Tamron Di III VXD 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3

Tamron Di III VXD 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3

Tamron
84 Overall Score
vs
Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm

Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm

Meike
92 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Tamron Di III VXD 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3

85 out of 100 high confidence 33 reviews

The Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD is widely praised for its versatile zoom range, sharp image quality, and excellent value for money. Users highlight its usefulness for wildlife, sports, and travel photography, though some note it is heavier than expected and the maximum aperture limits low-light performance. A few Sony users reported issues with image stabilization when paired with certain camera bodies, but overall sentiment is very positive.

Pros
  • Versatile 50-400mm zoom range
  • Sharp image quality
  • Excellent value for money
  • Good build quality
  • Fast and quiet autofocus
Cons
  • Heavier than expected
  • Limited low-light performance due to small aperture
  • Image stabilization issues with some Sony bodies
  • Lens collar not included
  • A bit dark compared to faster lenses
👍 Zoom range versatility 12
👍 Image quality sharpness 14
👍 Value for money 10
👍 Build quality 8
🤔 Weight and portability 9
👎 Low light performance 5

Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm

88 out of 100 medium confidence 22 reviews

The Meike 55mm f/1.4 AF lens for APS-C Nikon Z cameras is a compact, fast-aperture portrait lens that delivers excellent sharpness and creamy bokeh at a very affordable price. Autofocus is quick and reliable, with good eye detection, and the lens handles well on smaller bodies like the Z30. Some users noted the minimum focus distance is a bit limiting and the build feels plasticky, but overall it offers outstanding value for money.

Pros
  • Excellent sharpness
  • Creamy bokeh
  • Fast and reliable autofocus
  • Great value for money
  • Compact and lightweight
Cons
  • Plasticky build feel
  • Limited minimum focus distance
  • No image stabilization
  • Some chromatic aberration wide open
  • Vignetting at wide apertures
👍 Sharpness 12
👍 Bokeh 10
👍 Autofocus performance 14
👍 Value for money 15
🤔 Build quality 8
👎 Minimum focus distance 4

Scores

Portrait
Tamron
71
Meike
100
Macro
Tamron
91
Meike
91
Budget
Tamron
88
Meike
82
Video Cinema
Tamron
71
Meike
87
Professional
Tamron
72
Meike
86
Wildlife Sports
Tamron
82
Meike
78
Landscape
Tamron
82
Meike
65
Street
Tamron
69
Meike
76
Travel
Tamron
71
Meike
55

Specifications

Tamron Di III VXD 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm
Optics
Typetelephotoprime
Focal Length Min50 mm85 mm
Focal Length Max400 mm85 mm
Elements2413
Groups188
Aspherical Elements11
ED Elements—2★
CoatingBBAR-G2Multi-layer coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/6.3f/1.4
Min Aperture4.5-6.3f/1.4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades911★
Build
MountNikon ZSony E
Formatfull-framefull-frame
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight1.18 kg0.91 kg★
Filter Thread67 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeVXD linear motor★Hyper STM
Stabilization✓✓
Focus
Min Focus Distance250 mm85 mm★
Max Magnification1:2★—

Pros & Cons

Tamron Di III VXD 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3

  • Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong versatility (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong optical (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (80th percentile)80th %ile
  • Below average build (24th percentile)

Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm

  • Strong bokeh (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong aperture (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong macro (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Pricing

Tamron Di III VXD 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3

No current pricing available

Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm

Verdict

★ Winner: Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm

Scores 92 overall, wins 4 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 21 specs.

Tamron Di III VXD 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Better at:

BudgetTravelLandscapeWildlife Sports

Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm Better at:

StreetPortraitProfessionalVideo Cinema

Also Consider