The Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Lens for Sony E-Mount is Coming Mid-October
Last month, Tamron announced it was developing the world’s first 17-50mm f/4 zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Today, the company announced when the groundbreaking lens will be available to customers and at what cost.
The Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD (Model A068) will be available beginning October 19 for $700. It will become Tamron’s 17th full-frame E-Mount lens when it launches.
The E-mount lens includes 15 lens elements across 13 groups, including a trio of low dispersion (LD) elements, two hybrid aspherical elements, and a single glass molded aspherical optic. “The new 17-50mm lens effectively suppresses chromatic and other optical aberrations, ensuring clear capture of fine details from edge-to-edge in all images,” promises Tamron, adding that the lens will deliver “outstanding bokeh” at its constant f/4 maximum aperture. The lens includes a nine-bladed circular aperture diaphragm.
The Tamron 17-50mm f/4 lens can focus as close as 7.5 inches (0.19 meters) at 17mm and 11.8 inches (0.3m) at 50mm, resulting in a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.8.
Weighing 16.2 ounces (460 grams), the new Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD lens is lightweight, given its novel focal length range. The lens is 4.5 inches (114.4 millimeters) long and includes a 67mm filter thread.
Tamron says the lens is “well-balanced” on Sony mirrorless camera bodies. The optic also features an internal zoom mechanism, ensuring that the lens barrel remains at a fixed length, which is useful when using the lens on a video rig or gimbal, as it will not go out of balance when zooming.
Concerning video, Tamron says its new lens incorporates Tamron’s VXD linear motor focus mechanism to achieve “class-leading high-speed and high-precision auto-focusing,” including during video operation. The lens also promises quiet AF operation.
Photographers who desire a faster wide-angle zoom lens than the new 17-50mm f/4 can give up some flexibility by opting instead for Tamron’s relatively new 20-40mm f/2.8 zoom. Tamron’s diverse lineup has something for everyone.
The new $700 Tamron 17-50mm f/4 lens arrives just one week after another new Tamron lens for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras, the upgraded Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 lens.
The two new zooms will offer Sony photographers a compelling focal length range of 17mm to 180mm with just a minor gap between 50 and 70mm. The two lenses will cost $2,000 combined, as the 70-180mm f/2.8 lens is available to pre-order now for $1,300.
Image credits: Tamron
