Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2

Specifications01

MountSONY FE

Focal length70-180mm

Max aperturef/2.8

TypeCinema · Zoom

Weight855 g

Filter size67 mm

Physical length157 mm

Barrel diameter83 mm

Min focus distance0.3 m

Max magnification0.5

Aperture blades9

Optical elements20

Groups15

AutofocusYes

StabilizationYes

Weather sealedYes

Lens hoodpetal-shaped, bayonet mount, supplied

Approx price$1,299

Additional Info02

TypeTelephoto zoom

Category["Sony FE (Full Format)"]

Angle Of View34-13°

Review AuthorKlaus

Review Rating8

Other Featuresmoisture-resistant front fluorine coating image stabilizer USB-C port for firmware updates via Tamron’s Lens Utility Software

Review VerdictThe Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 is an amazingly compact and especially lightweight fast medium tele zoom range. Some optical and mechanical aspects are directly related to this design decision. In terms of sharpness, Tamron did an outstanding job in that it can truly play with the best here. It's especially worth mentioning the very consistent quality across the zoom range. Both axial and lateral CAs are low. On the downside, there's the high vignetting and high distortions, although image autocorrection can compensate for this effectively. The fundamental quality of the bokeh is good, but the rendering of out-of-focus highlights can be very rough. On the mechanical side, Tamron achieved the low weight via engineering plastics. There's nothing wrong with this per se - many do - but you can also feel it . Whether this is a relevant factor may be a personal preference. Unlike the competition, Tamron also omitted the tripod mount. Given the low weight, it's still feasible to use the lens on a tripod, albeit it is a little front-heavy then. The compact size was achieved via the extending zoom design. To some degree, except for potentially sucking in dust, this is a matter of taste. We've also seen this over at Canon in the RF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM IS, for instance. Tamron's VXD AF is pretty snappy and good enough for sports. We also welcome the addition of an optical image stabilizer, which was something where the G1 version lagged the competition. The Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 is, in many ways, a typical Tamron product. It does many aspects well, even exceptionally so, but there are always "hiccups" that prevent them from being a truly harmonious product. Having said that, this Tamron lens is extremely compact and lightweight, and you always have to give a little to take a little elsewhere. And for many prospective buyers who just don't want to carry a heavy brick, this will make perfect sense.

Review Criteria{"Build Quality":7.5,"Optical Quality":8,"Price / Performance":10}

Review Published2025-11-10T09:11:53+00:00

Optical Construction20 elements in 15 groups (1x hybrid aspherical, 2x aspherical, 1x XLD, 3x LD elements)

Field Notes02

Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 is a Sony E/FE mount zoom lens with a constant f/2.8 aperture for general-to-portrait use and low-light capability. It includes VC image stabilization and VXD autofocus.

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Catalog note · source: lesdeux