Earlier this week, Tamron unveiled the 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD, an all-in-one lens designed for both Sony E-mount and Fujifilm X-mount cameras.
While Tamron has spent several years perfecting mirrorless lenses for the Sony E-mount, the company has not yet launched glass for Fujifilm users. The announcement hints at a new direction for Tamron; assuming the X-mount version is sufficiently popular, you can expect future Fujifilm-compatible lenses, a major win for Fujifilm’s dedicated fanbase.
The lens itself draws on Tamron’s experience with flexible zooms and will sit alongside products such as the 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6. According to Tamron, the 18-300mm “is the world’s first all-in-one zoom lens for Sony and Fujifilm APS-C mirrorless cameras featuring a 16.6x zoom ratio,” and indeed, the zoom range is remarkable. At 18mm, you can capture landscapes, wide street shots, and architectural shots. And at 300mm, you can photograph tight telephoto landscapes and even some birds, thanks to a near-500mm field of view (with the crop factor applied). Then there are the midrange focal lengths, and you can use these for portrait photography, sports photography, and much more.
If you enjoy capturing the occasional close-up shot of insects or flowers, then you’ll love the 18-300mm’s close-focusing capabilities. You can shoot at up to 1:2 magnification, perfect for casual macro photography (and you’ll even be able to capture an abstract close-up or two for variety).
Tamron also promises “extremely fast and precise autofocus – the highest level in its class.” As you can imagine, this is a big deal for fast-paced travel and street shooting, not to mention bird and wildlife photography. Users will need to be content with a relatively narrow maximum aperture (f/6.3 on the long end, f/3.5 on the wide end), but the Vibration Compensation should offset this problem somewhat when shooting in low light.
Of course, when purchasing a lens, a lot hinges on optical quality, and superzooms are notoriously finicky – though Tamron promises “high-resolution performance” and “high image quality that is among the best of all all-in-one zoom lenses.” Bottom line, the 18-300mm is bound to work for photographers aiming to keep their backpack lightweight and minimalistic. For the right shooter, this lens could genuinely replace an entire bag of glass, saving on space, money, and more.
So if you like the sound of a convenient superzoom and you’re a Fujifilm or Sony user, keep an eye out for the 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3. While the price hasn’t yet been revealed, bank on a Fall 2021 release date and prepare for some fun photoshoots!
Now over to you:
What do you think about the Tamron 18-300mm? Is it a lens you’d be interested in? What would you use it for? Share your thoughts (and images) in the comments below!
