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Tamron 70-180 mm f / 2.8 Di III

"The Tamron 70-180mm is a simple recommendation for almost every photographer."

• Light, compact design

• Very sharp

• 1: 2 macro mode

• Fast, quiet auto focus

• Solid build quality

• Soft edges at 70 mm and 1: 2.8

• Low transmission at 180 mm and 1: 2.8

The Tamron 70-180 mm f / 2.8 Di III is a new version of a professional telephoto zoom with constant aperture. The focal length is slightly shorter than the typical 70-200mm, but Tamron's goal was to develop a balanced lens for mirrorless full-frame cameras that draws the company's attention to reduced size and weight. The Tamron for $ 1,199 is currently available for the Sony E-mount and costs less than half the price and slightly more than half the weight of the FE 70-200mm f / 2.8 from Sony.

So it doesn't have to be good, does it?

Not correct. I don't know how witchcraft did it, but the 70-180mm are just great. This is by no means a typical budget lens. Tamron made a few sacrifices – cut 20mm from the telephoto end and forego optical image stabilization – to gain weight, but I would argue that these were wise decisions and it was worth it. The optical performance is first class. When I was connected to a Sony A7R IV borrowed from Lensrentals for this test, I was very impressed with the details that the 70-180mm gave me – at least under the right conditions.

But can an inexpensive third-party lens keep up with the best from Sony? The answer is, as always, it depends – but I don't think it is really necessary. The Tamron 70-180 mm f / 2.8 is more than an alternative. It is a lifeline for photographers who would not have considered the Sony lens at all for cost reasons.

Design and handling

Daven Mathies | Digital trends

If you have ever recorded a full screen f / 2.8 with 70 to 200 mm, be it for DSLRs or mirrorless cameras, you will be immediately surprised by the appearance of the Tamron 70 to 180 mm. It feels like it's in a completely different class, weighing just 1.8 pounds, an almost incredible difference to the 3.3-pound Sony 70-200mm.

Unlike most 70-200mm lenses, including Sony's, the Tamron doesn't use an internal zoom mechanism, so the barrel expands as you zoom in. This makes it feel less "professional" than its counterpart from first-party suppliers, but it also means that the lens measures almost 6 inches long – 2 inches shorter than the Sony when retracted. And even with the extendable zoom tube, it remains weatherproof.

The shorter length and lower weight make a tripod ring superfluous, which keeps the profile as slim as it is. The very wide rubberized grip gives your hand a solid buy for the zoom ring, and I really like that it's in front of the manual focus ring (compared to Sony lenses), because this placement provides a comfortable, balanced hold. The focus ring feels very smooth and offers a satisfactory manual focus experience, although it is not mechanically connected to the focus elements.

And yes, you actually want to use this manual focus ring. The Tamron 70-180mm has a unique 1: 2 macro mode, but only works with manual focus and at 70mm. The difference in the minimum focus distance between automatic and manual focus is large and the extreme close-ups that are possible in macro mode are different from any other 1: 2.8 telephoto zoom that I know of.

Minimum focus distance with AF

Minimum focus distance with MF

Except for the lock switch, which keeps the barrel at 70mm when the lens is not in use, the exterior is sparse. While the Sony 70-200mm is littered with switches to control focus and stabilization behavior, the Tamron 70-180mm is empty. The lack of stabilization explains part of it, but I would have preferred an automatic / manual focus switch, especially since manual focus is actually supposed to be used for this lens for the above macro mode. To activate manual focus, you have to run it from the camera menu instead, which is a bit annoying.

picture quality

If the Tamron 70-180mm f / 2.8 had just reduced the cost and size of a popular lens type, that would have been enough. That's exactly what I would have expected from old Tamron. But this is the new Tamron, and the new Tamron isn't content with being a third-string player in lens play.

Daven Mathies | Digital trends

The 70-180 mm f / 2.8 has six elements with low dispersion, three aspherical elements and nine blades with a rounded aperture. This is not the type of optical formula I would expect from such an affordable lens, although the total number of elements is lower compared to Sony at 19 vs. 23 (Sony also uses an 11-sheet aperture).

Of course, the number of high-end elements does not always correspond to high performance, but in this case Tamron delivered. Although I will note some limitations, this lens is remarkably sharp. My test photos delivered excellent results and revealed details in textures that I had never seen before. Of course, this was supported by the Sony A7R IV's 62 megapixel sensor, and I believe that this lens almost reveals the potential of this sensor. Further megapixels show imperfections in the lens. The fact that the Tamron shines on the A7R IV is proof of its quality.

Daven Mathies | Digital trends

Open wide, you can expect very good sharpness in the middle of the frame. At 70 mm, however, the sharpness drops noticeably in the direction of the edges. This is far less problematic at 180 mm. At 1: 5.6, the image is extremely sharp from edge to edge at every focal length. Vignetting is minimal and essentially gone by 1: 4, although the total transmission at the telephoto end at 1: 2.8 is about 1/3 stop lower than at the broad end, since the "vignette" seems to crawl over the entire frame.

In order to really use the sharpness of this lens consistently, you need to use a high shutter speed, a tripod or both. Many of my hand shots became slightly soft due to motion blur, even when the camera was stabilized in the body. Additional objective-based stabilization would have helped here. For some photographers, especially weddings and even shooters who work in low light and need to use slow shutter speeds, this could be a deal breaker.

However, the A7R IV shows flaws like no other full-frame camera and is incredibly unforgiving. With a lower resolution case like the A7 III, the motion blur is not as noticeable, but I would still recommend a tripod (and 1: 4 or smaller) if you want to guarantee the best results.

Our opinion

Color impressed me – even amazed. I think it's absolutely great that Tamron has decided to compete as a premium brand. The 70-180 mm f / 2.8 Di III offers the perfect balance between quality, size and price. This is a rare example of a lens that I can recommend to almost everyone, from amateurs to enthusiasts to professionals.

I was a little disappointed that so many of my handheld shots weren't perfectly sharp, but I could probably have solved this by increasing the ISO and shutter speed many times over. As much as I would like lens-based stabilization, I also appreciate how light and affordable the 70-180 mm are. Again, I think Tamron made the right sacrifices.

Is there a better alternative?

No. If you absolutely need lens-based stabilization, or can't do without the extra 20mm range – and have $ 2,599 at your disposal – the Sony FE 70-200mm f / 2.8 is a great option. For the price, the Tamron 70-180mm f / 2.8 is really unbeatable.

And of course, if you don't have a Sony e-mount camera, you'll have to look elsewhere.

How long it will take?

Although it doesn't feel as robust as 70-200mm lenses with internal zooms, the 70-180mm lens is still well built and should last for many years.

Should you buy it

You already know what I'm going to say. Yes of course.

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