then you’ve got something very special.

The following images were edited

A man sitting on a bench in a shoe store tries on Vans sneakers, surrounded by shelves of shoes.

Colorful Japanese capsule toy vending machines (gashapon) lined up, featuring anime and character toys.

Close-up of fuzzy grass seed heads with a blurred background of a green wall and foliage.

Colorful Tamagotchi toys, including Star Wars and TinyTan versions, displayed on a store shelf.

Busy shopping mall interior with people walking, sitting, and a car display on the ground floor.

Boxes of Tamagotchi virtual pet toys are displayed on a store shelf, showing colorful packaging.

Rows of brightly lit gashapon capsule toy machines in a store labeled Ebisu Life Store.

Anime figurines and keychains displayed in a glass case with a price sign for MG Lupus $84.95 above them.

The following images weren’t edited. They’re shot on the Nikon Zf using Scott Tucker’s Vintage film preset.

A grocery store aisle with produce on the left and refrigerated items on the right. Shoppers are in the background.

A performer in armor rides a horse through mist on a dimly lit stage, audience silhouettes in foreground.

A tan castle-like building with towers, surrounded by parked cars and melting snow under a blue sky.

A tan castle-like building with tall towers, flags, and people gathered outside on a sunny day.

An empty alleyway between a parking garage and a building, with patches of snow and ice on the ground.

People walk in a parking lot with a Ferris wheel and mall in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Blurred view of a brick building and snowy street, as seen from a moving vehicle on a winter day.

Sunlight peeks through a dirty, smudged window with streaks and water droplets.

A snowy city street at night with parked cars, houses, and a tree lit by a streetlamp.

Two houses with gated entrances at night, snow piled on the sidewalk, and a parked car in front.

A brick church entrance with double wooden doors, lit at night, and stairs with black railings.

Snow-lined sidewalk in a city at dusk, with parked cars and apartment buildings on either side.

A snowy, icy sidewalk beside parked cars and a chain-link fence at dusk in a residential area.

A brightly lit corner grocery store at night with a bike parked outside on a snowy sidewalk.

A red heart-shaped balloon in front of a painting of a brown horse standing in a field.

Two people clink glasses of red wine at a cozy restaurant, with one person smiling in the background.

Fire trucks with flashing lights are parked on a dark city street at night, with snow on the ground.

Cars parked beside a brick building near a blue sign for Jackson Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church.

A row of parked cars in front of a lit apartment building with fire escapes at night.

A row of houses and parked cars line a snowy street at night under streetlights.

A man with curly hair and glasses looks surprised in a colorful, out-of-focus indoor setting.

A woman in costume pours red soup from a metal pitcher into a bowl at a themed dinner event.

Smiling server in black outfit carries a tray with pitchers and cups under colorful lights.

Three knights on horses ride quickly indoors, carrying flags, with blurred motion and an audience in the background.

Medieval jousting show in an arena with audience watching from tiered seating under bright stage lights.

A roasted chicken leg and thigh on a gray plate, with mugs and a paper menu on a wooden table.

Person in red robe smiling and holding up a glowing toy sword in an arena with blue and red lighting.

A costumed performer leads a white horse in a spotlight at an indoor dinner theater with an audience.

A woman in a red costume holds a sword inside a shop decorated with medieval helmets and artifacts.

Two knights in armor compete in a smoky arena, one holding a jousting lance upright, with an audience watching.

Three knights on horseback holding flags race inside an indoor arena with a blurred audience in the background.

Two performers duel with swords on a smoky stage behind a protective net, with an audience watching.

A blurry reflection of a person taking a photo in a mirror, with shoes visible on the shelf above.

A knight on horseback waves a yellow and red flag in a blurred, action-packed arena.

Jousting knights in colorful armor ride horses in an arena with spectators in the background.

Two knights in armor ride horses, each carrying colorful flags, during a medieval-themed event.

Five knights on horses with colorful flags and shields in an indoor arena, watched by a seated audience.

A subway train speeds by a waiting person on an underground platform with bright overhead lights.

A woman in medieval armor rides a horse in an indoor arena with colorful shields in the background.

Six knights in armor ride white horses in an arena, with an audience watching from tiered seating.

Shelves filled with colorful anime and manga figurines and merchandise in a well-lit store.

Assorted colorful robot action figures displayed in a glass case at a convention or store.

A Medieval Times dinner menu rests on a metal plate atop a brown wooden table.

A display case with ornate swords and a decorative scissor set on a red velvet background.

A knight in armor guides a white horse rearing up in an arena during a medieval show.

A gray cat lies on a bed with blue and white sheets, looking toward the camera.

A store aisle with shelves full of boxed and bagged toys, games, and collectible items.

Glass display cases filled with various action figures and collectibles in a brightly lit room.

A mall interior decorated with hanging red lanterns, crowded with shoppers and multiple floors visible.

Various Sailor Moon figurines and props displayed on glass shelves with green grass below.

Front view of a vintage red fire truck labeled LYNDHURST, parked under a shelter with traffic cones nearby.

A performer on horseback is spotlighted in a medieval-themed arena, with an audience watching from tiered seats.

A tall office building labeled MARCUM against a clear blue sky, with trees and power lines in front.

Do You Really Want to Buy From Tamron?

We believe that everyone should be aware of the ethical decisions that they’re making when they spend money. So to do this, we research the companies that whose products we test and make folks aware of both possible concerns and reasons to feel great about giving a company your money.

Here’s what we’ve got for Tamron:

Tamron has a warning on its website about the use of Carbon Black. The state of California states that it can cause cancer and has believed so since 2003.
Tamron is part of the UN Global Compact. It has guidelines on corruption, human rights, labor, and the environment. It’s an organization that includes Canon Europe (not Japan), Nikon, Panasonic, and Fujifilm as participants.
Tamron is working to decrease its carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 based on what it was generating in 2015. Part of this also involves their use of solar energy. So far, they’ve apparently achieved 15% improvement.
Over the years, Tamron has reported that they’ve shown marked improvement in the use of recycled materials.
Tamron’s back caps for their lenses are made of 100% recycled plastics.
Tamron provides a breakdown for the recycling efforts made for all their products.
Tamron has addressed issues with its products before and even issued recalls such as with the 70-1800m f2.8.

Tech Specs

These tech specs are taken directly from Tamron.

Model	: A078
Focal Length	: 35-100mm
Maximum Aperture	: F2.8
Angle of View (diagonal)	: 63° 26’- 24° 25’ (for full-frame mirrorless format)
Optical Construction	: 15 elements in 13 groups
Minimum Object Distance	: 8.7” / 0.22m (WIDE), 25.6” / 0.65m (TELE)
Maximum Magnification Ratio	: 1:3.3 (WIDE) / 1:5.9 (TELE)
Filter Size	: Ø67mm
Maximum Diameter	: Ø80.6mm
Length*	: 4.7” (119.2mm) for Sony / 4.8” (121.5mm) for Nikon
Weight	: 19.9oz (565g) for Sony / 20.3oz (575g) for Nikon
Aperture Blades**	: 9 (circular diaphragm)
Minimum Aperture	: F22
Standard Accessories	: Flower-shaped hood, Front cap, Rear cap
Mount	: Sony E, Nikon Z

* Length is the distance from the front end of the lens to the lens mount face.

** The circular diaphragm stays almost perfectly circular up to two stops down from maximum aperture.

Specifications, appearance, functionality, etc. are subject to change without prior notice.

This product is developed, manufactured, and sold based on the specifications of E-mount which was disclosed by Sony Corporation under the license agreement with Sony Corporation.

This product is developed, manufactured, and sold under the license agreement with Nikon Corporation.

Declaration of Journalistic Ethics

The Phoblographer is one of the last standing dedicated photography publications that speaks to both art and tech in our articles. We put declarations up front in our reviews to adhere to journalistic standards that several publications abide by. These help you understand a lot more about what we do:

At the time of publishing this review, Tamron isn’t running direct-sold advertising with the Phoblographer. This doesn’t affect our reviews anyway and it never has in our 15 years of publishing our articles. This article is in no way sponsored. That’s against FTC laws and we adhere to them just the same way that newspapers, magazines, and corporate publications do.
Note that this isn’t necessarily our final review of the unit. It will be updated, and it’s more of an in-progress review than anything. In fact, almost all our reviews are like this.
Tamron loaned the unit and accessories to the Phoblographer for review. There was no money exchange between us or their 3rd party partners and the Phoblographer for this to happen. Manufacturers trust the Phoblographer’s reviews, as they are incredibly blunt.
Tamron knows that it cannot influence the site’s reviews. If we don’t like something or if we have issues with it, we’ll let our readers know.
Tamron paid for the shipping of the lens. At a later time, a unit will be shipped to the Phoblographer and, if they request it back, will be paying for the return shipment. This is a standard practice in the world of journalism. T
The Phoblographer’s standards for reviewing products have become much stricter. After having the world’s largest database of real-world lens reviews, we choose not to review anything we don’t find innovative or unique, and in many cases, products that lack weather resistance. Unless something is very unique, we probably won’t touch it.
At the time of publishing, the Phoblographer is the only photography publication that is a member of Adobe’s Content Authenticity Initiative. We champion human-made art and are frank with our audience. We are also the only photography publication that labels when an image is edited or not.

More can be found on our Disclaimers page.

A black digital camera with a large zoom lens sits on a wooden surface in soft lighting.

Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 Review: 3 Reasons Why This Lens Rules

here were times when I wished that the lens were wider and longer. And that's the weird part: this is a lens that's mostly meant for serious hobby photography. Compared to the 35-150mm f2-2.8, which I use for professional work, I just don't feel like I'd want to use this lens for fun shoots. But that's just me. I totally see how lots of other photographers would -- especially those who don't use the 35-150mm f2-2.8. The Tamron 35-100mm f2.8 has weather resistance, is lightweight, fairly small, and offers up both solid image quality and autofocus performance. If I had to choose this lens or my Nikon 24-120mm f4, I'd probably take the Tamron instead. But at the same time, I can't discount just how valuable the focal lengths are for the Nikon lens. Truthfully, objectively speaking, there isn't a single bad thing that I can say about the Tamron 35-100mm f2.8. But when it comes to usability, I just wish it went a bit more in either direction.