Sony FE SEL1635Z 16-35mm
Sony
76 Overall Score
vs
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
Tamron
97 Overall Score
What Buyers Say
Sony FE SEL1635Z 16-35mm
No customer feedback yet
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
85 out of 100 high confidence 62 reviews
The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD lens is widely praised for its sharpness, versatile zoom range, constant aperture, and effective stabilization, making it an excellent all-around lens for APS-C cameras. Users appreciate its solid build quality and value for money, though many note it is noticeably heavier and larger than typical kit lenses, which can feel unbalanced on smaller camera bodies. A few reviewers mention minor issues like chromatic aberration at the longer end and noise from the aperture blades at certain settings, but overall sentiment is very positive.
Pros
- sharp image quality across zoom range
- constant f/2.8 aperture
- effective image stabilization
- fast and quiet autofocus
- versatile 17-70mm focal range
Cons
- heavy and large for APS-C body
- chromatic aberration at 50-70mm
- aperture blade noise above f/5.6
- short zoom throw initially stiff
- no aperture ring on Fuji version
Image quality 27
Build quality 15
Weight and size 18
Value for money 14
Stabilization 12
Autofocus performance 11
Scores
Video Cinema
Budget
Macro
Professional
Portrait
Landscape
Travel
Wildlife Sports
Street
Specifications
| Sony FE SEL1635Z 16-35mm | Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 16 mm | 17 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 70 mm |
| Elements | 13 | 16 |
| Groups | 12 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 5★ | 3 |
| ED Elements | 2 | 2 |
| Coating | Fluorine Coating | Fluorine Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/22 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | f/4 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Sony E |
| Format | full-frame★ | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.35 kg★ | 0.54 kg |
| Filter Thread | 72 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | XD Linear Motors★ | RXD |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4.5 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 240 mm | 190 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.19x | 1:4.8★ |
Pros & Cons
Sony FE SEL1635Z 16-35mm
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong stabilization (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong optical (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Below average bokeh (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
- Strong optical (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong versatility (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong bokeh (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
Verdict
Winner: Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
Scores 97 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.