At the risk of driving insane Fuji fanboys and fangirls everywhere, I decided that the best thing that would happen to Fuji photographers for a long time was the release of a third-party lens. father.
That lens, Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD, is likely to become a piece of polarizing glass (as in, split, unlike a polarizing filter) in the Fuji community. The unoriginal design aesthetic, the lack of an aperture ring, and the simple fact that it’s a third-party lens will be enough to make many of the most obsessive Fuji X lovers turn their heads. But for those who can overcome those “shortcomings”, the lens is truly a game changer for us Fuji lovers and does not discriminate against third party gear. .
What Tamron has offered us with this lens is a fast, constant f/2.8 general zoom lens with a wider than usual 4.1x zoom range; auto focus, flexible; optical image stabilization; very good image quality through nearly all of its range and good in corners; and a very affordable $799. In contrast, Fujifilm’s heavy but excellent 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR clocks in at $1,199 while lacking the Tamron’s image stabilization and 14mm zoom range. .
From a design and build quality perspective, the Tamron 17-70mm closely resembles its sister lens for the system, the Tamron 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD, a superzoom without There are really equivalents of Fuji that I’ve enjoyed using a lot for reporting and reporting events in well-lit daylight. The new 17-70mm feels a bit sturdier, but its real advantage lies in its performance and features.
For any kind of photography that can be done in the literal 4.1x zoom range, this lens excels, making it a great all-in-one solution, but don’t let that claim fool you. . While my sample shot is a sunset landscape shot, this device is without a doubt well suited for situations that require fast speeds or low-light environments, making things like weddings or the gym a great fit. Indoor sports are no problem thanks to fast, accurate autofocus, a relatively high-speed aperture of f/2.8, and an extremely useful zoom range.
For the curious, the 17-70mm is equivalent to 35mm, which is 25-105mm, but most full frame lenses in this segment are limited to 24-70mm or 28-75mm for those with apertures. degrees f/2.8. Also, typically, only the highest-end and most expensive f/2.8 full-frame zoom lenses (think $1,300 and up), full-frame f/2.8 composite zoom lenses come with image stabilization built in. image.
Before getting the lens, I was a bit skeptical, thinking that Tamron’s flexibility to squeeze such a wide zoom range along with f/2.8 might make a sacrifice in terms of image quality. The lens surprised me with excellent optical characteristics such as very good extended performance in many important areas such as contrast, chromatic aberration and flare control.
However, it’s not perfect. From 65-70mm, contrast and sharpness drop a bit, but stopping at f/4 or f/5.6 the remedies are great for the pixel peepers among you. I still feel fine with shooting wide open at f/2.8 if that means I can keep my ISO lower. You can make it explode if you put effort into it. The bokeh effect might even be considered a bit busy by some. Even with those relatively minor issues, Tamron should be very proud of what they have achieved with this lens.
While it’s not pretty, this lens is basically a professional horse at a great price. It does a lot of things well, and with its great versatility and f/2.8 aperture, it’s absolutely the best island lens in my opinion if you can only pick one. For weddings, portraits, photojournalism, landscapes, street photography and close-up action sports, this lens is a total winner when it comes to unlocking beast mode for Fujifilm APS-C bodies- Our C. To date, no lens has been released for the X Mount that checks all these boxes with the full list of features and professional-grade image quality.
Great performance, rich feature set, and great value make this lens an especially powerful upgrade to older Fuji bodies. Older-generation Fuji bodies benefited greatly from the addition of this lens as you’ll typically get reinforced autofocus performance and added image stabilization for slower handheld shots. . If you’re using a kit lens, even the already well-reviewed Fuji XF 18-55 f/2.8-4, prepare to be blown away. For example, the X-T2, an old or even completely outdated camera in the eyes of many picky people, becomes an extremely capable and confident performer when paired with this lens. After my experiences using this lens over the past few weeks, I would feel completely comfortable shooting weddings or commercials with the aforementioned combination and nothing else. Normally, I shoot weddings with a pair of bodies with f/1.4 prime lenses, but for anyone whose style isn’t quite defined by razor-thin depth of field, switching to a The only camera body complimented with the Tamron 17-70mm offers some great satisfaction reducing weight and hassle while allowing for a more fluid and confident shooting workflow.
The lens also performs well for video work, aided by its versatility and image stabilization. Small focused breathing can be seen if you really look, but it is minimal and forgivable for a competent professional or video enthusiast.
This lens offers the ability to simply strap it to your camera, strap it around your neck, and leave the house with no lenses or other equipment except for a spare battery or two, comfortable when know that the 17-70mm range will give you a lot of room to work with and the f/2.8 aperture and image stabilization will help you deal with low light and increase your freedom from the tripod your leg. I can walk out the door with just that, nothing else and no worry that I won’t have what I need to shoot when the opportunity comes. If I’m really worried about having a long telephoto option I’d go with the 18-300mm and between the two, if you can’t shoot the device shouldn’t be an issue.
I haven’t even listed all the benefits of the lens, as it also offers a weight advantage over its direct competitor, the Fuji 16-55mm f/2.8. It also has good macro pseudo-macro at the wide end, focusing down to 7.5 inches from the sensor, to reproduce 1:4.8 life size.
As soon as I got the chance to play with the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8, I knew we were going to be best friends. Now, when I’m on a photojournalistic assignment, I know this lens will be permanently attached to one of my bodies, sitting in the passenger seat of my car, ready to lock everything. A photo opportunity arose. I recommend this lens to anyone who literally has a Fuji X-Mount camera body. How much I love Fuji’s excellent 16-55mm f/2.8 lens, between the two, I would choose the Tamron all the time and spend my savings on other gear. These types of releases are important to us as consumers, as they drive competition in the market and as Fuji rolls out its answer to the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 as a release. Upgrading the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 or something like that, it will likely be another great addition to our options as Fuji X folks.
