The popular Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD full-frame zoom will be available for the Nikon Z system in less than a month.
Previously available only for Sony E-mount cameras, the 35-150mm f/2-2.8 lens is designed for travel and portrait photography thanks to its wide focal length range and fast maximum aperture.
Tamron first announced that its 35-150mm f/2-2.8 zoom lens would be coming to the Nikon Z mount late last month, although Tamron did not divulge many details specific to the Z-mount version.
Today’s news reveals new information about the lens, including its price and release date. The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD zoom lens will be available beginning September 21, 2023, for $1,999 in the United States and $2,699 in Canada. The Z version costs $100 more than the existing E-mount version, which launched in late 2021 to much acclaim.
As for the Z-mount version’s specifications, PetaPixel expected them to be identical in most cases to the E-mount version. Thanks to Tamron’s full unveiling, it is now possible to check.
The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 for E-mount weighs 41.1 ounces (1,165 grams), slightly less than the upcoming Z-mount version that weighs 42 ounces (1,190g). The Z lens is also a bit longer than the E-mount version. The lens is 6.2 inches (158mm) long for E-mount and 6.3 inches (160.1mm) long for Z-mount. Both versions include an 82mm front filter thread.
Aside from these minor physical differences, the lenses are identical in essential ways. The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD includes 21 elements organized across 15 groups, offers a maximum magnification ratio of 1:5.7 (wide) and 1:5.9 (tele), and sports Tamron’s excellent Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive (VXD) linear motor focus mechanism.
When Tamron announced the 35-150mm f/2-2.8 lens for Sony, it touted that it is the world’s first f/2-2.8 fast-aperture zoom lens. This impressive claim remains true. The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is also the first zoom lens for Nikon Z mount cameras to offer a maximum wide-open aperture of f/2, besting the numerous f/2.8 zoom lenses available for the Nikon Z system.
“Incorporating the most frequently used focal lengths from wide-angle and standard to medium telephoto and telephoto all within this single lens enables seamless shooting without the need to swap lenses, which is beneficial especially when shooting portraits where a sense of rhythm is particularly important. This helps the user capture outstanding shots without missing the fleeting expressions of the model,” Tamron explains.
The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 lens for Z mount is compatible with Tamron’s dedicated Lens Utility software. This software allows users to update the lens firmware and offers customization over different aspects of focus operation, including pre-set focus points.
Nikon Z users have good reason to be excited, as the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD lens is among the best in its class and is sure to make an excellent addition to the third-party offerings for the Z system.
Pricing and Availability
The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD lens will be available in Z-mount from authorized retailers beginning September 21, 2023. The lens has a suggested retail price of $1,999.99.
Image credits: Tamron