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Tamron Unveils 28-200mm Zoom for Sony Full-Frame Cameras

The all-in-one 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD is smaller, lighter, and less expensive than the Sony FE 24-240mm.

Jim Fisher
 & Jim Fisher Principal Writer, Cameras

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Tamron is expanding its line of compact, affordable lenses for the Sony full-frame camera system with the 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD. It's got a long zoom ratio, about 7.1x, so you won't have to bother with lens changes when out and about, making it an especially appealing lens for travel.

It's built with the same design philosophy as the company's other lenses for the system. Engineers emphasized size and weight, without making too many sacrifices. The lens includes full weather protection, and is sized in line with the other zooms in the series—the 17-28mm, 28-75mm, and 70-180mm all use the same 67mm thread for accessory filters.

It's also got a brighter f-stop than competing optics. Sony's FE 24-240mm is a bit wider and longer, but is a half-stop slower than the 28-200mm across its coverage range at f/3.5-6.3.

It's also relatively light and compact. Tamron's lens is just 4.6 inches long at its shortest setting (the barrel telescopes out to zoom) and weighs 20.3 ounces. The Sony lens is a hair longer (4.7 inches) and about a half-pound heavier.

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Tamron has also done its best to put premium fit and finish into this lens series. Polycarbonate construction, dust and splash protection, and fluorine coating continues here. All of Sony's autofocus features are supported, including eye detection, and the lens and camera communicate to automatically correct distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting.

There is something missing: image stabilization. Tamron hasn't included it in any lens for the Sony system. At wider angles the in-body stabilization system in most Sony cameras does a fine job keeping photos sharp, even when the shutter speed is on the long side.

Related

Top view of Tamron 28-200mm amongst other camera gear

It doesn't make telephoto shots impossible, though. In our recent tests with the Tamron 70-180mm and the Sony a7R IV, we found the camera's IBIS system was good enough to net blur-free images at 1/80-second—we expect similar results with the 28-200mm.

Tamron expects to start shipping the 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD on June 25. It's priced at $729, a few hundred dollars less than Sony's all-in-one zoom.

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About Our Expert

Jim Fisher

Jim Fisher

Principal Writer, Cameras

My Experience

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 14 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.

The Technology I Use

I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.

I'm not a brand-specific photographer. For product review photos, I swap between a Canon EOS R5 and a Sony a7R IV. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights and Peak Design tripods, and I most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.

When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage. I also keep a PC around for gaming, but please don't tell my Macs about it; they'll get jealous.

I split time between several different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and I lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.

My first digital camera was the Canon PowerShot Elph S200, and my first DSLR was the Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps, but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work. In my downtime, I enjoy bird watching, reading, video games, and both good and bad movies, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres.

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