First test
Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di IIIVCVXD PRICE: £1379 TAMRON.EU
The latest in Tamron’s ever-growing line of Sony E-mount lenses is an ultra-telephoto zoom, impressively compact for its focal length range
Tamron has a 100-400mm and 150-600mm in its existing range, but these are in Canon/Nikon DSLR fittings. Its new addition is the 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD in E-mount, and compatible with both full-frame and APS-C format Sony cameras. I tested this lens on a Sony A7R IV; if you enjoy Sony's focus features, the good news is that you get full compatibility with this lens. AF is very responsive, with hybrid and eye detection working well. I tried AF in single-zone, flexible single-zone and multi-zone modes, and was pleased with receptiveness and speed – it was silent, too. Handling of the lens with this camera is impressive, considering the combination weighs around 2.4kg, and it was comfortable for extended periods of handholding. At 150mm, the lens measures 21cm, and this extends to 28cm at the 500mm end – so this is a compact lens given its long focal length. It is worth mentioning that there is not much clearance between the camera’s handgrip and lens body. While this didn’t have any impact on getting a secure grip, check this for comfort if you have larger fingers. To assist handheld shooting, the lens has a three-mode VC (Vibration
IF YOU ASPIRE to shoot action and wildlife, you’ll need a solid telephoto lens to get the subject a decent size in the frame. This means that the final image file is a usable size, even if you end up cropping. The thing is, long telephoto zooms tend to be bulky, with not great handling – and are very expensive if you want a fast- aperture prime lens. Although, this is less of an issue nowadays, thanks to the excellent, high-ISO performance that’s commonplace.
SPECS › Price £1379
› In the box Lens cap, back cap, Arca-Swiss compatible tripod foot, lens hood with rubberised front, storage bag › Fittings Sony E-mount › Format Full-frame, APS-C (35mm format 225-750mm equivalent) › Filter size 82mm › Construction 25 elements in 16 groups › Special lens elements One ELD (extra-low dispersion), five LD (low dispersion), two hybrid aspherical › Autofocus Yes, VXD linear focus motor › Aperture range f/5-6.7 to f/22-32 › Diaphragm Seven blades › Minimum focus 60cm at 150mm, 1.8m at 500mm › Magnification 1.31x at 150mm, 1.37mm at 500mm › Weather sealed Moisture-resistant › Image stabiliser Yes, Tamron VC (Vibration Compensation). Three modes: VC1 standard; VC2 panning; and VC3 framing priority › Coatings BBAR-G2, fluorine-coated front element › Dimensions (dxl) 93x209.6mm › Weight 1725g lens only, 1880g with tripod mount › Contact transcontinenta.co.uk
For convenience and portability, many zoom lenses have locks to keep them at minimum size – and it’s an important feature. Fewer lenses let you lock the zoom at any focal length other than its minimum, and this Tamron is one of them. Its simple Flex Zoom Lock is a very effective, versatile feature: it holds the zoom at any focal length, not just the whole values that rival lenses limit you to. Basically, push the zoom barrel away from you when using it. A grey ring is revealed and the zoom position is locked. It stays firm, so there is no creep, even when the lens is hanging straight down – and it’s quick to disengage by pulling back the barrel. It works well and has a strong action – if anything, I’d prefer a longer travel
Compensation) system: standard, panning and framing priority. With the VC on mode one and the Tamron at 500mm, I was getting consistently pin-sharp shots at 1/50sec with the camera’s mechanical shutter, and 1/40sec with the electronic shutter. This was indoors and with steady breathing, but shows what’s possible.
by a couple of millimetres, but that’s getting picky. There is a separate zoom lock at 150mm. While long-lens users often work with subjects in the far distance, the minimum focus here – 60cm at 150mm and 1.8m at 500mm – means there is the opportunity for close-up shooting, too. The Tamron performed well with our test chart. F/11 gave the crispest, most detailed results across the frame at 150mm, with f/8 not far behind, and the wider apertures also fared well. Quality was equally impressive at 300mm, where the widest aperture was f/5.6. Here, there was good sharpness across the frame, with f/8 and f/11 SWITCH IT UP The key controls are all clustered together on the left side for quick access, while supporting the lens barrel – and they work positively
Our thanks to Hireacamera for the loan of the Sony A7R IV body used in this review. hireacamera.com
IN CLOSE FOCUS Tamron’s ultra-telephoto zoom has a very useful minimum focusing distance, 60cm at 150mm – and 1.8m at 500mm. This shot of a darter was taken at the 500mm end at minimum focus, using a handheld exposure of 1/200sec at f/6.7 and ISO 400. The Raw was put through DxO PureRaw, then processed in Adobe Lightroom. The dragonfly image is shown uncropped (above left), but the enlarged section shows how well the compound eye is beautifully recorded by the Tamron
58 Photography News | Issue 94
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