Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
Viltrox Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm
What Buyers Say
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
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
Viltrox Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm
This Viltrox lens range receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional value, sharpness, and fast apertures. Users consistently praise the image quality and build, noting it punches far above its price point. A minority report issues with chromatic aberration, noisy autofocus in video, firmware updates, and occasional defective units, but the general sentiment is that these are excellent budget primes.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness
- Fast aperture (f/1.2, f/1.7, f/1.8)
- Great value for money
- Solid build quality
- Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
- Chromatic aberration in high contrast scenes
- Noisy autofocus in video
- Aperture ring moves too easily
- Firmware update process is cumbersome
- Occasional defective units
Scores
Specifications
| Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD | Viltrox Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 17 mm | 15 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 70 mm | 15 mm |
| Elements | 16 | 12 |
| Groups | 12 | 10 |
| Aspherical Elements | 3★ | 2 |
| ED Elements | 2 | 3★ |
| Coating | Fluorine Coating | Nano multilayer coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 | 9 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Nikon Z |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.54 kg | 0.18 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | RXD | STM★ |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 190 mm★ | 229 mm |
| Max Magnification | 1:4.8 | 1:10 |
Pros & Cons
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
- Strong optical (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong versatility (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong bokeh (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Strong social proof (87th percentile)87th %ile
Viltrox Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm
- Strong build (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong social proof (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
- Strong optical (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
- Below average stabilization (35th percentile)
Pricing
Viltrox Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm offers 1.8x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 97 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 21 specs.
