Introduction
The Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (A067) is a really versatile customary to super-telephoto, 8x zoom lens for Sony’s vary of Alpha 35mm full-frame mirrorless cameras.
The complicated optical system is comprised of 24 parts in 18 teams, together with XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion), LD (Low Dispersion) and Hybrid Aspherical lens parts to regulate aberrations.
The Tamron 50-400mm has a minimal focusing distance of 25cm / 9.8 in with a half-life-size most magnification ratio of 1:2 at 50mm.
It encompasses a rounded 9-blade diaphragm which creates a horny blur to out-of-focus areas of the picture and Tamron’s proprietary vibration compensation picture stabilization system.
The Tamron 50-400mm makes use of the very newest VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism for quick, quiet and exact auto-focusing, and full-time guide focus override can be doable.
It makes use of the BBAR-G2 (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection Technology 2) coating to assist decrease ghosting and flare.
There’s a Focus Management button, Customized, Vibration Compensation and Lock switches, a USB Connector Port, and it has a moisture-sealed development.
This lens was first introduced in August 2022. It’s designed in Japan and made in Vietnam.
The Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD lens is accessible now priced at £1249 / $1299 within the UK and USA, respectively.
Ease of Use
Given the extraordinarily large zoom vary on supply, the Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD is unsurprisingly a somewhat giant and somewhat heavy lens, measuring 18.3cms in size and weighing in at effectively over 1kg – 1,155g / / 40.7 oz to be exact.
For those who take into account that it is vitally related in measurement and weight to a typical 70-200mm f/2.8 or the extra traditional 100-400mm zoom, although, with a lot much less lens swapping wanted because of the wider 50mm focal size, then this lens out of the blue turns into much more fascinating.
Whereas you should utilize it on a smaller APS-C physique just like the Sony A6000 sequence of cameras, it will not stability significantly effectively and the equal focal size will even change to 75-600mm (which can be a profit).
As demonstrated by the product photos, it is a a lot better match for a extra skilled full-frame digital camera just like the Sony A7R IV that we examined it with, the place it simply feels higher balanced and extra “at house”.
Construct high quality is superb, regardless of Tamron historically providing lenses on the cheaper finish of the market. The Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD feels very stable in your hand, with the outer barrel produced from high-grade plastics as in all of their latest lenses.
In comparison with most earlier Tamron lenses, although, the 50-400mm has a extra shiny, shinier black end, a redesigned sample on the main target and zoom rings, and a extra scratch and fingerprint resistant exterior.
The Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD feels stable sufficient in your hand, regardless of its largely polycarbonate development. It has a metallic lens mount.
The zoom ring is greater than large sufficient, provides a clean motion with a comparatively quick 75 diploma throw, and has a tactile ridged and rubberised grip band.
Notice that the lens extends by about an additional 7.5cm when absolutely zoomed out to 400mm, although, which does make it somewhat conspicuous.
The 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD encompasses a Lock change which fixes the lens at its 50mm setting and prevents it from extending when it is pointed downwards, though we did not actually discover any important zoom creep.
There may be one focus management button, a function that’s discovered on many different Tamron zooms. The perform of this button will be customised through the Customized change, which provides 3 presets which can be configurable utilizing the Lens Utility software program.
The opposite important new function is the USB-C Connector Port, which lets you replace and customise the lens instantly utilizing the Tamron Lens Utility software program, somewhat than through a digital camera physique.
We’re just a little involved that this port is uncovered, although, and subsequently not protected against the weather, though Tamron have assured us that it’s absolutely waterproof.
Within the customisation choices, the course and pace of focus will be modified. The main target ring can be utilized for aperture as an alternative of guide focusing, whereas the main target maintain button will be customised for a preset focus level for video with the intention to pull focus from one to the opposite at a delegated pace.
A brand new Focus Limiter management function can be now out there for this lens within the TAMRON Lens Utility software program.
The focusing ring is situated in direction of the top of the lens mount, which is the reverse of the 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 that we just lately reviewed, making it barely unintuitive and more durable to find in a rush.
The Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD options the newest high-speed VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) which is alleged to be twice as quick because the older RXD motors. It additionally permits for just about silent auto-focusing, making it well-suited to video use.
In use, we discovered the VXD focusing system to be whisper quiet and really quick with the lens mounted on a Sony A7R IV digital camera.
Importantly, the lens is absolutely suitable with the “Direct Handbook Focus (DMF)” system function of Sony cameras that permits the person to immediately change between autofocus and guide focus.
Focusing is absolutely inside however zooming just isn’t, with the size of the lens steadily rising by as much as a most of seven.5cm as you zoom from 50mm to 400mm.
The Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD is not absolutely weather-proof however it does profit from a moisture-resistant development with 8 inside seal factors and a rubber gasket across the mount.
This helps to forestall moisture from penetrating the lens, though we would hesitate to make use of it in heavy rain for a protracted time period with out some safety.
The entrance factor has a hydrophobic Fluorine Coating that’s extremely immune to fingerprints and particles.
The VC Mode change controls Vibration Compensation, with three completely different choices – Off, 1 (customary) and a couple of (dynamic).
Notice that turning off vibration compensation through the lens mechanically disables the in-camera IBIS, and turning off IBIS through the digital camera physique mechanically disables the vibration compensation through the lens, even when the change is ready to mode 1 or 2.
The lens is equipped with plastic lens caps and a plastic petal-shaped lens hood (HA067) which twists and lock into place – there is no lens bag included.
The filter measurement is a cost-effective 67mm. Notice that this lens just isn’t suitable with both Tamron’s or Sony’s vary of 1.4x or 2x teleconverters.
On a extra constructive notice, there may be an official tripod collar/mount out there for this lens, the Tamron A035TM, which is suitable with most Arca-type heads and clamps.
Sadly it is a somewhat costly non-compulsory accent (£/109 / $129) that we really feel ought to have been included within the field.
Focal Vary
On the 50mm focal size the angle of view is 46°48′ levels.
50mm
On the 400mm focal size the angle of view is 6°11′ levels.
400mm
Chromatic Aberrations
Chromatic aberrations, usually seen as purple or blue fringes alongside contrasty edges, are effectively managed with this lens.
50mm
400mm
Vignetting
With the Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD large open, you’ll be able to see some noticeable gentle fall-off within the corners. Stopping down helps, though to utterly eliminate this phenomenon, you have to to make use of an f-stop of f/11 or smaller.
50mm
400mm
Distortion
There’s numerous pin-cushion distortion evident in each the JPEG and RAW recordsdata which you will have to appropriate in post-processing till an appropriate lens profile is launched on your enhancing software program.
50mm
400mm
Sunstars and Flare
The Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD produces fairly good sunstars when stopped-down to f/22-f/32, as proven beneath, though it it just a little susceptible to flare when taking pictures instantly into the solar.
50mm
50mm
200mm
400mm
Macro
The Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD very usefully doubles up as a half-life-size macro lens (at 50mm), delivering good efficiency all through the zoom vary.
The close-focus level is a powerful 25cm / 9.8in from the movie/sensor aircraft on the 50mm focal size and 1.5m / 59.1in at 400mm.
It has a most magnification ratio of 1:2 on the 50mm focal size and 1:4 at 400mm.
50mm
400mm
50mm
400mm
Bokeh
Bokeh is a phrase used for the out-of-focus areas of {a photograph}, and is often described in qualitative phrases, resembling clean / creamy / harsh and so forth.
Within the 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD lens, Tamron have employed an iris diaphragm with 9 rounded blades, which mixed with the longer focal lengths ends in very good bokeh in our view.
We do realise, nonetheless, that bokeh analysis is subjective, so we have included a number of examples beneath on your perusal.
50mm
50mm
400mm
400mm
Sharpness
With a view to present you ways sharp the Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD lens is, we’re offering 100% crops on the next pages.
