When considering which lens to buy, there are a few features and technical aspects you should consider to help make your choice. If being able to customize how the lens focuses is important to you, you’ll want to see Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2.
Before I dive into the lens’s ability to customize the focus, let’s take a look at it first. If you are a fan of Tamron lenses, especially the previous version of the 28-75mm lens, you will love this lens even more. Things have been stepped up a notch to include updated optics, an enhanced focus motor, and a USB-C port to fine-tune some of its options. The lens is lightweight with a synthetic resin construction but still feels sturdy. I like that it doesn’t add a ton of weight to the camera. Behind the focus ring on the right side of the lens is where you can find the USB-C port, allowing you to proceed with the firmware update.
Tamron Lens Utility Program
This lens is compatible with Tamron’s new Tamron Lens Utility Program, which allows you to set up some customizations based on the capabilities of the lens. Once you’ve connected the lens and launched the Tamron Lens Utility program, you can dive into the settings. The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 allows you to set custom settings for the focus button and focus ring. Both photographers and filmmakers can take advantage of these options, but if you’re shooting video, you have more customization options.
Program requirements
Windows 8.1 or later, 32 bit or 64 bit
- 1 GB RAM or more
- 16 GB of HD storage
- USB 2.0
macOS 10.15 or later
- Intel or M1 . processor
- 4 GB RAM or more
- 12.5 GB of HD storage
- USB 2.0
If you’re a combined photographer and filmmaker, depending on the project you have in store for that day, you can quickly set customization options and save those settings for quick loading when you need to change between them. You can also bring your laptop and even change settings when the camera is connected and used. As for the focus ring settings, you can customize the rotation between default and invert, as well as the MF method between linear and non-linear. In linear focus mode, the change depends on the amount of adjustment, while non-linear allows the change based on how fast you rotate the ring.
When customizing the focus button, there are several other options to choose from. You can program the focus button to be another custom button, set it to switch between AF and MF, you can set it up as a focus preset to save focus settings or let it switch between two focus points with AB Focus. There’s even an option to make the focus button toggle the ring function between adjusting focus and aperture. If you’re going to shoot video, you can change how fast the lens enters and focuses for Focus Preset mode and Focus AB mode.
Inference
Overall, I think this lens will be a great addition, with its nice f/2.8 optics and good zoom range that will work well for many people, all at a great value. For hybrid photographers or filmmakers using Sony mirrorless cameras, the customization options with focus knob and dial are useful. The option to record focus in and out at the touch of a button makes focusing a whole lot easier. Even for photos, it’s helpful to lock that focus, and if something happens, just press the button to go right back. What are your thoughts on the customizable button on the lens?
