Which Tamron Lenses Should Nikon Z Prioritize?

Spencer Cox

The unexpected announcement in late 2021 of the Nikon Z 28-75mm f/2.8 – with identical optics as the Tamron G1 28-75mm f/2.8 – set me wondering what would be next. Several months later, the Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 appeared, with the same optics as Tamron’s version for Sony E. (And those aren’t the only two.)

Will Nikon and Tamron work together on any more Z-series lenses? If so, these are the lenses they should prioritize.

Before going through the list, I should emphasize that we don’t yet know what agreement Nikon and Tamron have behind the scenes. The 28-75mm f/2.8 may simply be a one-time trial balloon floated to see how much interest there is in budget Z-series lenses. Or, it could represent a more substantial partnership where Tamron can ease some of Nikon’s manufacturing pressures and create a larger lineup of lenses.

In any case, it seems plausible that we’ll see more Nikon Z lenses with Tamron DNA in the future. Some photographers might feel divided about that if it’s true, but I think it’s almost always good to have more choices. So, let’s take a look at the existing catalog of Tamron lenses and which ones would be the most useful for the Nikon Z system.

Current Tamron Mirrorless Lenses

Here’s the current list of Tamron mirrorless lenses for aps-c sensors and larger:

The four lenses that I bolded are currently available for Nikon Z or are under development. The 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 retains the Tamron branding, while the other three are branded as Nikon Z lenses.

All of the lenses above are Tamron’s mirrorless offerings for the Sony E mount, too, and it makes sense that the next Nikon/Tamron lenses will be as well. Although other Tamron/Nikon lenses are certainly possible, the lenses on this list seem especially likely to see first.

Note that some of the Tamron lenses above have an older G1 version and a newer G2 version. This is true of the 28-75mm f/2.8 that Nikon is adapting. The G2 versions of Tamron’s lenses are better on balance, but some of them are very similar to the G1 versions. Nikon chose to adapt the earlier G1 lens for the 28-75mm but may not always do so.

Current Tamron DSLR Lenses

There’s a huge lineup of Tamron lenses if you include all lens mounts and especially older lens designs. Below, to simplify things, I’m only going to mention the lenses currently listed on Tamron’s website, and only for aps-c sensors and larger.

As before, some of the lenses on this list have G1 and G2 versions, such as the 15-30mm f/2.8.

NIKON D810 + TAMRON 15-30mm F2.8 G1 @ 15mm, ISO 64, 1/60, f/16.0

What Lenses Should They Make for Nikon Z?

To me, the most important releases for Nikon and Tamron to prioritize are lenses that don’t currently exist for the Nikon Z system. In other words, rather than a lens like the 28-75mm f/2.8 (basically duplicated by the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8), the two companies should focus on lenses that have no Nikon Z equivalent at the moment.

Since it’s likely that the first Tamron/Nikon lenses will be from Tamron’s mirrorless lineup (rather than their DSLR set), let’s go through those lenses below. I’ll start with the four aps-c mirrorless lenses:

Next are the full-frame Tamron mirrorless lenses:

That’s it for the Tamron mirrorless lenses, but what about the company’s DSLR glass? I suspect these lenses are less likely to be adapted. (Even if they were, they’d be bigger than the DSLR versions, since they would need an FTZ-style spacer on the back.) Nevertheless, I’ll briefly cover the top five Tamron DSLR lenses that I’d like to see for Nikon Z mount.

  1. Tamron 70-210mm f/4: This is the DSLR lens I’d most like to see adapted, for obvious reasons. A (roughly) 70-200mm f/4 lens is sorely needed on the Nikon Z system to pair with the excellent 14-30mm f/4 and 24-70mm f/4 lenses. I don’t care if it’s from Tamron, Nikon, or anyone else; it’s a major gap in Nikon’s lineup at the moment.
  2. Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4: The Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 is a very interesting ultra-wide lens. It retains the useful f/2.8 aperture at its widest focal length (helpful for astrophotography) but still stays compact because of the narrower f/4 aperture as you zoom in. Nikon doesn’t have a Z-series equivalent and probably won’t any time soon.
  3. Tamron 35mm f/1.4: I like that Nikon has been prioritizing image quality and compactness with their mirrorless lenses, but it does mean that most of the Nikon Z primes have an f/1.8 maximum aperture instead of something wider. Since Nikon doesn’t seem to have plans for a 35mm f/1.2 or f/1.4 any time soon, Tamron could step in instead. An aperture of f/1.4 gains 2/3 stops of light compared to f/1.8. It’s not a massive difference, but there’s a reason why wedding photographers so often love 35mm f/1.4 lenses in low light conditions.
  4. Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4: Unlike the unusual mirrorless Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8, this DSLR lens has a more standard f/2.8-4 maximum aperture. Still, the focal length range is unusual and potentially useful, such as for event photographers who don’t want to carry too many lenses. It would be an intriguing Nikon Z adaptation.
  5. Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3: I don’t particularly care whether Tamron adapts this lens or the 150-500mm f/5-6.7 mirrorless lens that I covered in the prior section. This would be a better choice for users who want 600mm rather than 500mm in exchange for a bit more weight. Tamron doesn’t need to adapt both, though.

As for the rest of Tamron’s DSLR lenses, I don’t consider any of them critical to adapt to the Nikon Z system. But the five lenses in the list above would make compelling adaptations.

NIKON D780 + Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4E @ 25mm, ISO 100, 1/400, f/9.0

Conclusion

Nikon created a bit of a stir when their Z 28-75mm f/2.8 was shown to have a Tamron optical design. But I don’t think it has to be a bad thing. Nikon clearly knows that they need more lenses if they’re going to be competitive with Canon’s lineup, let alone Sony’s, in a manufacturing environment as strained as this one. Working with Tamron should let them sell some less expensive lenses and fill in their gaps more quickly.

I do hope, however, that Nikon’s next adaptations are from the newer G2 versions of these Tamron lenses rather than the G1 generation. That’s a disappointment so far about the upcoming 28-75mm f/2.8. I also hope that our testing at Photography Life confirms the Nikon/Tamron lenses to have focus speed and accuracy equivalent to those of original Nikon Z glass – which I suspect they will, but I’m curious to test.

In the end, there are a lot of Tamron lenses I’d like to see for the Z system. Some lenses would fill in a critical gap in Nikon’s lineup, while others would keep costs down in places that Z-series glass is especially expensive. And perhaps if this whole endeavor is a success, Tamron will start to make entirely new lenses dedicated for the Nikon Z system, rather than just re-using their existing designs.

Whatever the details of this new partnership may be, I’m cautiously optimistic. If Nikon and Tamron keep working together on new lenses, it could speed up their progress and make them more competitive, which is better for everyone.

Exit mobile version