Tamron announces development of a versatile 50-400mm telephoto zoom for Sony E-mount

 

 

Sony E-mount photographers looking for a highly-versatile telephoto zoom should keep an eye out for Tamron's upcoming new lens, the 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (Model A067). Announced only as in development at the moment, the new Tamron 50-400mm lens is scheduled to go on sale this fall, offering Sony photographers yet another exciting telephoto zoom lens that's both extremely versatile and highly portable.

While Tamron already offers a handful of E-mount telephoto zooms, including a versatile 70-300mm VXD lens and a long-reaching 150-500mm VXD lens, the upcoming 50-400mm provides an impressive 8x zoom ratio for extreme versatility. Photographers are offered both a useful 50mm "normal" focal length on the short end, but still have plenty of reach out to the long end, all within a lightweight package that's similar in size to a conventional 100-400mm lens. And despite the long zoom range of the lens, Tamron states that the zoom ring only takes about 75 degrees of rotation to travel through the entire zoom range.

 

 

The lens measures just 7.2 inches (182.9mm) in length and weighs just 2.5 lbs (1.15kg), making it a bit longer and heavier than the 70-300mm but much lighter and smaller than the 150-500mm lens. The 50-400mm also shares the same 67mm filter diameter as many other recent Tamron lenses, which can make it much easier to share filters between lenses if needed. The new lens also features a weather-resistant construction, including a fluorine coating, and a zoom lock mechanism.

In addition to its general versatile focal length range, the 50-400mm also has excellent close-focusing performance, proving up to one-half life-size magnification at minimum focus. At 50mm, the minimum object distance is just 9.8 inches (0.25m), offering half-macro photography capabilities.

Tamron hasn't yet stated the exact optical layout nor the exact variety of lens elements inside, but they are promising "high image quality across the entire zoom range." We do know that the lens features built-in optical image stabilization, as the "VC" in the name suggests, however we do not yet know the number of stops of correction. The lens's AF system is powered by Tamron's VXD, or Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive, brand of linear motor-based focusing mechanism. As with other VXD-based Tamron lenses we've used, we expect nearly-silent autofocusing and fast and precise performance. Seeing as the lens is designed for Sony E-mount cameras, the 50-400mm supports Sony focusing features, such as Fast Hybrid AF and Eye AF.

Other features include a connector port for Tamron's Lens Utility software, a focusing limiter switch and an updated exterior design with improved texturing and better scratch resistance. The lens is also compatible with a tripod mount, with Arca-Swiss-style dovetailing, however this is an optional accessory.

Pricing isn't yet available for the forthcoming Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (Model A067), but be on the lookout for additional product detail as we approach the anticipated fall release date.