Following last month’s development announcement of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 for the Nikon Z system, the lens was officially announced today for a price of $1999. Tamron says it will be available starting September 21st, and you can already pre-order it on B&H and Adorama.
Not much has changed from the development announcement that I posted last month, so give that a read if you haven’t already. Still, here are the updated specs for the Nikon Z version of the lens (only the size, weight, and price have changed):
- Full Name: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD
- Focal Length: 35-150mm (4.3x zoom)
- Maximum Aperture: f/2-2.8
- Minimum Aperture: f/16-22
- Lens Elements: 21
- Lens Element Groups: 15
- Filter Thread Size: 82mm
- Angle of View (FX): 63°25′ to 15°26′
- Maximum Magnification: 0.18x (1:5.7) at 35mm, 0.17x (1:5.9) at 150mm
- Minimum Focusing Distance: 0.33 meters (1.1 feet) at 35mm, 0.85 meters (2.8 feet) at 150mm
- Vibration Reduction: No
- Aperture Blades: 9, rounded
- Fluorine Coating: Yes
- ED Glass Elements: 4
- Aspherical Elements: 3
- Focus Motor: VXD (Voice-coil extreme-torque drive linear focus motor)
- Internal Focusing: Yes
- Internal Zooming: No
- Focus Limiting Switch: No
- Custom Function Switch: Yes
- Function Buttons: Yes (3, duplicate function)
- Zoom Lock Switch: Yes
- USB Port: Yes
- Dimensions (Length x Diameter): 160 x 89 mm (6.3 x 3.5 inches)
- Weight: 1165 g (2.57 lbs)
- MSRP: $1999 (Check current price)
That’s a bit more expensive than the Sony E version of the lens, which sells for $1899. I talked about that possibility last month, but it’s still annoying to see, even though the price difference isn’t huge.
None of the other specs have changed except the dimensions (the Nikon version is a mere 2 millimeters / 0.1 inch longer) and weight (1190 grams this time, compared to 1165 grams).
Again, you can check out my earlier article on the development announcement for my full analysis, but in short, this is a very interesting lens for event photography that could potentially replace two f/2.8 zooms at once!
Pre-Order
You can pre-order the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 for Nikon Z at the following affiliate links:
Press Release
The 35-150mm F2-2.8 covers wide-angle through telephoto and is ideal for both travel and portrait photography. It is the first* zoom lens for Nikon Z mount cameras to have a maximum wide-open aperture of F2. With this focal range, you can enjoy shooting magnificent views and large buildings at 35mm and dynamic close-up shots at 150mm.
With high-level performance under a wide variety of shooting conditions, this fast lens is ideal for travel aimed at creating photographic works. In addition, by incorporating the VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism, the lens features a very high-speed and high-precision autofocus for a fast-aperture lens. It also incorporates a new design in the pursuit of enhanced operability and ergonomic convenience.
Incorporating the most frequently used focal lengths from wide-angle and standard to medium telephoto and telephoto all within this single lens enables seamless shooting without the need to swap lenses, which is beneficial especially when shooting portraits where a sense of rhythm is particularly important. This helps the user capture outstanding shots without missing the fleeting expressions of the model.
Product Features
1. The world’s first F2-2.8 fast-aperture zoom lens
The 35-150mm F2-2.8 features a fast maximum aperture of F2 at the 35mm focal length, compared to the typical F2.8 fast-aperture zoom lenses. This lens lets you achieve enhanced, beautiful bokeh style even on the wide-angle end of the focal range. The F2 aperture allows use of higher shutter speeds and lower ISO settings, so users can enjoy less potential camera shake and reduce high-ISO image noise.
2. Versatile zoom range provides seamless shooting from wide-angle 35mm to telephoto 150mm
The zoom range of this lens is ideal for travel and portrait photography. Make full use of the 35mm and 50mm focal lengths for landscape and street photography, change to an 85mm semi-telephoto angle of view for people and detail shots, and focus on a faraway subject at 150mm. The responsive zoom ring enables you to continue shooting as you shift from wide to telephoto seamlessly and smoothly without changing lenses—which is convenient for video as well as still photography.
3. Outstanding optical performance throughout the zoom range
Thanks to the latest optical design featuring four LD (Low Dispersion) and three GM (Glass Molded Aspherical) lens elements optimally arranged, the 35-150mm F2-2.8 provides superior optical performance throughout the entire zoom range. Even when used with today’s extra-high-resolution digital cameras, it consistently achieves high image quality to the edges of the frame while presenting a beautiful, soft bokeh style that is achieved only by fast apertures. The versatile zoom range enables photographers to express themselves freely while capturing images focal lengths they are familiar with, including 35mm, 50mm (considered “normal” or standard), 85mm (mid-telephoto length commonly used for portraits), 100mm or 135mm, as well as the maximum 150mm tele focal length—and any focal length in between. It’s like six lenses in one!
4. Fast, quiet VXD linear motor mechanism for high-speed and high-precision autofocus
The lens’s AF drive uses the linear motor focus mechanism VXD. The high-speed, high-precision AF provides the lens with superior responsiveness to the photographer’s actions, delivering stable and reliable focusing even with fast-aperture lenses, from the MOD (Minimum Object Distance) to infinity. The 35-150mm F2-2.8 offers excellent focus tracking of moving objects so you are ready for those important moments. Additionally, the focus motor is quiet, so it is ideal for shooting both still images and video in situations that demand low noise.
5. Expanded versatility with excellent close-range shooting performance
At the 35mm wide-angle end, the MOD of the 35-150mm F2-2.8 is 0.33m (13in), achieving a maximum magnification ratio of 1:5.7. This allows users to concentrate on shooting without worrying about the distance to the subject and enables compositions that leverage the fast wide-open F2-2.8 aperture to produce high levels of background blurring while capturing the subject in enlarged detail.
6. TAMRON Lens UtilityTM expands the possibilities of still photography and video shooting
The 35-150mm F2-2.8 zoom is compatible with the dedicated TAMRON Lens Utility software developed in-house by TAMRON that empowers users to easily update the lens to the latest firmware without going through the camera, and also includes functions to support focusing operations and other actions when shooting still images or video. By utilizing a wide range of functions, users can expand the breadth of expression. For example, A-B Focus allows users to limit focusing to two pre-set focus points, shifting focus from one subject to another with just a click of the Focus Set Button. Users can also choose between Linear and Non-linear, which affects how the focus shifts during manual focusing.
7. Moisture-Resistant Construction, Fluorine Coating, and Hood Locking Mechanism for greater convenience
Note:
* Among the zoom lenses for Nikon Z mount cameras (As of July 2023: TAMRON)
1 The lens for Sony E-mount previously launched on October 28, 2021.
I wonder how many people will buy this lens?)
I have it in E-Mount already for my A7R5..not buying it again for my Z6.