TAMRON SP 15-30MM F/2.8 DI VC USD G2
Good value for a fast, f/2.8 ultra-wide zoom, with the bonus of optical stabilisation
THE ‘GENERATION 2’ EDITION OF THIS LENS FOR CANON AND NIKON FULL-FRAME DSLRS HAS A SLIGHTLY NARROWER MAXIMUM ANGLE OF VIEW OF 110.5 DEGREES, COMPARED WITH THE SIGMA’S 114 DEGREES, BUT HAS A BIGGER OVERALL ZOOM RANGE, STRETCHING TO 30MM. THIS POTENTIALLY REDUCES THE TIMES YOU NEED TO SWITCH BETWEEN WIDE-ANGLE AND STANDARD ZOOMS.
A MAJOR ATTRACTION IS THE ADDITION OF OPTICAL STABILISATION, OR ‘VC’ (VIBRATION COMPENSATION). THE TAMRON IS THE
ONLY LENS IN THIS TEST GROUP TO FEATURE STABILISATION, AND THE G2 HAS UPRATED 4.5STOP EFFECTIVENESS, MAKING A COMPELLING ARGUMENT FOR DITCHING YOUR TRIPOD AND TRAVELLING LIGHT WHEN YOU’RE TREKKING
OVER TRICKY TERRAIN. AUTOFOCUS SPEED AND PRECISION IS ALSO UPGRADED IN THE G2 LENS.
THE TAMRON HAS A STURDY, WEATHER-SEALED CONSTRUCTION. IT HAS AN INTEGRAL HOOD, AND THEREFORE NO FRONT FILTER THREAD, BUT THE CANON-MOUNT VERSION INCORPORATES A GEL FILTER HOLDER IN ITS MOUNTING PLATE. IT ALSO OFFERS FINE-TUNING, CUSTOMISATION, AND FIRMWARE UPDATES VIA A USB DOCKING STATION – TAMRON’S TAP-IN CONSOLE.
THE OPTICAL PATH INCLUDES AN XGM (EXPANDED GLASS MOULDED) ASPHERICAL ELEMENT AND MULTIPLE LD (LOW DISPERSION) ELEMENTS. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE G2 EDITION INCLUDE A NEWLY DEVELOPED AX (ANTIREFLECTION EXPAND) COATING, DESIGNED TO REDUCE GHOSTING AND FLARE IN ULTRA-WIDE LENSES. IT’S USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH TAMRON’S EXISTING CONVENTIONAL AND NANOSTRUCTURE COATINGS. THE FLUORINE COATING ON THE FRONT ELEMENT, FOR REPELLING MOISTURE AND GREASY FINGER-MARKS, HAS ALSO BEEN UPGRADED FOR GREATER DURABILITY.