Hands-on: Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD for Sony E-mount (pre-production model)

No more hesitating if you should bring a telephoto lens!

As a landscape and travel photographer, I often use an ultra-wide-angle 14mm lens and the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. Last week I was able to test the latest addition to the Tamron series for full-frame mirrorless cameras. The 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD. This lens has an enormous range and is extremely light and small. This, in combination with the sharpness, makes it a perfect and super fun lens to photograph with.

With a retail price of approximately 699,- euros (about half the price of the Sony version), this is certainly a lens that I am willing to buy.

Light harps in the Speulderbos. This is one of those moments where you have to respond quickly and it is nice to be flexible with focal lengths.

First impression

The 545 grams of the 70-300 is extremely light compared to other telephoto zoom lenses. Take the Sony 70-300 f / 4.5-5.6 G of 854 grams, for example, you really notice that difference.

The tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD next to the 28-75mm f/2.8.

What a compact and light telephoto zoom lens!

If you have used one of the other lenses from the Tamron series, then using this lens feels like coming home. This lens works exactly like the others in the range. The build is plastic but feels professional. There are two rings on the lens, one for focus and one for zooming. Both rings feel good and run smoothly. There are no buttons or switches on the lens. I think it would be nice to have a lock to prevent creeping, which this lens does a little. The lens extends during zooming. As a result, it is no longer the "the world's smallesttelephoto zoom lens" when zooming. The filter size is 67mm, just like with all other lenses from the Sony E-mount series. I find this very useful when I work with filters, it saves a lot of money and hassle! There is also a detachable lens hood, which I really like. The auto-focus is fast and quiet. The lens is also super sharp, especially with an aperture between f / 4.5 and f / 11.