The 24-70mm f/2.8 is considered a must-have workhorse by many – but Tamron just packed more focal lengths into a constant aperture f/2.8 zoom that’s lighter and more affordable than comparable 24-70mm lenses. The Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 Di III VXD puts portrait-ready focal lengths into a single zoom that weighs just 19.9 oz / 565g in the Sony E Mount and 20.3oz / 575g in the Nikon Z mount.
Notably, the new Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8 is inspired by the brand’s earlier 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III. The new lens takes that popular optic and cuts back some of the zoom and aperture to create a more portable lens.
That 19.9 oz / 565g weight is just a touch heavier than Tamron’s own 17-70mm f/2.8. But, notably, the lens comes in a bit lighter than some of the wider standard workhorse 24-70mm options. The Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II comes in at 24.5 oz / 695g and the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II slides in at 23.9 oz / 675g.
The new Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8, of course, isn’t as wide as a standard workhorse. Why the less common zoom range? Tamron wanted to pack the most common focal lengths for portraits into one lens. The 35mm is popular for environmental portraits without the extreme wide-angle distortion. 50mm is the classic nifty fifty, while the 85mm and 100mm focal lengths compress the background even further. Tamron also notes the lens was designed with travel photography in mind.
That focal length range is paired with Tamron’s Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive or VXD autofocus motor, which can focus as close as 8.7 inches from the front of the lens for a 1:3.3 magnification ratio on the wide end and 1:5.9 on the long end. Notably, Tamron says the lens is made with license agreements from Sony and Nikon – and cooperation with the first-party company tends to suggest better autofocus performance than reverse-engineered lenses.
The lens is built from 15 elements in 13 groups and a nine-blade circular aperture. The lens will take up about a 4.7 inch / 119.2mm spot in a camera bag for the E Mount variant and about 4.8 inches / 121.5mm for the Nikon Z mount.
The lens is competitively priced compared to some high-end 24-70mm workhorses, but sits above the price point of Tamron’s own 17-70 f/2.8. The Tamron 50-100mm f/2.8 Di III VXD is expected to retail for $899 / CA$1,249 in Sony E and $929 / CA$1,299 in Nikon Z mounts. UK and Australia pricing has not yet been announced, but that translates roughly to £663 / AU$1,273.
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