Phototrend interviewed Tamron’s Marketing Planning Manager, Kota Misawa at CP+ 2023. You can find the untranslated interview here or read the translated excerpts below:
- The weakening of the yen helped Tamron’s financial performance
- Tamron also attributes its success to its move to mirrorless lenses that strengthened their lineup
- They are developing zooms and primes for mirrorless, and there is demand for some mirrorless macro lenses, so Tamron is working to address the demand
- Tamron tries to meet the needs of users with unique designs
- There is demand for 24-70mm lenses, but if Tamron released one instead of the 28-75mm it released, then the specs might be too similar to competitors to differentiate
- The success of the 28-75mm showed Tamron that they could successfully make unique designs if they took into consideration customers’ needs when coming up with them
- E and Z mounts are practically the same, so it is easy to use the same optical designs, but entirely new software has to be designed, and new integrated circuits are needed, which takes more time
- Can’t answer when they started working on Z mount
- Tamron believes they can offer many of their designs on Z mount, but they haven’t decided which yet
- Tamron announced the 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD for the X mount on Feb. 20th
- All lenses for X mount are selling very well in fact better than expected, and the lenses were originally designed for E-mount
- Tamron’s next step is to plan new APS-C lenses for E and X mount
- APS-C Z mount lenses aren’t selling well, so Tamron isn’t sure if they will bring their APS-C designs to Z mount
- Tamron now takes video shooters into consideration when designing its lenses which is what the Tamron Lens Utility is for so you can adapt your lenses’ performance
- Tamron Lens Utility was developed so you can decide how your lens performs
- Tamron is working to make Tamron Lens Utility for iOS, but it will have to be wireless since iPhone won’t let you use cables
- Tamron lenses will have to include a wireless chip in the future for updating
- Tamron built a second factory in Hanoi for their future expansion and to help with geopolitical risks and supply chain issues
- Tamron makes lenses for automotive, medical, surveillance, and lenses for factory automation and machine vision
- Tamron is still making DSLR lenses, especially zooms, but they will most likely not design any more DSLR lenses since demand is slowing
- Updated designs are released based on user feedback, but one future feature that all lenses should have is a port for Tamron Lens Utility
- As the photography market shrinks more avid photographers make up the masses, and they are expected to demand more high-end lenses, so Tamron will make more high-end offerings like the 35-150mm f/2-2.8
- Can’t say anything about the 5 new models mentioned in the financial report
- Kota Misawa’s favorite lens is the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD because Tamron pioneered the hyperzoom followed by the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 since it is practical and lightweight
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Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD FE:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 FE:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD FE:
Amazon
Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III RXD FE:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD FE:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Tamron 20mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2（Model F050):
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Tamron 24mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2（Model F051):
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Tamron 35mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2（Model F053):
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
