Tamron has announced a nice-looking 24-70mm f/2.8 lens that has image stabilization (or “Vibration Compensation” as Tamron says) built into it. The new lens has a silent drive AF that should put into the conversation with Sigma’s 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, as well as an alternative to the Canon and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lenses.
I don’t think any other manufacturers offer a stabilized 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, so this makes Tamron somewhat unique. Surprisingly, it weighs 825g, which puts it in the same weight category as other 24-70mm f/2.8 lenses – and it is, in fact, lighter than some of them.
Tamron hasn’t announced any pricing for the new lens; however, the feature-set and touted quality lead me to believe it will be at or above the $1000-mark. When it is made available, you should be able to find it for Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts.
Full press release and spec list below. [Read more…]
July 30, 2008, Saitama City, Japan – Tamron Co., Ltd., under the leadership of Mr. Morio Ono, President, has announced the development of a unique ultra high power zoom lens-the Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO (Model B003), the first(1) digital SLR lens in the world that delivers a remarkable zoom ratio of 15X (28-419mm equivalent) and is equipped with a highly effective Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism. Designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras with APS-C sized image sensors(2) , the new lens delivers outstanding image quality over its entire zoom range and its exclusive VC anti-shake system facilitates sharp handheld photography even at the longest telephoto settings.