Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD

Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD

Tamron
100 Overall Score
vs
Rokinon 50M-C

Rokinon 50M-C

Rokinon
61 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD

92 out of 100 medium confidence 13 reviews

The Tamron 28-300mm super-zoom wins praise for its lightweight design, versatile focal range, and solid image quality. Users appreciate the compact build and smooth zoom mechanism, but note the slow aperture and trade-offs in sharpness compared to more expensive zooms. Verified reviewers find it an ideal travel lens that pairs well with Sony bodies.

Pros
  • Lightweight design
  • Versatile 28-300mm focal range
  • Smooth zoom ring operation
  • Compact build for travel
  • Good integration with Sony bodies
Cons
  • Small maximum aperture (f/4-7.1)
  • Reduced sharpness vs. premium zooms
  • Not an internal zoom lens
  • Slow autofocus at high fps on some bodies
👍 Build quality 3
🤔 Sharpness 3
👎 Aperture 2
👍 Weight and portability 3
👍 Zoom range 4
👎 Autofocus performance 1

Rokinon 50M-C

78 out of 100 high confidence 30 reviews

The Rokinon 50mm f/1.4 lens receives generally positive feedback for its excellent value, sharp optics, and solid build quality, especially for astrophotography and low-light use. However, many users note that the autofocus can be inconsistent and unreliable for fast-moving subjects, and some copies have decentering issues. The lens is fully manual on certain mounts, which is a key consideration for buyers.

Pros
  • Excellent value for money
  • Sharp optics for the price
  • Solid all-metal build quality
  • Great for astrophotography
  • Good low-light performance at f/1.4
Cons
  • Inconsistent autofocus performance
  • Autofocus unreliable for fast-moving subjects
  • Some copies have decentering issues
  • Soft corners at f/1.4
  • Fully manual on certain mounts
👍 Value for money 8
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 6
👎 Autofocus performance 7
👍 Astrophotography suitability 5
👍 Low light performance 4

Scores

Macro
Tamron
91
Rokinon
59
Budget
Tamron
91
Rokinon
57
Landscape
Tamron
90
Rokinon
49
Portrait
Tamron
86
Rokinon
78
Wildlife Sports
Tamron
84
Rokinon
42
Professional
Tamron
84
Rokinon
65
Travel
Tamron
84
Rokinon
44
Street
Tamron
82
Rokinon
58
Video Cinema
Tamron
80
Rokinon
59

Specifications

Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXDRokinon 50M-C
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min28 mm50 mm
Focal Length Max300 mm50 mm
Elements209
Groups136
Aspherical Elements3★2
ED Elements2★1
Coatingfluorine coatingUltra Multi-Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/1.4
Min Aperture4-7.1f/1.4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades9★8
Build
MountSony ESony E
Formatfull-framefull-frame
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.59 kg0.54 kg★
Filter Thread67 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeVXD linear motor★manual focus only
Stabilization✓★✗
Focus
Min Focus Distance190 mm★450 mm
Max Magnification1:2.81:6.25

Pros & Cons

Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD

  • Strong versatility (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong optical (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (93rd percentile)93rd %ile

Rokinon 50M-C

  • Strong aperture (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong build (67th percentile)
  • Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
  • Below average user sentiment (32nd percentile)
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Verdict

★ Winner: Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD

Scores 100 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 21 specs.

Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports