Tamron Di III 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD

Tamron Di III 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD

Tamron
84 Overall Score
vs
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Sony
90 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Tamron Di III 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD

88 out of 100 high confidence 117 reviews

The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is widely praised as a versatile, all-in-one zoom lens that delivers exceptional sharpness and fast autofocus across its entire range. Many users, including professional event and wedding photographers, have replaced multiple primes or zooms with this single lens, citing its f/2-2.8 aperture and 35-150mm reach as ideal for portraits, sports, and travel. The main drawbacks are its significant weight and size, with some noting it can be tiring for handheld use, and a few isolated complaints about packaging or slow focus for moving subjects. Overall, it is considered a game-changer for those who value convenience and image quality.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness across zoom range
  • Fast and reliable autofocus
  • Versatile 35-150mm focal length
  • Bright f/2-2.8 aperture
  • Excellent build quality
Cons
  • Heavy and bulky
  • No tripod collar included
  • Slow focus for moving subjects
  • Some vignetting at longer focal lengths
  • Packaging issues on delivery
👍 Image quality 35
👍 Autofocus performance 20
👍 Versatility 30
👎 Weight and size 25
👍 Build quality 15
👍 Value for money 10

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

82 out of 100 high confidence 117 reviews

The Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens is widely praised as an excellent all-in-one travel and walkaround lens for APS-C E-mount cameras. Users consistently highlight its sharpness, compact size, light weight, and versatile 27-200mm equivalent zoom range. While many note it is not ideal for low light and some report significant vignetting at the wide end, the overall sentiment is very positive, with most considering it a great value kit lens upgrade.

Pros
  • Sharp image quality
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Versatile 27-200mm equivalent zoom range
  • Effective optical image stabilization
  • Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
  • Significant vignetting at 18mm wide end
  • Not ideal for low light photography
  • Variable aperture limits brightness at telephoto
  • Some copies may have quality control issues
  • Slight autofocus lag compared to premium lenses
👍 Image quality 35
👍 Build quality 12
👍 Value for money 18
👎 Vignetting 6
👎 Low light performance 10
👍 Zoom range 25

Scores

Budget
Tamron
79
Sony
100
Portrait
Tamron
87
Sony
88
Street
Tamron
69
Sony
87
Macro
Tamron
86
Sony
67
Travel
Tamron
69
Sony
85
Wildlife Sports
Tamron
70
Sony
84
Video Cinema
Tamron
79
Sony
83
Professional
Tamron
80
Sony
73
Landscape
Tamron
72
Sony
73

Specifications

Tamron Di III 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXDSony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min35 mm18 mm
Focal Length Max150 mm135 mm
Elements2116
Groups1512
Aspherical Elements3★1
ED Elements4★2
CoatingBBAR-G2 Coating, Fluorine Coating—
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2f/3.5
Min Aperture2-2.83.5-5.6
Constant✓★✗
Diaphragm Blades9★7
Build
MountNikon ZSony E
Formatfull-frame★APS-C
Weather Sealed✓★✗
Weight1.87 kg0.33 kg★
Filter Thread82 mm55 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeVXDLinear motor★
Stabilization✓✓
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★450 mm
Max Magnification1:5.55★0.29x

Pros & Cons

Tamron Di III 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD

  • Strong optical (99th percentile)99th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong aperture (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong versatility (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Below average build (14th percentile)14th %ile
  • Below average social proof (15th percentile)15th %ile

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

  • Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong versatility (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (81st percentile)81st %ile

Pricing

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is CA$1,243 cheaper (2.6x less).

Tamron Di III 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD0.041score per dollar
vs
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS0.115score per dollar

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS offers 2.8x better value for money

Tamron Di III 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Verdict

★ Winner: Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

Scores 90 overall, wins 5 of 9 usage categories and 2 of 21 specs.

Tamron Di III 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD Better at:

MacroProfessional

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Better at:

BudgetStreetTravelVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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