Earlier this week, Tamron announced its brand new 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 lens designed for Sony mirrorless cameras.
In addition to its massive range, the lens boasts a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at its widest focal length, making it officially the first all-in-one zoom lens to begin at f/2.8.
While the lens ultimately tops out at f/5.6 at the 200mm end, the wide-angle f/2.8 maximum aperture offers low-light shooters the opportunity to work with a fast, lightweight, compact zoom, one that also features significant reach on the long end.
In terms of weight and dimensions:
The Tamron 28-200mm clocks in at just 20.3 oz (575 g), while measuring 4.6 in (117 mm). This positions the lens as a comprehensive option for travel photographers, landscape photographers, and more; just slip the Tamron 28-200mm plus a Sony camera in your backpack, and you’ll be ready for anything.
Of course, none of this matters if the lens can’t deliver on image quality, and all-in-one zooms are known for their lackluster optics, especially at focal length extremes.
While we can’t definitively comment on sharpness, Tamron promises “liberal use of special lens elements…to greatly suppress chromatic aberrations, making it possible to achieve high image quality from edge to edge.”
Tamron also claims to have “concentrated all its all-in-one zoom technologies into achieving optical performance that sets a new standard among existing all-in-one zoom lenses.”
While we’ll have to wait a few weeks to confirm Tamron’s claims, the company’s other all-in-one zooms have been mediocre-to-great. If Tamron has taken this one a step further, then the rewards could be great.
The new lens also offers:
- An impressive minimum focusing distance of 7.5 in (0.19 m) on the wide end and 31.5 (0.8m) on the long end, making for a close-up magnification ratio of 1:3.8
- A fast, quiet AF motor
- Moisture resistance
- A reasonable price of US$729
Assuming the optics are good, this lens will be a steal for almost any shooter, but especially photographers looking to reduce the size of their kit for travel, outdoors, or walkaround photography.
At the time of writing, the lens will launch on June 25, though Tamron warns of potential COVID-related delays.
So if you’re interested in an all-in-one zoom for Sony with tremendous low-light capabilities, great optical potential, and much more, check out the new Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD.
Now over to you:
What do you think of this new lens from Tamron? Do you expect it will separate itself from other all-in-one zooms in terms of optics? And if so, will you purchase it? Share your thoughts in the comments!
