Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens for Sony E

The Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD presents a distinctive approach to the widely recognized telephoto zoom lens, featuring a flexible zoom range, rapid design, and a compact profile. Specifically engineered for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras, this lens covers a practical short-telephoto to mid-telephoto range, distinguished by its f/2.8 maximum aperture, which is advantageous for shooting in available light and managing depth of field. Its advanced optical design incorporates a combination of low dispersion and aspherical elements to mitigate various aberrations, while the BBAR-G2 coating minimizes flare and ghosting, ensuring high contrast and color fidelity. Furthermore, a floating elements system guarantees consistent image quality across the entire focusing range, from 2.8 feet to infinity. Autofocus is facilitated by dual VXD linear motor units, providing exceptionally fast, precise, and quiet focusing capabilities, with the option for full-time manual focus control. To enhance its usability in adverse weather, the lens is constructed to be moisture-resistant and features a fluorine-coated front element that safeguards against fingerprints and smudges.

AF Performance

Tamron has introduced its first ever linear motor autofocus drive mechanism, known as VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive), specifically designed for the 70-180mm f/2.8 lens. This drive operates with unprecedented speed while ensuring positional accuracy to an impressive 0.005mm (0.0002 in), which is less than one-tenth the diameter of a human hair. Such precision results in exceptional autofocus performance. The system incorporates a floating design that utilizes two high-speed, high-precision VXD units, complemented by advanced electronic control. This cutting-edge configuration enables the capture of sharp and stunning images across various distances, while simultaneously minimizing the overall size and weight of the lens. Furthermore, focus tracking has seen significant enhancements, making it particularly suitable for sports and racing photography—two prevalent applications for telephoto zoom lenses. This ensures that photographers can capture those thrilling, action-filled moments, whether in still images or video. Additionally, the zoom lens operates with remarkable quietness, making it well-suited for low-noise shooting environments, as the linear motor is engineered to diminish vibrations during operation compared to traditional drive systems.

Optic Design

In the creation of the 70-180mm f/2.8, Tamron aimed to achieve an optimal combination of compactness and lightweight design while maintaining superior image quality. The lens comprises an optical configuration of 19 elements organized into 14 groups. This thoughtful arrangement includes specialized lens elements such as XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion), LD (Low Dispersion), GM (Glass Molded Aspherical), and hybrid aspherical components, which collectively provide exceptional resolving power and effectively minimize aberrations from the center to the periphery of the image. The BBAR-G2 (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection Generation 2) Coating is employed to reduce ghosting and flare, ensuring that subjects are rendered with precise, full-contrast detail, even in challenging backlit situations. In summary, this lens offers remarkable sharpness and facilitates clear expression, adeptly capturing the essence of any scene throughout the entire zoom range.

Close-up Shooting

One distinctive feature of the 70-180mm f/2.8 lens is its ability to capture images at a close-up distance of 0.27m (10.6 in) when set to the 70mm wide-angle position in manual focus (MF). Although this setting may complicate focusing on the edges of the image, it provides an opportunity to explore a unique perspective that is exclusively achievable with this lens. Experience this novel approach to photography.

When utilizing the 70mm focal length, it is feasible to shoot at close-focusing distances (less than the minimum object distance of 0.85m) down to a minimum of 0.27m, but this requires manual focusing. By centering the subject within the frame, one can explore creative photographic techniques that incorporate peripheral bokeh (background blur) and stretching effects (lateral/radial blur). Consider experimenting with these methods to discover innovative avenues for your creative expression.

Minimum Object Distance

The minimum object distance (MOD) of the 70-180mm f/2.8 lens is an impressive 0.85 meters (33.5 inches) throughout its entire zoom range, which is remarkable for a telephoto zoom lens with a large aperture. This short distance, particularly at the 180mm telephoto setting, results in a Maximum Magnification Ratio of 1:4.6, enabling the capture of striking images. Additionally, the lens features a floating element that incorporates two VXD linear motor focus systems, which not only preserves high image quality but also effectively manages aberrations. Consequently, the 70-180mm f/2.8 lens guarantees exceptional image quality even in close-up scenarios, allowing users to explore distinctive photographic expressions that are uniquely achievable with this lens.