With the launch of the new 16-30mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 ultra wide-angle zoom, Tamron has now completed its G2 Trinity series, the latest addition joining the 28-75mm and 70-180mm zooms to broaden their total collective range considerably.
Tamron calls its G2 trio of lenses a daisangen, a term originating from Japanese mahjong that describes a winning hand comprising three sets of dragon tiles. In photography, daisangen lenses are a set of three zooms featuring a constant f/2.8 aperture and spanning wide angle, standard and telephoto focal lengths.
Together, these three lenses have you fully covered for almost any conceivable shooting scenario. On its own, the new 16-30mm f/2.8 follows in the footsteps of the popular Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RDX, broadening the zoom range slightly while accentuating its autofocus performance with an updated optical design.
Additional enhancements include improved grip texture on the zoom ring and focus ring for smoother overall operation. Optimized for full-frame mirrorless cameras, the earlier version was available only in Sony E mount, while this new model also offers a Nikon Z mount option.
Another difference: this lens uses the Tamron VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism to power its highly accurate AF system, while its predecessor features the RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) unit that uses an actuator to control the motor.
View Tamron 16-30mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Pricing and Availability at Vistek
Like its older sibling, the new lens is similarly lightweight at roughly 450g and compact at just over 100mm in length. The built-for-mobility design makes it a smart choice for applications ranging from travel to everyday photography, and the 0.19m minimum focus distance at the wide end lends itself nicely to professional tabletop and indoor shots.
The expanded field of view opens up new creative possibilities in astro and landscape photography as well, with a level of optical performance perfectly geared to pro-grade high-res capture of fine details.
It’s also compatible with the Tamron Lens Utility, a proprietary software tool that lets you assign chosen functions to the lens for both video and still photography purposes.
Features
- 16-30mm focal length
- f/2.8 maximum aperture, f/16 minimum aperture
- 16 elements in 12 groups
- 9 circular diaphragm blades
- High-speed VXD autofocus
- 0.19m minimum focus distance (wide); 0.3m (tele)
- Moisture-resistant construction and fluorine coating
- Sony E and Nikon Z mount compatible