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I already loved the original 70-180 but Tamron has managed to refine the experience even further. The bokeh is much more natural and pleasing to the eye, and sharpness has been refined over an already very sharp lens to begin with. Although the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 VXD VC G2 is slightly heavier and larger it is still a very easy-to-carry lens by f/2.8 telephoto standards. Tamron has managed to make a great lens even better and this adds even more value to an already affordable optic. I truly hope to see this lens expand beyond Sony E-mount. A fast tele like the G2 is ideal for portraiture and candid street shots. Alternatives: It's also quite lightweight and compact, especially compared to other F2.8 full-frame zooms. This is in part because there's no in-lens image stabilization, but also because it offers 20mm less reach than competitors. And while it is true that lens-based IS is more effective at telephoto lengths than sensor IS, I've found the lens plenty stable with IBIS-equipped Sony cameras even at 180mm. Tamron also says the lens features a “moisture-resistant construction” (including gasket at the bayonet) but you should be careful what you read into it. Being an extending zoom lens I am sure dust will still find its way inside and any losses or damage due to moisture/water do not seem to be covered by Tamron. Tamron 70-180mm 2.8 at 180mm setting (fully extended) with hood attached
MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) curves describe to what extent the tested lens can faithfully reproduce contrast of the subject in images it captures. Therefore if you are looking for the value vs performance vs flexibility vs weight ratios I have been talking about then the E mount does represent a very strong reason as you KNOW you can get that NOW, and prices will only drop further over time. There are no guarantees if and when Z mount will get the 3rd party lens support that Sony E Mount has. Due to an accident that lead to a surgery I only got to spend limited time with this lens. When it comes to the optical qualities I have no reason to complain, this is a very compelling lens in terms of sharpness as well as bokeh and I did not manage to find a deal breaking flaw here. Especially compared to Sony’s 70-200mm options this is the only lens in this segment I could recommend to the potential buyer. justoalmar - From what I understand currently there is no full frame system that has a 2 year roadmap for affordable 3rd party lenses, if any roadmap at all.The Sony A7C also offers enough value that I'd even recommend it over the R8, despite the massive price difference, and of course the Sony A6700 utterly destroys the Canon R7. Here’s the results: With SteadyShot=on the combo produced results down to 1/50 sec (2 stops) which had a comparable distribution to the shots at 1/200 sec with SteadyShot=off. At 1/25 sec (3 stops) 14 out of 20 shots were very usable. But at 1/12 sec (4 stops) results became very erratic with only 30% usable images. This is roughly a 3 stop advantage from image stabilization at 180mm focal length. I had certainly hoped for more as these results are not better than what the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 G1 had achieved – without the aid of VC. Perhaps results are closer to Tamron’s claim of up to 5 stops on newer Sony Alpha camera bodies.
Let’s compare the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 Di III (“Tamron III” for short) to the Sony FE 70-200mm f2.8 G Master OSS (“Sony” for short) and its DSLR sibling the Tamron SP 70-200mm f2.8 Di VC USD G2 (“Tamron G2”) which can be used via mount-converter. As usual I’ve rated the features with a [+] (or [++]), when it’s better than average or even state of the art, a [0] if it’s standard or just average, and [-] if there’s a disadvantage. The Tamron G2 (as the G1) comes without a pouch but the lens hood is included and reversible for transport. The Sony has a nicely padded lens case plus strap and a tripod-collar. And its lens hood has a sliding window to access rotating filters. [0]Physically, the 70-180mm f2.8 Di III shares the same small 67mm filter thread with the shorter zooms and it is only 81mm (3.2in.) diameter wide and 149mm (5.9in.) long – but extends when zoomed to 180mm focal length. It weighs only 800g (28 oz.) and can go down to a maximum magnification of 1:1.8 with manual focus at 70mm focal length. Interestingly the lens has no optical stabilization but relies solely on the image stabilization provided by the Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras. Sell the kit you’re not using to MPB. Trade in for the kit you need to create. Buy used, spend less and get more. Buy. Sell. Trade. Create. The zoom mechanism is well balanced. It isn’t light enough to move with a single finger, but this also means it won’t creep at all. Other than that, it is a mirrorless "Rebel" with a FF sensor. It sounds like you're reading the spec sheet, and haven't held the R8, so, off the top of my head, a couple examples:
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