Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Review

Introduction

The Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 is a budget telephoto zoom which offers an impressive range of focal lengths. This $1300 lens is available both for Sony E and Nikon Z, and as soon as it was announced, our readers immediately started asking me to review it. I’m happy to bring you our full tests today.

Although the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 is available for both Sony and Nikon, I think it’s especially attractive for Nikon shooters. There just aren’t many comparable choices for Nikon Z photographers at the moment – a budget telephoto zoom – which is probably why I’ve gotten so many requests to test it. The most similar Nikon Z lenses are the Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 (impressive, but more than 2x the price at $2700) and the Z 28-400mm f/4-8 (reasonable in price, but a slower superzoom). Tamron’s own 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 is also compelling given the $700 price, although it has a more limited zoom range on both ends.

Speaking of zoom range, I don’t want to mince words – the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 is a superzoom. The 8x zoom ratio is just as extreme as what you’d get with a hypothetical 25-200mm lens. Superzooms are getting better each year, and this lens is still not as extreme as something like Nikon’s 28-400mm f/4-8. But if you were hoping for record-breaking sharpness, keep in mind the category of lens we’re dealing with! Superzooms typically don’t perform as well as other lenses.

So, before getting my hands on the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3, my main question was whether the performance would be at least usable at all focal lengths. So far, Tamron has impressed me with their mirrorless lenses, but the 50-400mm is trying to accomplish a lot for the price. Does it succeed at balancing considerations like image quality, weight, and cost? Is it acceptable, or better, throughout the zoom range? This hands-on review of the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 will answer those question and more!

This review is a combined effort between me and Libor Vaicenbacher. He tested it in the field, and all sample images belong to him, while I tested it in the lab.

Build Quality

The Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 is built in the style of most modern telephoto zooms. That is to say, it utilizes a high-quality plastic construction and zooms externally rather than internally. The lens weighs 1155 grams / 2.55 pounds (Sony version) or 1180 grams / 2.60 pounds (Nikon version). While this is heavy in a general sense, it is actually quite light for the type of lens. For example, the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S weighs 1435 grams / 3.16 pounds! (Granted, the Nikon is a higher-end lens with a slightly brighter maximum aperture, but it also doesn’t zoom all the way out to 50mm.)

Although the lens zooms externally, Tamron went with a single barrel telescoping design rather than dual telescoping barrels. When zooming into 400mm, the front of the lens extends substantially, and I found that I could wobble the front barrel slightly. This can be a sign that sand and dust will eventually make the zoom mechanism a little stiffer over time, and it is not unusual among external zooms. But the weather sealing itself is extensive on the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3. While testing this lens in the field, Libor experienced humid and rainy conditions, and the lens performed without any issues.

It’s portable enough when collapsed, but it is pretty substantial when zoomed, especially with the lens hood attached. Here it is with the Nikon Z7 for reference:

Somewhat surprisingly given the size of the lens, the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 does not come with a tripod foot. You may consider buying one separately, with the official Tamron A035TM costing $130 (compatible with both this lens and the Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3, an older DSLR lens). As is typical for Tamron these days, this tripod foot is Arca-Swiss compatible.

Now let’s cover the handling features of the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3.

Handling

The Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 handles beautifully, especially for the price. There are numerous controls, as you can see from the photo below:

Note the custom function button, a customizable switch, the USB-C port (in shadow near the mount) and the usual auto/manual focus switch. There’s also a zoom locking switch on the other side of the lens.

By default, the button on the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 is 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 50-400mm to the Tamron Lens Utility and modify the functions of this button further. Namely, you can set the button 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 button is 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!

Note that in early 2025, the 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 received Tamron’s firmware update to allow 120 FPS shooting on Sony cameras – albeit not with continuous autofocus. (Many third-party lenses are limited to 15 FPS max with Sony.) This is a great feature for a lens that often will be used for sports and wildlife photography, and it goes to show the usefulness of a USB-C port on third-party lenses. New copies of the 50-400mm should ship with this firmware update installed, but if you bought the lens previously, make sure to install it yourself.

Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Specifications

• Full Name: Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (Model A067 or A067 Z)
• Mount Type: Sony E and Nikon Z
• Focal Length: 50-400mm zoom (8x zoom)
• Maximum Aperture: f/4.5 to f/6.3
• Minimum Aperture: f/22 to f/32
• Aperture Blades: 9 (rounded)
• Filter Size: 67mm
• Lens Elements: 24
• Lens Groups: 18
• Special Elements: 2 XLD, 3 LD, 1 molded aspherical, and 1 hybrid aspherical
• Image Stabilization: Yes
• Internal Focusing: Yes
• Control Rings: Zoom, focus
• Function Button: Yes
• Switches: AF/MF and custom switch
• Focus Motor:VXD linear focus
• Minimum Focus Distance: 24.9 cm (9.8 inches)
• Maximum Magnification: 0.5× (1:2) at 50mm, 0.25× (1:4) at 400mm
• Mount Material: Metal
• Weather/Dust Sealing: Yes
• Dimensions (Length × Diameter): 186 x 89 mm (7.3 x 3.5 inches)
• Weight: 1155g / 2.55 lbs (Sony) or 1180g / 2.60 lbs (Nikon)
• MSRP: $1299 (Check Sony E and Nikon Z prices and sales)

The next page of this review covers the optical characteristics of the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3, including focusing performance and sharpness tests in the lab. So, click the menu below to go to “Optical Performance”: