Canon RF and Nikon Z crop sensor shooters are finally getting an affordable f/2.8 all-in-one zoom. The longstanding favorite Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD will begin shipping for Canon RF Mount and Nikon Z Mount next week on July 02, bringing a best-selling third-party E-Mount and X-Mount lens to more crop sensor bodies.
The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 is a highly versatile lens that earned 4.5 stars in tests of the Sony E-Mount version, which launched in 2021.
The new mount updates of the 17-70mm is only the third Tamron lens launched for the Canon RF mount, but join a list of ten other Nikon Z mount optics from the popular third-party brand.
Moving the lens to Canon RF mount is notable, as Canon doesn’t offer its own native constant f/2.8 zoom made specifically for crop sensor cameras – though pricier full-frame f/2.8 zooms will also work on crop sensor bodies. The Tamron will join a highly limited number of third-party constant-aperture lenses for crop sensor RF bodies, including the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 and Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8.
Nikon Z mount shooters already have access to a native constant aperture zoom with the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR, but Tamron’s launch notably extends the long end of the zoom range by another 20mm.
The new Canon RF and Z Mount options keep what made the earlier E Mount and X Mount options a popular choice, including the constant aperture, stabilization, and weather-resistant construction.
The 17-70mm range is equivalent to a 25.5-105mm full frame range on the Nikon Z and 27.2-112mm on Canon RF. That allows the lens to capture both a wide angle and shorter telephoto without lens swaps. Adding to the versatility is a minimum focus distance of .19m / 7.5 inches for close-up capabilities.
Packing that wide zoom range and constant aperture into one lens creates an optic that is larger than most variable aperture kit lenses, putting the RF mount version at 117mm / 4.6 inches long and the Nikon Z at 121.3mm / 4.8 inches long. The lens weighs around 530g / 18.7 oz on Canon RF and 540g / 19 oz on Nikon Z.
As an existing lens arriving on more mounts, it’s fairly easy to predict the image quality coming from the new lens. Based on the E-Mount tests, photographers (and videographers) can expect pleasant images with soft bokeh and solid sharpness – though a few settings create softer edges, and the images look best with lens profile corrections applied.
The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 for Canon RF and Nikon Z begins shipping on July 02. Both mounts are expected to retail for $749 / CA$949 – which converts to about £570 / AU$1082.
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