Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD Lens for Nikon Z

The 50 to 400 range is awesome. However, with the A7RV body, I found I had to shut off the lens image stabilizaton (VC) because the EVF image jumps around when handheld. VC has two levels and neither worked. With it off, it was much easier to track a bird in flight. That's disapointing since I was counting on getting great stabilization using both VC and IBIS.For the range this lens has, it's touted as light. But at 2.5 pounds, using a 1.5 pound body and a nearly 1 pound cage, it's a heavy combo. So heavy it's hard to hold long enough to traverse the many Sony settings menus. That will be less of an issue when custom buttons are better exploited, though. Still, a 1" wide neck strap is unworkable. The cage and a third party lens-tripod ring mount helps a lot ... MoreThe 50 to 400 range is awesome. However, with the A7RV body, I found I had to shut off the lens image stabilizaton (VC) because the EVF image jumps around when handheld. VC has two levels and neither worked. With it off, it was much easier to track a bird in flight. That's disapointing since I was counting on getting great stabilization using both VC and IBIS.For the range this lens has, it's touted as light. But at 2.5 pounds, using a 1.5 pound body and a nearly 1 pound cage, it's a heavy combo. So heavy it's hard to hold long enough to traverse the many Sony settings menus. That will be less of an issue when custom buttons are better exploited, though. Still, a 1" wide neck strap is unworkable. The cage and a third party lens-tripod ring mount helps a lot managing the weight by giving more handholds.Any lens with the F4.5 to F6.x aperature isn't great in low light and even though I only shoot outside, combined with the poor A7RV low light performance, sunset shots are an issue.

If Tamron are producing such a high quality precision product, how come they can't make a product whose lens mount meets the tolerances required to fit the Sony body for which it is intended? Slots into body but despite using some quite extreme force will not rotate onto camera body. I gave up before I damaged my camera. It is interesting that there is almost no stock of this product currently in the UK (May 2023). I wonder if this high quality lens manufacturer isn't having a supply chain issue but an issue that they fluffed it, and released lenses that simply don't fit. Maybe with your camera you will be lucky? Maybe you're prepared to twist it so hard that it breaks the lens mount off your camera trying, or ends up welded onto your camera for life? But according ... MoreIf Tamron are producing such a high quality precision product, how come they can't make a product whose lens mount meets the tolerances required to fit the Sony body for which it is intended? Slots into body but despite using some quite extreme force will not rotate onto camera body. I gave up before I damaged my camera. It is interesting that there is almost no stock of this product currently in the UK (May 2023). I wonder if this high quality lens manufacturer isn't having a supply chain issue but an issue that they fluffed it, and released lenses that simply don't fit. Maybe with your camera you will be lucky? Maybe you're prepared to twist it so hard that it breaks the lens mount off your camera trying, or ends up welded onto your camera for life? But according to the YouTubers and Influencers it's a great lens!

I'm an amateur photographer doing this for fun, and my opinions are limited to that use. I have several F-mount lenses accumulated over the years and am still using some of them on my Z6II with the FTZ adapter. Until now, my only Z-mount lenses were the 24-200 and the 28-75 f/2.8 both by Nikon. I find the Z-mounts to be lighter and more capable than the old F-mount lenses.I was debating between the Nikon 28-400 or this Tamron lens for a do-it-all travel lens and decided on it based on price and the faster f/6.3 aperture at 400mm. It does exactly what it claims to do. My comparison is to the old Nikon 28-300 F-mount on my D610. Some of the advantages are in the camera, but the pleasing bokeh and the overall sharpness of the image is the lens, which I am very ... MoreI'm an amateur photographer doing this for fun, and my opinions are limited to that use. I have several F-mount lenses accumulated over the years and am still using some of them on my Z6II with the FTZ adapter. Until now, my only Z-mount lenses were the 24-200 and the 28-75 f/2.8 both by Nikon. I find the Z-mounts to be lighter and more capable than the old F-mount lenses.I was debating between the Nikon 28-400 or this Tamron lens for a do-it-all travel lens and decided on it based on price and the faster f/6.3 aperture at 400mm. It does exactly what it claims to do. My comparison is to the old Nikon 28-300 F-mount on my D610. Some of the advantages are in the camera, but the pleasing bokeh and the overall sharpness of the image is the lens, which I am very satisfied with. I have no complaints about the focus speed or accuracy on the Tamron either.My other long telephoto lens is a Sigma 150-600 contemporary on a FTZ adapter and while this is a full 200mm shorter on the zoom range, it’s lighter and a more pleasing lens to use for me.This is not a light lens and you feel the 1.1kg weight when using or carrying it on a day trip. I took it on a recent trip and decided to take this and my Nikon 28-75 f/2.8 to cover wider shots while walking around in the city. While that strategy worked out in the city (especially at night with the wide aperture on the Nikon lens), I found that I had to switch lenses too often in the mountains and the seaside. There were times I wished I had brought just the Nikon 24-200 which is an excellent walk around lens for its versatility and the weight over the two lenses I took with me.These complaints are based on my experience. But it’s unfair to ding the lens for them as all that is known up front. The weight and dimensions of the lens are clearly stated in the product specifications. Target users would be aware that 50mm (while good for portraits) is not wide enough for most landscaping photography or group portraits. I bought knowing these limitations, but realized that it didn’t play out as I expected. That is on me alone, and anyone considering this lens should weigh the pros can cons carefully before purchasing. The lens itself is excellent for what it is.I have attached some JPEGs straight from the camera with this lens. Had to be resized to meet the upload file limit criteria. I shoot a 1/3 stop under and that will be reflected in these samples.