Tamron has released the 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 Di III RXD, a very light and compact telephoto lens for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras. It joins a growing list of lenses with a 67mm filter diameter designed for full-frame image capture.
28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD
17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD
24mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2
35mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2
20mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2
70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD
28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD
70-300mm F4.5-6.3 Di III RXD
Credit: Tamron
Optically, the still lens has 15 elements in 10 groups with a low dispersion element to reduce aberrations. Tamron says the lens delivers edge-to-edge sharpness even at 300mm and has its Broad-Band Anti-Reflection coating to minimize reflections. Autofocus is driven by an RXD motor for fast and smooth focus that's quiet enough for video. It's said to be compatible with Sony's Fast Hybrid AF, Eye AF, and in-camera lens correction including shading, chromatic aberration, and distortion. Better yet, it's an internal focusing lens.
While F4.5-6.3 isn't ideal for low light conditions without proper fixtures, it's comparable to more expensive glass designed for cine use that comes in around T2.9-4.0. Image quality is obviously night and day, but at least there's an option out there that won't break the bank. Another third-party full-frame Sony E-mount option is the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS, then there's Sony's FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS, which in our opinion, is going to give you better image quality than the Tamron.
Better yet, if you want to jump to full-frame cine zoom lenses, Zeiss has its CZ.2 70-200mm T2 and Fujinon has a Premista 80-250mm T2.9. Both pricey, so consider renting them. If you drop down to Super 35 on the Sony camera, it opens up the door to a ton more cine zoom options that are less expensive.
I've made it my goal in 2025 to watch more visually engaging movies. So, I scoured the internet to make a list of movies I could learn from. Once I went down that rabbit hole, I found myself actually making a list of the best cinematography of all time.
These are movies that inspire me, that tell their stories with the scenes on screen, and are so beautiful you could watch them without sound and still have a cinematic experience.
This is all subjective, so I just listed the movie as they came to me. It's not a ranked list.
Let's dive in.
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
Robert Yeoman shot this Wes Anderson wondrous movie. It fluctuates between the surreal and the real, with all the complex moves, sets, and engaging visual elements.
2. The Tree of Life
Emmanuel Lubezki shot this Terrence Malick masterpiece. It's a movie I go back to over and over again. It is sweeping and wraps you up visually and emotionally.
3. The Master
All Paul Thomas Anderson movies just look so good. The Master cinematographer Mihai Mălaimare finds a way to make you feel uneasy in many of these scenes after lulling you into a cult on a boat.
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
I love a sweeping epic, and I love the fantasy genre. This has both. Andrew Lesnie shot these Peter Jackson movies in a way that made the Shire and all of Middle Earth feel real. The effects blended in, and they did so many cool in-camera techniques as well.
5. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
You could never have made this list without a Roger Deakins shot movie. I honestly could have put all of his movies on here. This movie is the essence of cinematography to me.
6. Days of Heaven
With cinematography by Néstor Almendros and Haskell Wexler, this Terrence Malick movie was the gateway to my love of cinematography. It's a movie that sneaks up on you.
7. The Godfather
Gordon Willis and Francis Ford Coppola famously went back and forth on the look of this movie. What they got was an iconic use of black and shadows that became part of the cultural lexicon.
8. Lawrence of Arabia
If I had to choose the most beautiful movie of all time, this might be it. Freddie Young shot this David Lean epic. It's a movie that you can't really appreciate at home, even though you can see it's great. On the big screen, it's an entirely different experience.
9. The Conformist
I saw this for the first time in film school, and it changed the way I thought about movies. A collaboration between Bertolucci, cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, and art director Ferdinando Scarfiotti—it's so stunning.
10. Hero
Christopher Doyle shot this Zhang Yimou film that takes on the epic legends of China. When you watch it, your jaw will be on the floor, and it won't rise until the end credits. It's a feat.
11. Manhattan
Gordon Willis is a legend. He's another name that you could fill a list with on his own. This Woody Allen movie shot in black and white has stark contrast and shoots the city of New York in a way that feels like magic.
12. Raging Bull
Michael Chapman shot this Martin Scorsese boxing movie. The black and white here is accompanied by great use of mist, of back rooms, and shades. It helps solidify the themes of the movie.
13. The Fall
Colin Watkinson shot this Tarsem fantasy movie. It contains so many tricks and interesting angles that it feels like an ethereal math report.
14. Children of Men
Again we meet Emmanuel Lubezki, who shot this Alfonso Cuarón movie. There are so many great shots in this movie, but the famous oner is the one everyone comes back to over and over.
15. City of God
César Charlone created images I will never forget in this Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund-directed movie. It juxtaposes the rich and poor and also gives us a look into parts of Brazil we had no idea existed.
16. Schindler's List
Steven Spielberg's masterpiece is held together by shots from Janusz Kaminski, who won the Oscar for his hard work. It's hard to imagine the emotional toll of making this movie, but it delivered its important story with stark reality.
17. Citizen Kane
It's hard to put into words how important the cinematography of Orson Welles's masterpiece was, but it influenced every movie to follow. Gregg Toland shot this movie, and audiences everywhere will never forget its snow globe.
18. 2001: A Space Odyssey
Working with Stanley Kubrick must have been a wild experience. Cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth worked on a lot of important movies, but this movie compiled his best shots.
19. The Third Man
Director Carol Reed knew the look he wanted, and he went and got Robert Krasker to make sure it appeared on screen. With all the Dutch angles and shadows, this movie should be studied by anyone who wants to pick up a camera.
20. Blade Runner
I went back and forth between this movie and Blade Runner 2049, but ultimately I felt the original packed a bigger punch for me. I love Ridley Scott's work here. And his cinematographer, Jordan Cronenweth, was able to get tears in the rain for us.
21. Ran
Akira Kurosawa's movies are all visually engaging and sumptuous. but For me, Ran is his most beautiful work. There are three listed cinematographers: Asakazu Nakai, Takao Saito, and Shōji Ueda. I don't know their working style, but on screen, I think we got one of the best-looking movies I have ever experienced.
Summing Up: These 21 Movies Had the Best Cinematography of All Time
So, that's my list. I'd love to hear from you about the movies you think I left off. This is all subjective, and I'm always looking to watch more things that are incredible.
Credit: Tamron
