Tamron 17-70 mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD for Fujifilm Review

The crowd-favourite brand, Tamron, has always had a reputation for coming up with quality lenses at super affordable prices - and now that the brand has extended into the Fujifilm X fit, we cannot keep calm! Of course, we're talking about the all-new Tamron 17-70 mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD - a general-purpose lens built for Fujifilm X cameras. So if you're a photographer who swears by crop sensor Fujifilm X cameras, you need to check out this lens.

The Tamron 17-70mm VC RXD has explicitly been designed for the Fujifilm X APS-C format mirrorless cameras. The lens best compliments the Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, and X-H1 models, but that shouldn't stop you from pairing it with other cameras from the Fuji X series. We're sure you're eager to know what this lens has to offer - so let's quickly run you through the key specifications of the Tamron 17-70 mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD:

Excellent Optical Design

 The lens's optical construction is pretty solid and features 16 elements in 12 groups. These elements include one Hybrid Aspherical and 2 Glass Moulded Aspheric elements, which help reduce distortion and deliver images with increased sharpness. You also have two Low Dispersion elements to reduce chromatic aberrations and improve clarity. The 9-bladed diaphragm delivers a subtle yet impressive bokeh. With the presence of these unique elements and the diaphragm, you're sure to have bright, vibrant, and crystal-clear imagery in many different shooting scenarios.

RXD Motor for Quiet and Quick Focusing

 The Tamron 17-70mm Fujifilm Z Mount lens foregoes the fancy linear motors and features the Rapid extra-silent stepping Drive (RXD) autofocus motor instead. The RXD motor affords quick, smooth, and accurate focusing for both photo and video magnifications. The lens's autofocus performance is impressive - even altering the focusing distance takes just a fraction of a second. The quiet autofocus drive makes the Tamron 17-70mm lens an attractive option for videographers (and photographers). 

The lens comes with a full-time manual focus override too. Unfortunately, it does not feature a dedicated AF/MF button to switch between Autofocus and Manual Focus. Still, you can do so by accessing the manual focusing mode through the menu. 

Wide Focal Length Range

 The lens features a wide focal length range, from 17mm to 70mm, with a full-frame equivalent of 25.5-105mm. It also has an aperture range of f/2.8. The wide focal range suits the lens for different photographic and video graphic applications. It is a great fit for different photography genres, such as travel photography. Likewise, its quiet, sharp, and accurate performance make it well-suited for videography. 

Suitable for Macro Photography

 The lens is not a macro lens by any means, but it does deliver quality close-up shots. The clear, detailed macro shots via this lens are possible only because it offers a minimum focusing distance of 7.5" and a maximum magnification of 0.21x. The lens can deliver good close-up photographs when set to the 17mm focal length. On the other end, at the 70mm focal length, the lens offers a minimum focusing distance of 15.4" and a maximum magnification of 0.19x.

Anti-reflection Coating

 The lens also features the Broad-Band Anti-Reflection (BBAR) coating. The presence of the BBAR coating ensures the reduced appearance of lens flare in imagery. As a result, shooting in backlit or harsh lighting conditions is easier, as you don't have to worry about ghosting or lens flare distorting your imagery.

Accessible and User-Friendly Lens Design

 The body of the lens features only two control points - the plastic focus ring and the rubber zoom ring. Both the rings function smoothly, giving you quick access when required. In addition, both the rings are convenient for videographers. The filter size of the lens is 67mm wide. The electronics of the camera work pretty well too.

Compact and Lightweight Form

 Weighing in at 525 grams, and measuring 12cm in length, the Tamron 17-70mm lens is a compact lens. It is also light in weight, considering the number of loaded features. The length of the lens increases from 12cm to 15cm as you zoom from 17mm to the 70mm focal length. If you compare the lens model with its counterparts, the Tamron 17-70mm lens may also seem a bit heavy and larger in dimensions. But that's perfectly fine, as long as we get an excellent set of features in a single lens body. 

Tough and Durable Lens Body

 The Tamron 17-70mm VC RXD has a sturdy build, making it well suited for outdoor usage. It has dust and splash protection, making it the ideal fit for protected cameras. The lens barrel is made of rigid polycarbonate material and has a matte finish. The lens's front element features a fluorine coating, making the lens smudge-proof. For added protection, you have the lens hood as well.

In-Built Optical Stabilisation Mechanism

 Equipped with Tamron's optical stabilisation mechanism (also known as Vibration Compensation or VC), this lens is convenient - especially if your camera does not feature the in-built image stabilisation mechanism. Considering that the lens has been crafted specifically for Fuji X cameras, the in-built VC is a wise addition, as most of Fujifilm's cameras do not feature built-in image stabilisation. Thanks to the built-in stabilisation mechanism, the lens allows you to capture different subjects comfortably without worrying about the effects of camera shake on imagery.

Summing Up

 If you're looking for a lens that's loaded with a great set of features, you need to consider the Tamron 17-70 mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD. It's great for beginners and has many features that would suit professionals. In addition, the lens is at a pretty reasonable price for its fantastic blend of features. It will be an excellent addition to your kit. For more details on this fantastic lens from Tamron, feel free to contact us by phone, in-store or online.