Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD

£799/$799 www.tamron.eu

The Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD comprises an unusual focal range for what the company described as a “fast, compact portrait zoom”. The idea is this is a do-it-all lens for portraiture and wedding shoots, incorporating popular 85mm, 105mm and 135mm focal lengths, with the flexibility to shoot as wide as 35mm for group shots. This particular zoom and aperture range has

also allowed Tamron to keep the lens relatively compact at just 124.3mm long, and it tips the scales at a totally reasonable 790g.

Tamron claims the lens’s optical quality can rival that of dedicated portrait prime lenses and can meet the requirements of high-resolution cameras like Nikon’s D850. A trio of Low Dispersion glass elements aligned with three hybrid aspherical elements are employed to deliver prime-quality sharpness and contrast throughout the focal range, with optimum performance at 85mm.

Autofocus is powered by an ‘Optimized Silent Drive’ DC motor for quiet focus acquisition, and a ‘Dual Micro-processing Unit’ system balances AF performance and vibration compensation. The lens’s minimum focus distance is a versatile 45cm across the zoom range, and this is also an all-weather lens thanks to Tamron’s MoistureResistant Construction. Future firmware updates and feature customizations are enabled via Tamron’s optional TAP-IN Console and a USB connection.

First impressions

A portrait lens with this kind of focal flexibility is ideal for fastmoving wedding shoots where you can easily miss a spontaneous moment when changing lenses. Its compactness further enhances the appeal for handheld shooting. But of course you can’t have it all, and a maximum aperture of f/3.5 at 85mm is a stop slower than a lens like Nikon’s 85mm f/1.8g. This will likely mean bokeh is a little less creamy, and that alone could be a deal-breaker if you’re after the best possible portrait shots.