Tamron’s 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD superzoom has been awarded the Grand Gold Prize in the Interchangeable Lens/Mirrorless category at the Digital Camera Grand-Prix 2021. Tamron has also taken a Gold Prize for its 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD telephoto zoom in the Third Party/Mirrorless category.
The Digital Camera Grand-Prix honors the best cameras and lenses of the year; all gear debuted during the 2020 fiscal period is eligible, and winners are selected by photographic authorities.
In past years, awardees have included the Sony a7R IV (for Camera of the Year, 2020), the Nikkor Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct (given Editors Award, 2020), and the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM (for Lens of the Year, 2019).
But while Tamron has frequently received prestigious Digital Camera Grand-Prix prizes – in fact, the company has been awarded in each of the last six years – the new 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 perhaps stands alone, thanks to its breathtaking combination of focal length range, compactness, and image quality.
In fact, the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 is the ultimate superzoom. It’s built for Sony full-frame cameras, and Tamron has ensured that it can stand up to the rigors of Sony’s mirrorless lineup; the 28-200mm is effortlessly sharp on high-resolution bodies such as the a7R IV, from 28mm to 200mm, at all apertures.
In other words:
You can capture stunningly sharp landscapes at 28mm, before zooming in for some nice sharp portraits in the 50mm to 150mm range, before capturing a sharp telephoto street shot or two at 200mm.
This is unprecedented for superzooms, which are equally well-known for their overall usefulness and frequent image quality issues. You can either have flexibility or sharpness, but not both, or so lens manufacturers seem to think – yet Tamron has proved that it’s possible to keep it all: sharpness, focal length flexibility, plus solid build quality, autofocus speed, and more.
I haven’t even mentioned the 28-200mm’s maximum aperture, which varies from f/2.8 to f/5.6 across the focal length range. The f/2.8 maximum aperture at the wide end of the range further increases the lens’s versatility. For night shooters – especially astrophotographers, who require clean images at relatively fast shutter speeds – an f/2.8 aperture is a must, and the 28-200mm can provide it.
The 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 is offered for a very reasonable price:
$729 USD, which is cheaper than many native Sony lenses, and brings an incredible bang for your buck when you consider what you’re getting.
So if you’re interested in a lens that can do pretty much anything, from landscapes to street photography to portrait photography and more, check out the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD.
(Also, take a look at our review of the incredible Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 lens for Sony.)
Now over to you:
What do you think about the 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6? Are you impressed by Tamron’s innovation? Are there any competitors that you like better? Share your thoughts in the comments!
