First test
PRICE: £529
TRANSCONTINENTA.CO.UK Tamron70-300mmf/4.5-6.3Di III RXD
With its most recent product launches, Tamron has concentrated on the growing Sony E-mount market. The 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD is another triumphant piece of kit for this fitting
With no tripod ring available, an L-grip was used on the camera and the pair were supported by a Leofoto LS-365C tripod with Arca-Swiss head. Shutter released by self-timer, while Raws were processed in Lightroom. ONTEST
70mm
135mm
300mm
TAMRONHAS SCORED SOME notable firsts with recent lenses – and the 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD is no different, becoming the world’s smallest and lightest telezoom for Sony E-mount full-framemirrorless cameras. Often, the 70-200mm is the chosen telezoom for many photographers – that focal length usually comes with an f/2.8maximum aperture. However, if coping with low light or shooting everything at f/2.8 are not priorities, there is a great deal to be said for electing a 70-300mmsuch as this one. It provides extra versatility at the long end, without compromising portability. Plus, you can get it at a good price. I tested this telezoomon a Sony A7R IV, kindly loaned by Hireacamera. The pair made for a slick combination – there was a lovely balance, with the lens focusing very swiftly and quietly, thanks to Tamron’s RXD steppingmotor. Applying the camera’s face/eye detection and DMF focus features, it performedwell. The lens has no image stabilisation, but that’s no problem–most Sony bodies are equipped with SteadyShot inside. If assistance is requiredwith focusing, there’s amanual focus ring, although this isn’t very broad comparedwith the generous zoom ring. This covers 70mm to 300mm in just one rotation. The lens front extends when zoomed to a longer focal length, gaining about three inches by the time the longest setting is reached. However, there’s no lens front rotation – good news for filter users! On test, the Tamron proved a capable lens. With a wide open aperture of f/4.5 at 70mm, sharpness and detail renditionwas good. That improved further with stopping down, so to get the very best at 70mm, I recommend using f/8 or f/11. I thought the lens’ best overall showing came at 135mm, where edges and central sharpness were both good from f/5 down to f/11 and f/16. At f/22 and f/25, the image softenedwith diffraction. It was a broadly similar story at the 300mm setting. Sharpness and crisp detail were on show at the wide andmid apertures, while diffraction had an impact at the smaller values. There was some purple fringing withwider apertures at 70mm, while gentle pincushion distortion appeared at 300mm. Nonetheless, both are easily fixed in editing. Flare and ghosting are controlledwell, thanks to Tamron's BBAR coating and supplied lens hood All in all, this lens is a capable optic. Trying it on Sony’s highest-resolution model might have tripped it up, but the lens handled it well, especially given its competitive price. WC
F/4.5
F/4.5
F/5
F/5
F/6.3
F/6.3
F/5.6
F/5.6
F/8
F/8
F/8
F/8
F/8
F/8
F/11
F/11
F/11
F/11
F/11
F/11
F/16
F/16
F/16
F/16
SPECS › Prices £529 › In the box Lens, back and front caps, bayonet lens hood › Format 35mm, APS-C › Compatibility Sony E › Filter size 67mm › Construction 15 elements in ten groups › Special lens elements 1x LD (Low Dispersion) element › Aperture range f/4.5-32 › Diaphragm Seven blades › Magnification 1:9.4 (70mm)/1:5.1 (300mm) › Autofocus RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping drive) stepper motor. Compatible with Sony camera focus modes, including Fast Hybrid AF, Eye AF, Direct Manual Focus (DMF) › Manual focusing ring Yes › Coating BBAR (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection) coating › Minimum focus 80cm at 70mm, 150cm at 300mm › Weather-sealed Yes › Dimensions (dxl) 77x148mm › Weight 545g Contact transcontinenta.co.uk
F/16
F/16
F/22
F/22
F/22
F/22
F/22
F/22
F/25
F/25
F/32
F/32
PROS Lightweight, price, range, performance CONS No tripod support or bracket option Verdict The 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD is another winner from Tamron. It’s a very user-friendly lens, free of frustrating quirks. It proved capable, too – offering a quality optical performance for glass of this type and price.
Our thanks to Hireacamera for the loan of the Sony A7R IV body used in this review. hireacamera.com
IMAGES A telezoom is great for isolating detail from the clutter that so often distracts in urban shots. Taken with the Tamron at 150mm, an exposure of 1/125sec at f/8 and ISO 400
Issue 88 | Photography News 35
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