Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD for Sony E-Mount Review

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD is a versatile and compact wide-angle zoom lens designed for Sony's full-frame mirrorless cameras. As part of Tamron’s celebrated Di III RXD series, this lens offers impressive performance for both amateur and professional photographers without the high price tag associated with other high-end wide-angle lenses. Offering a constant aperture of f/2.8, this lens delivers excellent image quality with fast, accurate autofocus, and a lightweight, durable design. Whether you're into landscapes, architecture, or vlogging, the 17-28mm f/2.8 offers an affordable solution for wide-angle photography without compromising on quality.

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Features / Specifications

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD is packed with features that make it a solid choice for Sony E-mount users:

Focal Length: 17-28mm, offering a versatile range ideal for wide-angle photography, including landscapes, interiors, and architecture.
Aperture Range: Constant f/2.8 throughout the zoom range, allowing for consistent performance in low-light conditions.
Lens Construction: 13 elements in 11 groups, including special glass elements to minimize aberrations and distortions.
- Includes 1x Low Dispersion (LD) element to combat chromatic aberrations.
- 2x Aspherical elements to correct geometric distortions.
Coatings: Moisture-resistant construction and a special coating to reduce flare and ghosting for improved contrast.
Autofocus: RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) motor for fast, quiet, and accurate focusing.
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.26m (10.24 inches), with a maximum magnification ratio of 0.19x for close-up shots.
Filter Size: 67mm, making it compatible with standard filters used by many Sony lenses.
Size & Weight: Compact design with a weight of just 450g (1 lb), making it ideal for on-the-go shooting.
Mount Compatibility: Full-frame Sony E-mount cameras (also works with APS-C models, giving a 25.5-42mm equivalent focal length).
Weather Sealing: Moisture-resistant construction for reliable performance in a variety of weather conditions.

Build Quality

The build quality of the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is impressive for its price point. While it may not feel as premium as Sony’s G Master series, it is sturdy and designed for everyday use.

Materials: The lens barrel is primarily constructed from durable, high-quality plastic that keeps the lens lightweight yet sturdy. The smooth matte finish offers a comfortable grip.
Sealing: Tamron includes moisture resistance in critical areas, making it suitable for outdoor use, though it's not fully weather-sealed.
Zoom & Focus Rings: The zoom and focus rings are well-damped and offer a smooth operation with no play. The zoom ring provides ample rotation for precise framing, while the focus ring is responsive enough for both manual and autofocus use.
Build Strength: The lens feels solid without being too heavy or bulky, making it comfortable to use for handheld shooting or while mounted on a tripod.

Size, Weight, and Dimensions

For a wide-angle zoom lens with a constant f/2.8 aperture, the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is impressively compact and lightweight.

Dimensions: 74mm (2.9 inches) in diameter and 99mm (3.9 inches) in length, making it one of the more compact wide-angle zooms available.
Weight: At just 450g (1 lb), this lens is significantly lighter than many other lenses in the same category, including the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM.
Portability: Its small size and light weight make it perfect for travel photographers, vlogging, and outdoor photography, as it won’t weigh down your gear bag. The lens balances well on Sony’s smaller mirrorless bodies.

Image Quality

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD impresses with its image quality, offering sharp, vibrant results across the zoom range. Here’s a breakdown of its optical performance:

Sharpness

Center Sharpness: The lens delivers excellent sharpness at all focal lengths, especially when stopped down to f/4 or f/5.6. Even at f/2.8, center sharpness is strong, making it a great option for wide-open shots.
Edge Sharpness: Edge sharpness is good for a lens of this type. At f/2.8, the corners show slight softness, but by f/4, the entire frame is sharp. This makes the lens suitable for landscape and architecture photography, where uniform sharpness across the frame is crucial.
Zoom Range Performance: The lens maintains good sharpness throughout the 17-28mm zoom range, making it flexible for various compositions, from wide-angle landscapes to tighter architecture shots.

Color Rendering and Contrast

Color Accuracy: Colors are natural and vibrant, with accurate tones across the spectrum. The lens produces vivid greens, blues, and reds, making it suitable for landscape and nature photography.
Contrast: The Super Performance coating helps reduce flare and ghosting, ensuring high contrast, even in backlit scenes.

Bokeh

Background Blur: The lens uses 7 rounded aperture blades, contributing to smooth, aesthetically pleasing bokeh. While the shallow depth of field isn’t as pronounced as prime lenses, it still creates a pleasant separation between subject and background.
Out-of-Focus Highlights: Bokeh balls are smooth and round, without harsh edges, making the lens suitable for creative compositions.

Optical Aberrations

Chromatic Aberration: Chromatic aberrations (CA) are well-controlled. There’s some noticeable CA in high-contrast areas, but it is easily corrected in post-processing.
Distortion: As expected in wide-angle lenses, there is some barrel distortion at the 17mm focal length, but it is moderate and can be easily corrected in camera or post-processing.
Flare and Ghosting: The lens performs well when shooting into bright light sources, with minimal flare or ghosting, thanks to its anti-reflective coatings.
Vignetting: At f/2.8, there is noticeable vignetting in the corners, especially at 17mm. However, it improves significantly as you stop down, and by f/4, vignetting becomes much less noticeable.

Autofocus

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 features a Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive (RXD) autofocus motor, offering:

Speed: Fast and precise autofocus, suitable for both still photography and video work. It locks onto subjects quickly and reliably.
Quiet Operation: The RXD motor operates silently, making it ideal for both stills and video, where noisy autofocus motors can be distracting.
Accuracy: Accurate subject tracking, even in low light, making it a solid choice for dynamic photography.

Performance in Photography and Videography

Photography

Landscape Photography: The wide 17mm focal length, paired with the constant f/2.8 aperture, makes it an excellent choice for wide-angle landscapes, offering sharp details and a wide field of view.
Architecture: With minimal barrel distortion and excellent sharpness, this lens performs well for architectural photography. The relatively fast f/2.8 aperture is also useful in low light, such as in churches or other dimly lit interiors.
Travel Photography: The lens's compact size and versatile zoom range (17-28mm) make it ideal for capturing a variety of scenes, from sweeping landscapes to street photography.

Videography

Focus Breathing: Minimal focus breathing makes it suitable for video work, especially for focus pulls.
Autofocus: The RXD autofocus motor operates smoothly and quietly, allowing for quick subject acquisition and accurate tracking, which is vital for video.
Manual Focus: The focus ring is responsive and smooth, offering precise control for cinematographers or photographers who prefer manual focus.

Use Cases

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 shines in multiple use cases:

Wide-Angle Landscapes: Ideal for capturing expansive landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes with minimal distortion and superb sharpness.
Architecture and Interiors: Its sharpness and minimal distortion make it a fantastic option for architectural and interior photography, where maintaining accurate lines is essential.
Travel Photography: Its compact size and versatility in framing make it a great choice for travel photographers who need a lens that can handle wide-angle shots and dynamic compositions.
Vlogging and Video: The lens's small form factor and smooth autofocus make it a solid choice for vloggers and filmmakers working with Sony mirrorless cameras.

Price

At an approximate price of $899 USD, the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 offers significant value for money. It is one of the more affordable f/2.8 wide-angle zooms on the market, and its performance rivals more expensive options, such as the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM. The combination of high-quality optics, fast aperture, and portability makes it an excellent choice for photographers and videographers looking for a reliable and versatile wide-angle zoom.

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD is a standout lens for Sony E-mount users who need a versatile and compact wide-angle zoom. With its excellent sharpness, smooth bokeh, fast aperture, and solid build quality, it delivers great performance for both photography and videography. It’s an affordable alternative to pricier wide-angle zooms, offering impressive quality and performance without breaking the bank. Whether you’re a landscape photographer, traveler, or vlogger, this lens is an excellent tool for capturing wide-angle scenes with stunning detail and clarity.

Conclusion

Rating

Our overall rating: 9.0/10

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD strikes an excellent balance between price, performance, and portability, making it an exceptional choice for Sony E-mount users looking for a reliable wide-angle zoom lens.