Tamron has announced the 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD, a wide-angle zoom lens for Sony E mount APS-C mirrorless cameras. The fast aperture lens is ideal for videographers looking to capture landscapes or more of the scene when shooting narrative. It has all the hallmarks of a Tamron lens including autofocus, a lightweight design, and a decent price point.

Let's take a look. 

The  11-20mm F2.8 is constructed from 12 elements in 10 groups, with GM (Glass Molded Aspherical) lens elements to ensure corner-to-corner sharpness. The lens also has one XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion) and two LD (Low Dispersion) lens elements to create images with fewer optical aberrations. Tamron's BBAR-G2 (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection Generation 2) coating has also been added to reduce ghosting and flare and fluorine coating and a moisture-resistant construction protect it from the elements. 

Autofocus performance is propelled by an RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) stepping motor that's reliable enough for video work even with fast-moving subjects. As with other Tamron lenses, it's compatible with Sony's Fast Hybrid AF and Eye AF to help keep your image in focus. 

What stands out about the lens is the minimum focusing distance of 5.9" which is great for car or close-up work while still being able to show off plenty of the mid and background. With video work, focal lengths around 12mm, 14mm, and 15mm can produce some unique-looking images. With the 11-20mm F2.8, there's an opportunity to take it a little further on the wide end for different perspectives. We'll just have to see just how much distortion is in the image to truly know what you're working with. 

The Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD will be available in late June with a price tag of around $829. 

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Cinematography & Cameras