CP+ 2018: Hands-on with the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD
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Tamron’s new 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD looks like a really promising lens, offering a more compact and affordable alternative to the company’s existing 70-200mm F2.8 telezoom. We got our hands on one at the CP+ trade show in Yokohama, Japan – click through for a closer look.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD
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To start, the 70-210mm F4 VC really is impressively compact, weighing just 859 grams. It balances very well on a Nikon D750, one of the smaller full-frame DSLRs currently on the market, and shouldn’t give you a hand cramp if you haven’t shelled out for your camera’s accessory battery grip.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD
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As with Tamron’s 70-200mm F2.8, the new F4 version features a two-ring design, with the zoom ring pushed all the way out to the end of the barrel. Whether you prefer this to a zoom ring closer to the camera is a matter of personal preference, of course, but in our brief time with the lens, we found the zoom ring to be just a bit too narrow.
Autofocus speed is perhaps not quite as snappy as Nikon’s 70-200mm F4 offering, but should be plenty fast enough for shooting moving subjects.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD
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The 70-210mm F4 comes with Tamron’s Vibration Compensation system, offering a claimed four stops of stabilization (per CIPA). If you’re working on a tripod or just happen to have the world’s steadiest hands, the stabilization system can be disabled via a switch on the side. An autofocus / manual focus switch rounds out the lens’ external controls.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD
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The Tamron 70-210 F4 has a 67mm front filter thread size, as well as a fluorine coating on the front element to better repel water and resist fingerprints.
Including the coated front element, the 70-210mm’s optical construction comprises 20 elements in 14 groups. Three of those elements are low-dispersion, helping to combat axial and transverse chromatic aberration.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD
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Tamron’s 70-210mm F4 is weather-resistant, with a visible gasket on the rear of the lens and a bevy of additional gaskets at other ‘critical areas.’ Obviously it’s not meant to be submersible, but it should stand up to some light rain in a pinch.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD
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The included bayonet-style petal hood adds a good bit of length to the 70-210mm F4, but its depth should provide decent flare protection in bright shooting conditions. Tamron is offering a tripod ring as well, but it’s an optional extra.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD
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If 210mm isn’t quite enough reach for you, the lens is compatible with both Tamron’s 1.4X and 2.0X teleconverters, as well as the TAP-In console for focus calibration.
The Tamron 70-210mm Di VC USD will be available in Nikon and Canon mounts this April for an MSRP of $ 800.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)