A landscape photographer’s view of the new Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 lens for Sony E
Tamron has updated their ever-popular 28-75mm lens with a new second-generation version that packs a punch for Sony E-mount users. Read on to see how it performs in the field. when challenged with many different subjects and lighting conditions.
As a professional photographer using Sony mirrorless camera systems, I’m always excited to try out new lenses for our E-mount cameras. I have tested countless telephoto lenses and here I have the opportunity to try out a standard zoom lens, the update Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens for Sony E. In testing this lens, I am approaching it with new eyes. I have not tried the previous version. As a landscape and wildlife photographer, I approach testing standard zoom lenses very realistically: I want to see how well they can fit into my kit, if they can work in difficult lighting conditions, their weight and, above all, their sharpness. With a camera backpack with limited space and long roads ahead, my lens had to keep up. See if the Tamron 28-75mm is in your kit.
main function
- E-Mount Lens, Full Frame Format
- Maximum aperture: f/2.8
- Updated optical design
- VXD . Linear Motor Focus Mechanism
- Minimum focus distance: 7.1″
- Tamron lens utility connection port
Full specs
- Focal length: 28-75mm
- Maximum aperture: f/2.8
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- Lens mount: Sony E
- Lens format range: Full frame
- Viewing Angle: 75° 23′ to 32° 11′
- Minimum focus distance: 7.1″ / 18 cm
- Maximum Magnification: 0.37x
- Optical design: 17 elements in 15 groups
- Membrane blade: 9, Round
- Focus type: Autofocus
- Image Stabilization: No
- Filter Size: 67mm (Front)
- Dimensions (ø x L): 3 x 4.6″ / 75.8 x 117.6 mm
- Weight: 1.2 lbs / 540 g
Design and Features
Right out of the box, the 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 is incredibly light. Weighing in at just 1.2 lbs, this is a great choice for photographers who value a lightweight kit. Whether you’re traveling, hiking, or just want to give your arms a rest, this lens is marked as portable. Another check mark is that the f/2.8 aperture remains constant and the minimum focusing distance is just 7.1″. A lens like this can be used in low-light conditions. you’re compact, instead of carrying around multiple lenses of this focal length to cover changing lighting, nearby subjects or the night sky.Finally, the all-new technology of the linear motor focusing mechanism VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) has completely changed the way lenses work.The powerful VXD motor, for fast and precise focusing, is again great for video or other applications. All these specs and features combine to make a great all-round lens in theory.Let’s see how it performs in the field.
In the field
The 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 is just a solid little lens. It focuses quickly, and I’m constantly pleasantly surprised by its lightweight form factor on my mirrorless camera. Here’s what we like about mirrorless cameras!
I took this lens with me on a colorful fall road trip, camping across five states and photographing everything from foliage to deep underground caves. In all situations, the lens performs well. It’s even such a small lens that the 67mm filter size surprised me. I used a tapered ring so my normally large filters for wide angle could pair perfectly. I must have circular polarizers when taking landscape photos.
Just for fun, I wanted to create a variety of templates for all of you, knowing that with a big camping trip, I have a lot of themes to choose from. For your enjoyment, I have a four-image panorama of the waterfall in low light, fog low visibility, farm at blue hour, reflection on lake, mountain top view and of course the cave full of stalactites and stalagmites mentioned above. Fun fact: stalactites are mineral formations that cling to the ceiling of a cave (think stalactites = cling), while stalagmites are formations that rise from the ground (think stalagmites = ticks in the ground) . At the cave I visited, the puddles created amazing optical illusions, reflecting the ceiling and blurring reality. Sometimes, what you think is a stalagmite is just a reflection of thousands of stalactites on the ceiling. Can you spot the difference?
After using the 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 for over a month of field testing, I found it to be a great standard zoom lens for the travel photographer. There are really only two that stand out for me, but they’re also what make this lens so strong. Let me explain. As I mentioned, this lens is a great match for a mirrorless camera, as it is so small and light. Helping to make this lens light in form factor and weight is the exclusion of two features: optical stabilization and a switch to change focus back and forth from autofocus to manual focus. While there is an initial shock, there is an easy fix for the lack of AF to MF conversion. You can create custom settings in the Sony camera body to use any button as that function.
The next challenge is the lack of image or optical stabilization. Now, one could say that in such a light lens you get some real-world stabilization by not having to hold a heavy device. A lens with built-in optical stabilization will be much heavier. You have that trade-off here. With landscape photography, I tend to capture the best scenes with my tripod, then shoot what I call “snatching” while holding it in hand. When using a tripod, you won’t be using stabilization, so it really depends on how you use the device and your needs.
Final thoughts
The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens for Sony E brings updates to popular budget lenses for the everyday photographer. After testing it on a variety of subjects and conditions, I can see how it would be a great addition to a photographer’s toolkit. This lens’ light weight, constant f/2.8 aperture, fast autofocus and pocket-friendly price make it an excellent choice for many photographers. You can find The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens for Sony E is here.
