The constructors of the Tamron 17–70 mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD faced a really difficult task. Every time a producer tries to offer something unique, a product no other manufacturer features, the bar is set very high, higher than usual.

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  very good image quality in the frame centre across the whole focal range,, sensible image quality on the edge of the frame,, lack of any serious problems with longitudinal chromatic aberration,, slight lateral chromatic aberration in the 30-70 mm focal range,, good coma correction,, moderate...

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  high vignetting, felt especially keenly on both ends of the focal range,, noticeable problems with spherical aberration,, performance against bright light should have been better.

For enthusiast photographers who use Sony cameras with APS-C sensors and are in search of a high-quality zoom, this might be the perfect choice. It offers a uniquely useful combination of a large maximum aperture and a broad 26-105mm full-frame equivalent focal length range, without compromising on...

For enthusiast photographers who use Sony’s APS-C cameras and are in search of a high-quality everyday zoom, in many respects the Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD looks like the perfect choice.

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  Excellent optical quality, Large maximum aperture and versatile range, Fast, quiet autofocus, Effective image stabilisation, Weather-sealed construction

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  Large and heavy for an APS-C E-mount lens, No switches for AF or VC modes, Only available in Sony E mount

Tamron's 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD lens nets shots with blurred backgrounds and outstanding sharpness on both Fujifilm and Sony APS-C mirrorless cameras.

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  Outstanding resolution, F2.8 optics, Dust, splash, and fluorine protection, Quick, quiet autofocus, Minimal focus breathing, Focuses close, Available for Fujifilm X and Sony E cameras

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  A little bulky, Shows some flare, So-so manual focus experience

If you own a Sony mirrorless camera, either APS-C sensor, Full Frame sensor or both types, you will not be disappointed. The 25-105 equivalent zoom range and fast f/2.8 aperture make it an ideal lens for everyday Standard Zoom use as well as street photography, portraiture and travel.

This lens stands alone among all Sony E-mount APS-C lenses. It's so good, it actually gives full-frame equivalent lenses a run for their money!

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  Incredible image quality, Fast aperture for zoom range, Highly portable, Good build quality, Impressive autofocus speed & reliability, Incredible value

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  17mm, not 16mm, on the wide end of zoom range, No AF/MF switch or L-Fn button

As a lens, the new Tamron is splendid. In common with many mirrorless lenses some of the parameters, such as distortion and CA, are controlled in conjunction with the camera to get the best results, but the lens on its own is still an excellent overall performer.

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  Excellent central sharpness, Excellent edge sharpness, Nice bokeh, Excellent CA control centrally, Fast, accurate and silent AF, Moisture resistance, Effective Vibration Compensation, 5 Year Guarantee

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  Lens enormous compared to camera body, Edge CA obvious (correctable), Visible distortion (correctable)

Very impressed with this lens. The in lens stabilization is very good. I took several shots inside our unlit church when it was almost dark with a 0.8 second exposure, with no obvious shake. The resolution is more than adequate over the whole range. See photo.

Very impressed with this lens. The in lens stabilization is very good. I took several shots inside our unlit church when it was almost dark with a 0.8 second exposure, with no obvious shake. The resolution is more than adequate over the whole range. See photo.

Great lens and a fantastic substitute for something like the sigma trio...only thing is that it’s not the sharpest lens around. Still produces some great shots, but there’s definitely some room for improvement on sharpness