Why not invest in the best for your camera with these Tamron lenses? As one of the leading manufacturers of superior optics (for more than 60 years), Tamron has figured out what it takes to make the best camera lenses for renowned camera brands.
This Japanese brand brings innovative designs, compact builds, and superior resolution to their camera lens range. That makes these lenses just as good (if not sometimes better) than some of the native lenses for your camera.
In this post, we’ve given a rundown of some of the most popular Tamron lenses from our extensive line-up, with options for Canon, Nikon, and Sony.
A quick explainer on Tamron lenses
Different lens models are typically named with a series of numbers and acronyms, which can become confusing fast.
Take our first camera lens on the list: the Tamron SP 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD lens.
The “SP” stands for Superior Performance, the name for a specific series of Tamron lenses. The measurement that follows—10-24mm—refers to the focal length range of the camera. The next figure (f/2.5-4.5) refers to the aperture range.
Then things get a little tricky. Tamron lenses often have a string of acronyms that stand for specific lens designations and features. Here are just a few examples:
Classification of Tamron lenses:
- Di — suitable for full frame and APS-C format cameras
- Di II — suitable for crop sensor cameras (APS-C format DSLRs)
- Di III — suitable for mirrorless cameras (they can’t be used on DSLRs)
- VC — Vibration Compensation function
- USD — Ultrasonic Silent Drive Motor
- G2 — Second generation lens
- VXD — Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive autofocus motor
- RXD — Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive autofocus motor
- HLD — High/Low torque-modulated Drive autofocus motor
- OSD — Optimized Silent Drive autofocus motor
Now you know a little about the naming conventions, let’s head into our favourite Tamron lenses, first taking a look at our favourite Tamron lenses for Nikon and Canon (a few of which are also compatible for Sony cameras) before delving into dedicated E-Mount lenses for Sony full frame mirrorless cameras
Tamron lenses for Nikon and Canon
The Tamron SP 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD lens
There’s plenty to love about the Tamron SP 10-24mm f/2.5-4.5 Di II VC lens, from its ultra wide angle zoom to its affordable price.
This lens is made for enthusiast landscape photographers, with the ability to capture extensive vistas at 10mm or zoom in for tighter framing at 24mm. Keep in mind, it’s made for crop sensor cameras (APS-C DSLRs), which means it’s a 35mm equivalent of 16-37mm.
This is the first Tamron lens to feature the HLD (High/Low torque-modulated Drive) AF drive system, which ensures stable and precise focusing. Meanwhile, the Vibration Reduction technology enables hand-held wide angle shooting without blur.
You’ll also benefit from the new large aperture aspherical lens and LD (Low Dispersion) lens elements, which help serve up great quality — essential for landscape photography. Plus it’s weather-sealed so you can take it out in inclement weather.
We also love the full-time Manual Focus override so you can make fine adjustments without having to switch from AF to MF mode.
Finally, the lens comes with Tamron’s unique BBAR (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection) Coating. This helps control flare and ghosting by suppressing reflections and dispersion on the lens surface.
Check out the Tamron SP 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD lens for Canon and for Nikon crop sensor cameras today.
The Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lens
This solidly-built lens is beautiful to handle and works brilliantly in hand-held and low-light situations.
The 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens is built for full frame cameras with three low dispersion glass elements. Thanks to a Minimum Object Distance (MOD) of 0.38m and a magnification of 1:5, you can capture exceptional close-up shots.
The lens comes with Tamron’s impressive Vibration Compensation technology so that you can handhold the camera and still capture crisp images in low light with slow shutter speeds.
Landscape photographers will love the tack sharp details captured across the frame—image quality really is outstanding with this lens.
Check out the Tamron SP 25-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lens for Nikon F-mount cameras and for Canon EF-mount cameras today.
The Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lens
A versatile telephoto lens, the 70-200mm f/2.9 G2 lens produces high-quality imagery and stunning bokeh.
We love the versatility of this telephoto lens. It serves landscape photographers and portrait photographers equally well, helping with tight framing. The f/2.8 aperture virtually guarantees deliciously creamy background bokeh, especially with close focusing—perfect for portrait photography.
Meanwhile, sports and wildlife photographers will relish the high speed and high accuracy in the focusing, along with the intense zoom that manages to capture stunning image quality across the focal range.
The lens features XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion) and LD (Low Dispersion) glass, both of which work to eliminate chromatic aberration across the frame throughout the entire zoom range.
You’ll also get a new eBAND Coating, which provides superior anti-reflection properties so you don’t have to worry about flare and ghosting.
Finally, the lens comes with 3 Vibration Compensation modes, one of which is designed exclusively for panning, ensuring you can capture jitter-free images no matter the conditions.
Check out the Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 lens for Canon and Nikon cameras today.
The Tamron SP AF 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD lens
This is the Tamron lens every portrait photographer needs in their kit. With a perfect fixed focal length of 85mm, you can capture full and half-body shots without any kind of distortion. The f/1.8 aperture is made to produce the creamiest background bokeh too.
That wide aperture, along with the camera’s Vibration Compensation mode, ensures you can take bright photos indoors—at weddings, for example.
The lens has a solid build, with a metal, moisture-resistant body. With the inclusion of one Low Dispersion element and one Extra Low Dispersion element in the design, the lens ensures exceptional clarity, colour accuracy, sharpness, and resolution while reducing chromatic aberrations.
Check out the Tamron SP AF 85mm f/1.8 DI VC USD lens for Canon EF-mount DSLRs, Nikon F-mount DSLRs, and Sony A-Mount cameras today.
The Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro VC USD lens
This macro lens is widely applauded for its ability to capture sharpness from the centre of the frame right through to the corners across the aperture range.
It’s got all the features you need in macro photography: a beautiful manual focus ring, a telephoto focal length, and a life-size maximum magnification ratio of 1:1.
The 90mm has a fast f/2.8 aperture that makes shooting in low-light conditions a breeze, especially when you also have Tamron’s brilliant Vibration Compensation mode to prevent image blur.
It also has the Ultrasonic Silent Drive Motor that ensures the autofocus is fast, quiet, and smooth. An Internal Focusing system keeps the front lens elements fixed so the lens does not change length when focusing. Considering macro lenses aren’t known for their great AF systems, this is a big bonus, enabling you to capture fast-moving subjects like butterflies.
As with some of the other lenses we’ve listed here, this Tamron macro lens features BBAR (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection) and eBAND coatings, which minimise flare and ghosting so your shots have better contrast.
Check out the Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro VC USD lens for Canon EF-mount DSLRs and Nikon F-mount DSLRs today.
Tamron lenses for Sony E-Mount full frame cameras
The Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lens (E-Mount)
An unusual zoom range, this camera is lighter, more compact, and easier to handle just by shaving the extra 20mm off the focal length.
The lens has a short 0.85m MOD (Minimum Object Distance), which makes the lens far more versatile. Meanwhile, the optical construction includes a superb 67mm filter diameter.
Tamron’s new VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism helps create a quick and silent autofocus while the manual focus comes with a close focus option that portrait photographers will love.
Check out the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lens today.
The Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD lens (E-Mount)
An exceptional telephoto zoom, this Tamron 70-300mm is surprisingly compact. Spanning a short to long telephoto range, the lens measures in at just 5.8 inches long with a maximum diameter of 3 inches. And it weighs just under 550 grams.
Portability aside, the Tamron telephoto lens has outstanding optical performance with aberration correction. It’s perfect for sports photography, wildlife photography, portraits, and more.
The RXD stepping motor makes sure the lens delivers high speed and high precision focusing silently. It works beautifully with Sony’s in-camera Fast Hybrid AF and Eye AF.
Check out the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD lens today.
The Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 lens (E-Mount)
With a beautifully designed, lightweight frame, this 35mm wide-angle prime lens from Tamron offers a wide field of view while delivering crisp image quality.
Combining the lightweight build with the f/2.8 maximum aperture, this lens delivers high speed focusing in a compact design. That makes it the perfect portable lens for on-the-go situations like street photography.
Check out the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 lens today.
The Tamron 24mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 lens (E-Mount)
A smidge wider than the 34mm, the 24mm is another superb wide-angle lens that will help you capture the vast expanse of scenery before you.
With this lens, you can shoot up close at a wide angle (as close as 0.12m to your subject), making it a versatile lens option that suits almost any situation (landscapes, streets, and architecture are all great subjects with this lens).
Compact and lightweight, the lens is both moisture and dirt resistant. Plus it has in-camera lens correction, taking care of chromatic aberration, distortion, and shading.
Check out the Tamron 24mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 lens today.
The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lens (E-Mount)
A flexible wide-angle lens is a great option if you’re looking for versatility in your landscape and street photography.
Considering its decent focal length, this Tamron wide-angle lens has a comparatively compact design — great when portability is important. It’s also weather resistant.
You can expect excellent sharpness throughout the range with vignetting kept to a minimum. Autofocus is fast and accurate while the f/2.8 constant maximum aperture is bright in low light and allows increased control over depth of field.
Check out the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lens today.
Level up your camera equipment and bring more versatility into your photography today
At Camera House, we have a range of impressive Tamron lenses for Canon, Nikon, Sony, and more. Shop the selection online to find innovative yet affordable new lenses for your camera.
Not sure what lens is suitable for your camera model? Use the live chat feature on our website to talk to one of our expert staff about the best Tamron lenses for your camera.
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