Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD
Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 56mm
What Buyers Say
Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD
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
Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 56mm
The Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 is a creative manual-focus lens that delivers soft, dreamy portraits and unique effects straight out of camera. Build quality feedback is split: some call it cheap and wobbly, while others praise solid construction. It works on many Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Pentax mounts but requires patience with manual focus. Most users love the artistic results despite mixed feelings on build.
Pros
- Unique soft focus effect
- Fun and creative lens
- Solid build praised by many
- Beautiful portrait results
Cons
- Cheap build and wobbling reported
- Loose mount and barrel play
- Rear lens cap falls off
- Very soft wide open
Scores
Specifications
| Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD | Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 56mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 28 mm | 56 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 300 mm | 56 mm |
| Elements | 20 | 4 |
| Groups | 13 | 3 |
| Aspherical Elements | 3★ | — |
| ED Elements | 2★ | — |
| Coating | fluorine coating | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/4 | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | 4-7.1 | f/1.6 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 | 9 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Nikon F |
| Format | full-frame | full-frame |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.59 kg | 0.41 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 62 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | VXD linear motor★ | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 190 mm | 127 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 1:3.8 | 1:2 |
Pros & Cons
Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong versatility (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong optical (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 56mm
- Strong macro (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Below average optical (0th percentile)0th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (8th percentile)8th %ile
- Below average af (13th percentile)13th %ile
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Verdict
Scores 100 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 21 specs.