Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD
Tamron
100 Overall Score
vs
HK Meike MK-3518FFSTM-L
HK Meike
70 Overall Score
What Buyers Say
Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD
82 out of 100 medium confidence 16 reviews
The Tamron 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD is widely praised as a versatile all-in-one zoom for Sony APS-C cameras. Users love the incredible 16.6x range, close focusing at the wide end, and solid image quality, though some note softness beyond 70-80mm and slow autofocus. The lens is heavier than typical crop-sensor lenses but still considered portable. A few verified buyers report issues with sharpness at the telephoto end and a stiff zoom ring, but the majority find it an excellent walk-around lens that replaces multiple primes and zooms.
Pros
- Incredible 16.6x zoom range
- Close focusing at wide end (semi-macro)
- Good image quality and color rendition
- Solid build with weather sealing
- Effective vibration compensation (VC)
Cons
- Softness beyond 70-80mm
- Slow autofocus compared to smaller zooms
- Heavy and bulky for APS-C
- Stiff zoom ring when zooming out
- Moderate distortion at both ends
Zoom range 12
Image quality 10
Autofocus speed 6
Build quality 8
Weight and size 7
Close focusing 5
HK Meike MK-3518FFSTM-L
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Budget
Portrait
Travel
Wildlife Sports
Macro
Video Cinema
Landscape
Professional
Street
Specifications
| Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD | HK Meike MK-3518FFSTM-L | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | — |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 35 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 300 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 19 | — |
| Groups | 5 | — |
| Aspherical Elements | 3★ | — |
| ED Elements | 4★ | — |
| Coating | Fluorine Coating | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | f/1.8 |
| Min Aperture | 3.5-6.3 | — |
| Constant | ✗ | — |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7★ | — |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | L-Mount |
| Format | APS-C★ | — |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | — |
| Weight | 0.62 kg | 0.41 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | — |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | VXD linear motor★ | STM |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 150 mm | 53 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 1:2★ | — |
Pros & Cons
Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD
- Strong versatility (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong optical (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong macro (87th percentile)87th %ile
HK Meike MK-3518FFSTM-L
- Strong macro (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong aperture (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong bokeh (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Below average optical (18th percentile)18th %ile
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
Pricing
Verdict
Winner: Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD
Scores 100 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 21 specs.
