Tamron has produced a host of excellent lenses for Sony over the last couple of years and has recently been fleshing out its offerings for APS-C. How good is Tamron’s new 11-20mm f/2.8, and should you consider it over the equivalent Sony f/4 lens?
Chris Niccolls from DPReview TV takes the 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD out for a walk through Alberta, and it’s not much of a spoiler to say that Tamron has again produced an excellent lens. There’s no stabilization built into this lens, and it’s also missing an autofocus toggle switch. That said, this is still an excellent comparison to the Sony equivalent, the 10-18mm, which is slightly slower at f/4 but has the stabilization that the Tamron is missing. However, unlike the Tamron, the Sony notably lacks any weather-sealing.
In the past, many considered Tamron to be a budget alternative to Sony’s own lenses, but it’s no longer so simple. Tamron has identified a niche and filled it intelligently, and with a product that doesn’t need to compromise too strongly in terms of price — it’s just $70 cheaper — thanks to the fact that it offers such good quality.
Have you added the Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 to your arsenal? Are you pondering a purchase? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.