The launch of the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III VXD 1:1 macro lens for Sony E mount and Nikon Z mount is accompanied by a tantalizing tagline: “Tamron’s legendary 90mm macro is reborn for mirrorless.”
That pretty much sums it up. There have been multiple iterations of this venerable and much-loved macro lens over the years, with the original dating back to the pre-digital days of 1979 and the first for digital appearing in 2004. And there have been a couple of additional updates since then, in 2012 and 2016, but never before has there been one specifically optimized for use with mirrorless full-frame digital cameras. Until now.
The new 90mm f/2.8 Di III VXD 1:1 macro lens marks another debut for Tamron: the introduction of its first 12-blade circular aperture. As you’d expect, the spectacular 12-blade design ensures perfectly circular bokeh with minimal vignetting, especially in the macro range, along with stunning starburst effects when stopped down. This will have a noticeable impact on your macro photography and other applications.
At just 126.5mm long and weighing only 630g – no small feat for a mid-telephoto macro – the lens fits neatly in the palm of your hand, is a breeze to hold on longer shoots and also easy to transport. It’s equipped with a focus limiter switch that you can use to restrict the AF range and enable faster focusing with AF. This also helps prevent the lens from searching for focus excessively when shooting a subject at close range.
To assist with manual focusing, the rotational torque of the focus ring has been carefully calibrated to make fine tuning easier and more accurate.
Handling aside, it’s the lens’s optical formula – comprising 15 elements in 12 groups, including four LD lens elements – and stellar performance that set it apart from other mid-telephoto macros. It’s a reputation that has stood the test of time and one that will no doubt carry this remarkable lens well into the future.
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