Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO

Today Tamron announced their first Image Stabilized lens, the Tamron AF 28-300 f3.5-5.6 XR Di VC. The "VC" stands for vibration compensation and so Tamron join Canon, Nikon and Sigma in making optically stabilized DSLR lenses.

I don't have any more information than is given in the Tamron Press Release (below), but of course I'll be in touch with Tamron about getting a sample to review as soon as one becomes available.

The Tamron 28-300/3.5-5.6 VC is an interesting lens, but I can't help but think that the Tamron 18-250/3.5-6.3 (which I just reviewed HERE) might have been more interesting to have in a VC version for most DSLR users. The Tamron 28-300 VC covers an excellent range for use with film and full frame digital sensors, but for APS-C DSLRs 28mm isn't very wide (it's equivalent to about 45mm on a full frame camera), so most photographers would probably want something wider too, meaning carrying two lenses rather than just one - which is the main reason for buying a wide range zoom lens.

Of course Sony/Minolta and Pentax users already have a stabilized Tamron 18-250 lens, since in the A100 and K10D/K100D, image stabilization is built into the camera body. The Tamron 28-300/3.5-5.6 VC lens has only been released in Canon and Nikon mounts, the two systems which have yet to release a body with internal sensor stabilization.

Note: I wrote a full review of the non-VC version of this lens which you can read here: Tamron 28-300/3.5-5.6 Review

Mr. Morio Ono, President of Tamron Co., Ltd., has announced the successful development of the AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO zoom lens, a high power zoom lens designed for SLR cameras with full-size format(Model A20), now equipped with a Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism. The AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC is the ultimate high power zoom lens that covers everything from wide-angle to telephoto and macro. Tamron has incorporated a Vibration Compensator, an anti-shake mechanism developed by Tamron, into the highly versatile zoom lens. The new AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO zoom lens offers the convenience, comfort and versatility of a high power zoom lens and the capability to reduce hand-shake blur on SLR cameras using either APS-C size or full size format imagers.

When the AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC is used with a full size format SLR camera, it covers the tremendous focal length range from 28mm in wide angle to 300mm ultra telephoto. When mounted on a DSLR with an APS-C sized imager, the lens covers a 43mm wide angle to 465mm equivalent ultra telephoto* (full size format equivalent, in a diagonal angle of view of 5°20').

(*) The ratio Tamron uses to convert from full size format to APS-C focal length is 1.55X.

MAIN FEATURES

1. VC (Vibration Compensation) Mechanism Reduces Hand-shake

The proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation) mechanism developed by Tamron features a triaxial configuration using three pairs of driving coils and slide balls around the compensator group of the lens' optical system. Since the compensator lenses are supported with rolling friction of the balls, the response performance is enhanced and the construction is simple, which results in the compactness of the lens. The lens incorporate a highly accurate gyro sensor for detecting hand-shake, which, combined with a 32-bit RISC CPU, offers comfortable anti-vibration effects.

2. Outstanding Design Realizing High Zoom Power, VC Mechanism and Compactness

The AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.5 XR Di VC integrates optical technologies that Tamron has accumulated as the pioneer and leader of high power zoom lenses in order to realize the desired compactness even while incorporating the VC mechanism. The optical system uses a number of lens elements made from special optical glass materials including XR (high refraction index) glass elements, GM (glass-molded aspherical lens) elements, hybrid aspherical elements, LD (low dispersion) glass elements to compensate for on-axis and lateral chromatic aberrations and AD (anomalous dispersion) glass element. The lens offers high contrast, high resolution performance and flatness of the image field as a one-does-it-all zoom lens designed to match the characteristics of DSLR cameras.

3. Revolutionary MFD of 0.49m (19.3") throughout the Zoom Range Provides 1:3 Macro Magnification Ratio

The AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD MACRO boasts an MFD (minimum focusing distance) of 0.49m (19.3") over the entire zoom range, a top-class closing focusing capability among high power zoom lenses for full-size format SLR cameras, which provides the remarkable maximum macro magnification ratio of 1:3 at the 300mm telephoto end.

4. Internal Surface Coatings Minimize Ghosting and Flare

Through the use of "Internal Surface Coatings" (i.e., multiple-layer coatings on cemented surfaces of plural elements) and multiple-layer coatings to prevent reflections from lens surfaces, ghosting and flare due to reflections that occur when light enters through the front element as well as reflections caused by the imager itself in the mirror box are reduced to the absolute minimum.

5. Ultra-high Zoom Power, yet Lightweight and Compact Design Thanks to New Mechanical Devices

Tamron has reviewed the roles that respective barrel parts play in order to achieve the high power, compactness and light weight. As a result, dimensional increases are confined to a mere 17.8mm (0.7") in overall length and about 5mm(0.2") in diameter, when compared with the existing AF28-300mm (Model A061), despite the incorporation of the VC mechanism.

6. Zoom Lock Mechanism for Enhanced Portability

The zoom lock prevents unwanted barrel extension when carrying the lens/camera combination over the shoulder.

7. Flower-shaped Lens Hood

A flower-shaped lens hood is included as a standard accessory. The special hood provides optimum shading of superfluous light rays that enter from the rectangular frame outside the image field.