First test
PRICE: £829
TAMRON.EU
Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
TEST PICTURES
Our test shots were taken on the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 lens, with a tripod-mounted Fujifilm X-H2S. Raws were processed in Adobe Lightroom with default sharpening.
17mm
F/2.8
F/4
SPECS › Price £829 › In the box Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD, hood, rear and front caps › Format APS-C › Compatibility Fujifilm X Mount › Filter 67mm › Construction 16 elements in 12 groups › Special lens elements One hybrid aspherical, two low-dispersion, two moulded glass aspherical the other is this 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD, at £829. It’s the first lens of this aperture and range for APS-C – and is also available in Sony E-mount fitting. The 17-70mm range (equivalent to 25.5-105mm in the 35mm format) IN RECENT TIMES, Tamron’s focus has been building up options for Sony E-mount cameras. With 14 lenses available for Sony full-frame and APS-C owners – from a fixed 20mm f/2.8 to a 150-600mm – its attention has turned to attracting Fujifilm X Series users. Two lenses now exist for this purpose, with the promise of more to come. An 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC RXD superzoom is one; Leading independent brand Tamron now offers products for the Fujifilm X Series. We check out its latest high-speed standard zoom
F/2.8
F/4
F/5.6
F/8
F/11
F/16
F/22
F/5.6
F/8
F/11
F/16
F/22
“I PREFERRED IT ON THE LARGER X-H2S – BUT THAT’S A PERSONAL THING” the best settings at this focal length, before diffraction kicked in at f/16 where the image softened. The lens showed good skills at 35mm, comparable to the heights of the 17mm setting. Images were crisp and high-contrast at f/2.8, which was true at both the centre and edges. Peak performance with impressive detail was seen at f/5.6 and f/8, before it gradually slipped away from f/16. Least impressive was the 70mm setting, where f/2.8 and f/4 gave decent detail, but needed f/5.6 before getting into stride with contrasty images and good definition. F/5.6 was the best aperture at 70mm, and while f/8 and f/11 still functioned OK, the wider aperture gave crisp results. Diffraction, as was the case with the other test focal lengths, impacted on sharpness at f/16 and f/22. All in all, this is a solid, capable optical performer. WC
means it’s a 4x zoom and covers a range Fujifilm itself does not offer. The nearest Fujifilm standard zoom with a constant f/2.8 aperture is the XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR, or if you are prepared to sacrifice maximum aperture, there's the lovely, good value XF16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR. I tried this lens on two Fujifilm cameras, the new X-H2S and petite X-S10, using the former for test chart shots. The Tamron combines and balances nicely on both, although I preferred it on the larger X-H2S body – but that’s a personal thing. Handling is good, with the zoom range covered in less than a quarter- twist of the smooth barrel, and the front grows by about 3cm as you zoom out to 70mm. The only other physical feature is the manual focus ring. That’s also effortless, and its friction is just about perfect. Autofocus is with Tamron’s RXD motor, which is silent, fast and slick – particularly in the case of the X-H2S and its advanced AF skills. Optically, this lens proved itself very capable. At 17mm, resolution of fine detail was good in f/2.8, and while usable wide open with no issues, stopping down improves the results. F/5.6 and f/8 proved to be
35mm
F/2.8
F/4
F/2.8
F/4
F/5.6
F/8
F/11
F/16
F/22
F/5.6
F/8
F/11
F/16
F/22
70mm
F/2.8
F/4
› Aperture range F/2.8-22 › Autofocus RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) › Coating BBAR (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection), fluorine coat on front element › Minimum object distance 19cm (wide), 39cm (tele) › Magnification 1:4.8 (wide), 1:5.2 (tele) › Diaphragm Nine blades › Weather sealed Yes › Image stabiliser VC (Vibration compensation) › Dimensions (dxl) 74.6x119.3mm › Weight 525g › Contact tamron.eu
F/2.8
F/4
Verdict With its capable imaging skills, smooth autofocus and very handy focal length range, the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD has all the credentials of an excellent walkaround lens for Fujifilm X Mount and Sony E-mount owners. PROS Fast constant aperture, good handling, slick AF, weather proofing, video-friendly, good price, potential of close-up shooting CONS Nothing of note
F/5.6
F/8
F/11
F/16
F/22
F/5.6
F/8
F/11
F/16
F/22
58 Photography News | Issue 101
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