Tamron 35-150mm F/2-2.8 Di III VXD for Nikon Review

December 1, 2023 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Conclusion

Nikon owners now get to enjoy what Sony E-mount users have had since 2021 - other than a very slight increase in weight, the two versions of this lens are identical both physically and optically.

This is a fantastic all-round zoom lens that could effectively replace two fast zooms in your lens arsenal. A lot of event photographers typically rely on two fast zoom lenses for their bread and butter shooting - a 28-70mm and 70-200mm f/2.8. The beauty of this new 35-150mm is that it could replace both of those lenses in your camera bag, if you don't mind the reduction in zoom range at either end.

This has the twin benefits of saving weight - although the Tamron 35-1500mm is a heavy lens at 1.2kg, it would still be dwarfed by most 28-70mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 lens combinations - and saving time - instead of having to swap lenses on a single body or between dual camera/lens setups, you can simply use one lens that's always on the camera and snap away.

Being able to quickly zoom from moderate wide-angle to telephoto using in lens is extremely liberating and really allows you to concentrate on capturing the moment. What's more, there are virtually no compromises in terms of image quality, other than a tendency for exhibiting too much flare when shooting directly into the sun and some noticeable pin-cushion distortion at 150mm.

This is one sharp lens throughout the generous zoom range and at both the centre and edges of the frame, and in our opinion it's more than good enough to effectively replace not only those two 28-70mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms, but also a bagful of primes if you don't mind slightly slower maximum apertures.

The Tamron 35-150mm eye-opening maximum aperture of f/2 is unheard of in a lens of this type, and although it quickly reaches f/2.2 at around 40mm and f/2.8 at around 80mm, having the ability to shoot between f/2-f/2.8 from 35-80mm is something that very few zoom lenses offer.

It is an undeniably expensive lens, but on the other hand it's cheaper than a dual 28-70mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 setup. Deciding the value for money will ultimately come down to how you view the versatile all-in-one nature of this lens, and how it might fit into your day-to-day shooting.

We really liked this lens when it made its debut on the Sony system two years ago, and like it just as much now that it's been released for Nikon mirrorless cameras. This is a truly unique lens that offers something genuinely fresh and most importantly of all useful, crucially backed up by excellent image quality, impeccable performance, solid build quality and enough features to satisfy anyone looking for an all-in-one zoom.

5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4.5
Features 5
Ease-of-use 5
Image quality 5
Value for money 4