Introduction
The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is a versatile third-party lens for Sony E and Nikon Z mirrorless cameras, made by the Japanese lens company Tamron. The lens features an unusually wide range of focal lengths from 35mm to 150mm, and the variable maximum aperture of f/2 to f/2.8 is among the largest of any full-frame zoom lens today.
At $1900 (Sony E version) or $2000 (Nikon Z version), the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is not a cheap lens. However, a big part of its appeal is that it can replace multiple lenses in your bag with a single one – potentially replacing a midrange f/2.8 zoom, a telephoto f/2.8 zoom, and even a 35mm prime in one swoop!
Considering the unique combination of focal lengths and maximum aperture values, the Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8 promises to be a very useful lens for almost any genre of photography. While event photographers are probably the most excited about this lens, the possibilities for landscape photography, documentary photography, nearby wildlife photography, and general low-light photography are all intriguing, too.
The full name of this lens is the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD. The term “Di III” stands for “Digitally Integrated Design III” – signifying that this lens is made specifically for mirrorless cameras to take advantage of their shorter flange distances (and does not indicate that it is Tamron’s third version of the lens). Meanwhile, the term “VXD” indicates the type of linear autofocus motor found on the lens: Tamron’s “Voice-Coil Extreme-Torque Drive” motor.
The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD is the first lens of its kind, announced in September 2021 for Sony E and in August 2023 for Nikon Z. Interestingly, Tamron did previously make a 35-150mm f/2.8-4 lens for Nikon and Canon DSLRs, which no doubt helped inspire this new lens – although the lens I’m reviewing today has a one-stop brighter maximum aperture at every focal length, so they are totally different beasts. The only other lens available right now with a similar focal length and aperture is the Samyang 35-150mm f/2-2.8, an autofocus-capable lens currently made just for Sony E.
I’ve tested the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 both in the field and in the lab, and this hands-on review will cover everything that you need to know about this exciting lens: its build quality, optical performance, and more. My copy of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 was the Nikon Z version, but everything in this review applies equally to Nikon Z and Sony E mirrorless photographers. The only significant difference is that the Sony E version of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is $100 less expensive.
Build Quality
The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is a relatively large and heavy lens, and the outer barrel is constructed mostly with plastic. The lens mount, of course, is metal, and the lens has extensive weather sealing. As is typical of a wide-to-telephoto zoom, the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 has a telescoping barrel design, with the lens becoming approximately 30% longer as you zoom into 150mm.
Any time that I use an externally-zooming lens, one of my first tests is whether I can detect any wobble in the extended barrel. I felt practically none on the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8, even when wiggling it with modest force – in line with the best modern zooms. This was very encouraging from the standpoint of weatherproofing, since external zoom lenses are more prone to the ingress of dust, water, and grit compared to lenses that zoom internally.
On that topic, the weather sealing of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 really impressed me during my time with the lens. I tested it in windy, sandy conditions as well as sub-freezing temperatures with large gusts of wind and ice crystals flying around. It handled it all perfectly.
Handling
The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 handles beautifully. You’ll find a wide assortment of controls on the lens, including a custom function button (duplicated on the top, bottom, and left-hand side of the lens), a customizable switch, a zoom lock button, and the usual auto/manual focus switch.
By default, the three buttons on the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 are assigned to perform whatever function you’ve set in your camera’s menu (just like the function button on any name-brand Nikon or Sony lens). However, using the USB-C port on the side of the lens, you can connect the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 to Tamron Lens Utility and modify the functions of these buttons further.
In Tamron Lens Utility, you can set the lens to perform different functions depending upon whether the switch is in position 1, 2, or 3. Most of these functions are related to the lens’s focusing behavior, such as saving and recalling a focus distance when the custom buttons are pressed. If you end up getting this lens, I encourage you to put the USB-C port to good use and try out these options!
As a variable aperture lens, here’s exactly how the maximum aperture changes on the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 as you zoom in:
- 35-38mm: f/2
- 39-46mm: f/2.1
- 47-55mm: f/2.2
- 56-66mm: f/2.4
- 67-81mm: f/2.5
- 82-115mm: f/2.7
- 116-150mm: f/2.8
One last thing to mention is that the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is not compatible with any teleconverters. I wasn’t expecting that it would be, but even so, the prospect of a 50-210mm f/2.8-4 would have been pretty nice! (Or a 70-300mm f/4-5.6, although there are already a few such lenses today.)
Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Specifications
- Full Name: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD
- Mount Type: Full-frame Sony E and Nikon Z mounts (called “Model A058” and “Model A058Z” respectively)
- 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 m (1.1 ft) at 35mm, 0.85 m (2.8 ft) 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, Nikon (Length x Diameter): 160 x 89 mm (6.3 x 3.5 inches)
- Dimensions, Sony (Length x Diameter): 158 x 89 mm (6.2 x 3.5 inches)
- Weight, Nikon: 1190 g (2.62 lbs)
- Weight, Sony: 1165 g (2.57 lbs)
- MSRP, Nikon: $1999 (Check current price)
- MSRP, Sony: $1899 (Check current price)
The next page of this review covers the optical characteristics of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8, including focusing performance and sharpness tests in the lab. Click the menu below to go to “Optical Performance”:
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