Fujifilm X Series cameras have a wide selection of reasonably usable wide-angle lenses available, but there’s still a section missing. Tamron is here to fill that void with a new product 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD Glass. Is it good enough? Is it worth considering instead Fujifilm’s original?
alternatives
If you’re a Fujifilm fan and want to use a wide-angle lens, you have several options. For example, the original XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS wasn’t half as bad, and you can now get it for a good price. The Upgraded version (WR) offers weather resistance and a properly marked aperture ring instead of the endless scrolling of the first generation. If the aperture isn’t bright enough for you, or if 10mm isn’t wide enough for you, you might want to consider buying XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR. It’s a really great toolkit, but compared to the one mentioned earlier, it’s almost twice the price and in a significantly heavier and larger package. In addition, it lacks a filter thread due to the large and protruding front element. Samyang (or Rokinon depending on where you’re reading this) is a bit neat 12mmf/2 lenses at a super low price, but today, we’re talking about zooming.
Building
It is a Tamron lens so of course the body will be plastic. The device I’m using for this review is a loaner from Tamron, which means I have to be doubly careful not to scratch the device in any way. It doesn’t feel cheap, though. Both rings feel nice and smooth, and the lens feels solid. A rubber gasket around the mount indicates weather resistance, which is a must-have for any landscape lens.
The crates do not expand a bit. Collapsed at the 20mm focal length, it measures 86mm, but when you zoom to the widest 11mm, you add a few centimeters. The weight is 335 grams which is very manageable. It sits on me X-T5 perfectly.
However, there is one thing I missed. As a Fujifilm user, I’m used to having an aperture ring on the camera. And the lack of it here is a bit disappointing. It’s not a deal breaker, as the camera’s front wheel replaces this function pretty well, but still something to consider.
Function
As the name suggests, the lens uses the older RXD instead of the newer VXD. So instead of supersonic drive we have a stepper motor. It’s decent, though. The autofocus is quiet, smooth, and fairly fast. I missed a few shots because the focus group didn’t get to the desired position fast enough, but overall, there’s nothing to worry about. Those cases only happened when I was trying to capture a crowd of tourists walking towards me while I was walking towards them myself. It was a terrible shot anyway, so no harm done.
The f/2.8 aperture unlocks some low-light potential. You get nice looking out-of-focus areas, and if you get close enough, there’s even excellent background separation. However, there is a noticeable cat-eye effect in defocused light. After you lower the lens, you will notice one of the cost saving measures implemented. The aperture has only seven blades, which makes the bokeh quite disappointing. I would leave it wide open or avoid showing off-focus light in the background when stopped.
Optical performance
As I mentioned, I tested the lens on my Fujifilm X-T5. The 40-megapixel sensor in this camera will not leave any optical holes. And they are most definitely here. Do not misunderstand me. For the price and size, it works well. The image has decent contrast, and for a lower resolution sensor like the X-Trans 4 or X-Trans 5 HS stacked, I can imagine that it fits, but I can’t make it. it’s sharp enough to use 40 megapixels of X-T5regardless of focal length, focus distance or aperture.
The focus distance is very impressive. When zoomed in all the way to 11mm, you can almost touch the subject with the hood and still be able to focus. It gave me some interesting results. However, when you focus closely on this, chromatic aberration becomes apparent. Some parts of the image are starting to look like an old-fashioned 3D movie. The problem is mostly gone when I focus on an object much further away from me.
Texture is not the problem. Sure, there’s a bit of a flaw when shooting at maximum aperture, but nothing serious or irreparable. And once the aperture is closed at least a little, it pretty much disappears.
Sample
Comparison of vignetting between f/2.8 and f/8, shot at 11mm.
What I like
The compact size as well as the light weight make it perfect for the X Series body. That, combined with weather resistance and an affordable price tag, makes this lens a strong contender. The autofocus is fast, silent, and fairly reliable.
What I don’t like
Many color issues when focusing at the closest distance drag the lens down quite a bit. However, they are not a problem when you focus on subjects that are further away. The resolution of the glasses is pretty good, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get the lens to give a sharp image on the 40-megapixel X-Trans 5 HS sensor.
conclude
Considering the price and performance, I’ll give it a go if I’m planning to use it on one of the 24 or 26 megapixel bodies. At a higher level X-H2 or X-T5, I’ll most likely still opt in though XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR. The chromatic aberration is really prominent on the high resolution sensor. Now, if I wanted to use this lens as my black and white document and street photography lens, due to its size and f/2.8 aperture, I’d be much more willing to overlook the aforementioned issues. It is a perfect piece of glass for those uses.
