Tamron's New 17-70mm F2.8 Is Aimed at Sony APS-C Shooters

Sony E-mount APS-C mirrorless shooters have a new high-speed standard zoom option in the Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD.

The company is celebrating its 70th anniversary and has been releasing some tasty E-mount lenses all year, including a 28-200mm, a 70-180mm, and a 70-300mm, making its Di III lineup chock-full of options. 

Di III Series for Sony E-Mount

Zoom

•  17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD (APS-C)
• 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Di III VC (APS-C)
• 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD (full-frame) 
• 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD (full-frame) 
• 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD (full-frame) 
• 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (full-frame) 
• 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 Di III RXD (full-frame) 

Primes

• 20mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 (full-frame) 
• 24mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 (full-frame) 
• 35mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 (full-frame) 

The 17-70mm F2.8 joins Tamron's 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Di III VC lens for APS-C sensors with Sony E-mount and optically is a 25.5-105mm full-frame equivalent.

It's constructed from 16 elements in 12 groups with two GM (Glass Molded Aspherical) lens elements and one hybrid aspherical lens element for edge-to-edge sharpness. 

The fast F2.8 aperture is going to get you by for most low-light conditions when shooting video or stills, and its 4.1x zoom ratio provides enough versatility for most shooting conditions.

Additionally, it's compatible with Sony's Fast Hybrid AF and Eye AF that's driven by an RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) stepping motor, and the lens has built-in image stabilization via its VC (Vibration Compensation) mechanism, which reduces shake when enabled. 

For close work, the lens touts a 7.5” MOD (minimum object distance) and 15.4” at 70mm. The lens has a 67mm filter. 

As with other Di III series from Tamron, it features a moisture-resistant construction and fluorine coating.

The price for the 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD is set at $799 and will be available early January 2021.