When it comes to photography, keeping things simple often brings results. So, shedding the weight of multiple lenses should appeal to travel photographers who want to be mobile and able to react to photo opportunities as they happen. It’s these image makers that should be taking note of Tamron’s newest lens – the 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD, the world’s first F2.8 all-in-one zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras.
Enabling Sony shooters to go from wide angle to telephoto with the twist of a wrist, the 28-200mm focal length should cover off everything from wide-angle landscapes, mid-range people pictures, right through to distant travel scenes. When paired with a crop sensor Sony, such as the popular a6600, this focal length switches up to 42-300mm – perfect for those who may also wish to capture some wildlife imagery on their travels.
Tamron explains that the new 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 is the first all-in-one-zoom in the world to achieve a maximum aperture of F2.8 at the 28mm wide-angle end, with the variable aperture switching to f/5.6 at the longer 200mm end of the focal range.
Despite the vast focal range, the lens is compact, measuring just 117mm in length and tips the scales at only 575g. Built around an 18 elements in 14 groups design, the new Tamron features special lens elements that includes GM (Glass Molded Aspherical), hybrid aspherical, XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion) and LD (Low Dispersion) lens elements.
Along with being able to capture objects in the distance, the 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 enables photographers to fill the frame with nearby subjects too as the lens features a minimum focusing distance of 19cm (at 28mm), which changes to 80cm at the long end of the focal range.
The 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 is powered by a RXD AF motor drive system and features a filter thread of 67mm. Impressively, the lens is moisture-resistant and the front element is coated with a protective fluorine compound to repel oil and water.
Sony shooters will be pleased to hear the 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 lens still allows functionality from the Sony cameras to be used, including Fast Hybrid AF, Eye AF and In-Camera Lens Correction. Available from late June, the lens carries a price-tag of £799/$729.