Tamron shooters received some good news today as a new 70-210mm F/4 Di VC USD compact telephoto zoom lens has hit the streets. To quickly break down the lens name: Di refers to "Digitally Integrated Design" for full-frame and APS-C sized sensors. VC is Tamron's "Vibration Compensation" that reduces image blur caused by camera shake occurring diagonally, up and down or side to side. USD is its "Ultrasonic Silent Drive" autofocus system, a ring-type motor that employs a piezoelectric ceramic element to generate two high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations on the motor’s stator ring for fast, near noiseless autofocus. It also allows you to override AF and manually focus without switching modes. 

Tamron 70-210mm F/4 Di VC USDTamron 70-210mm F/4 Di VC USDCredit: Tamron


The 70-210mm F/4 Di VC USD will be available for Canon and Nikon mounts and optically features 20 elements in 14 groups using three low dispersion lens elements to reduce axial and transverse chromatic aberrations. Shooters will also notice a constant maximum F/4 aperture throughout the entire zoom range. The lens uses an internal zoom mechanism so its length will not change while zooming. 

Tamron included its Dual MPU (micro processing units) system for improved signal processing and autofocus performance. The Dual MPU assists the VC processing to offer three different autofocus modes. VC Mode 1 is the standard mode that adds stability to the viewfinder image. VC Mode 2 should be used during panning and VC Mode 3 prioritizes the stabilization of the captured images and forgoes the stabilization of the viewfinder image. 

A fluorine coating has been added to the front element to repel water and oil, making it easier to clean and less vulnerable to dirt, dust, and moisture. Seals located at the lens mount further prevent moisture or raindrops from entering critical locations while shooting. The 70-210mm F/4 Di VC USD  is compatible with Tamron's TELECONVERTER 1.4x  and TELECONVERTER 2.0x which increases the focal length to the lens 1.4 and 2 times. 

The lens is expected this April for $799. 

Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXDTamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXDCredit: Tamron

Additionally, Tamron will be developing a 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD high-speed standard zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. For Sony shooters, it will be compatible with the “Direct Manual Focus (DMF)” system found on the cameras where you can instantly switch between autofocus and manual focus. The lens will incorporate RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive), a new AF system that uses a stepping motor for quiet autofocus ideal for video use. The aforementioned fluorine coating and moisture resistant seals will be included in the design as well. 

No pricing yet but it will be available this year. 

70-210mm F/4 Di VC USD Tech Specs

  • 70‐210mm
  •  F/4 maximum aperture (F/4-F/32)
  • 20 elements in 14 groups
  • Length: Canon 6.9"
  • Length: Nikon 6.8"
  • 9 (circular diaphragm) aperture blades
  • Minimum Object Distance: 37.4"

28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD Tech Specs

  • 28-75mm
  • Fast F/2.8 aperture
  • All-new “RXD” stepping motor AF
  • Compatible with Sony DMF
  • Minimum Object Distance: 7.5", 15.3" at the telephoto position
  • Length: 4.6"
  • Weight: 19.4 oz