Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD £300/$450

NOT THE NEWEST DESIGN, BUT BOASTS DECENT REACH

Performance

Typical of the Tamron lenses on test, the optical stabilizer is very effective for static shots, but less beneficial when panning. Wideaperture sharpness is pretty poor at long zoom settings, particularly towards the edges and corners of the frame. Representing an upgrade over the original Tamron 18-270mm, this revamped edition nevertheless harks back to 2010, making it one of the oldest lenses on test. Even so, it sports an impressive 15x zoom range with an ‘effective’ focal length of 405mm at the long end.

Improvements over the previous incarnation include the fitment of a PZD (Piezo Drive) autofocus system. It’s essentially an ultrasonic motor-based system, similar to that used in both Sigma lenses on test.

Despite its upsized zoom range, this lens is actually physically smaller than the Tamron 18-200mm, although it’s 50g heavier – mostly down to it having a metal, rather than plastic, mounting plate. It’s the only Tamron on test that lacks a weather-seal ring on its mount.