Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 Leaked

By Louis Ferreira | Published: August 8, 2023


Press release:
Tamron, announces the development of the Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 (Model A065), a fast-aperture telephoto zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras.

The Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 G2 marks the further evolution of the first-generation model that earned high acclaim in the marketplace and incorporates several enhancements. Leading the list of improvements of the new G2 lens is the incorporation of Tamron’s proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation) mechanism. The lens maintains the maneuverability of class-leading compact size and weight while enabling shooting with greater stability.

The optical design has been revamped from the first-generation 70-180mm F/2.8 and achieves uncompromising high image quality across the entire zoom range. Tamron also shortened the MOD (Minimum Object Distance) at the wide end to 0.3m compared to the first-generation 0.85m, enabling users to enjoy unique photographic expressions distinctive to the lens.

Additionally, the new 70-180mm F/2.8 G2 zoom features Tamron’s renowned VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism enabling high-speed, high-precision auto-focusing that performs well whether shooting stills or video. The new 70-180mm F/2.8 G2 zoom also supports the dedicated Tamron Lens Utility™ and Tamron Lens Utility Mobile™ apps that were developed in-house by Tamron. The software can be used to customize functions based on various shooting styles for still photography and video. The new lens design improves operability and provides scratch resistance. This single lens combines profound maneuverability and practicality that is worthy of the second-generation G2 badge and will deliver shooting experiences that make a fast-aperture telephoto zoom lens even more enjoyable.

Product Highlights

  • Even with VC image stabilization, the lens is just 156.5mm long and weighs only 855g
  • Revamped optical design delivers truly superb performance at all focal lengths
  • VXD provides high-speed and high-precision AF with vastly improved subject tracking
  • Equipped with Tamron’s proprietary VC mechanism
  • Achieves MOD of 0.3m at 70mm and 0.85m at 180mm
  • Proprietary software tool Tamron Lens Utility for lens function customization
  • Additional features for greater convenience
  • User-friendly features (Moisture-Resistant Construction and Fluorine Coating)
  • Compatible with many camera-specific features and functions, including Fast Hybrid AF and Eye AF
  • 67mm filter size, same as most other Tamron lenses for mirrorless cameras

Availability and price
The Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 (Model A065), for Sony-E mount full frame cameras will be available in the fall 2023. The exact date and recommended retail price will be announced in due course.

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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 RXD FE: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III RXD FE: (Coming Soon): B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

via Photorumors

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Sony a6700 Firmware Update 1.01

By Louis Ferreira | Published: August 8, 2023


Sony a6700: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS II: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

Sony a6700 Benefits and Improvements Firmware 1.01

  • Fixes an issue where the LCD monitor menus and icons may be displayed in the wrong color
  • Improves the operational stability of the camera

Download Here

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Sony Has Captured 42% Of The Image Sensor Market

By Louis Ferreira | Published: August 7, 2023


Yole Group published a study of the image sensor market that shows Sony’s dominance in the image sensor market. Sony has managed to capture 24% of the market and growing while Canon is sitting at 1% and Panasonic <1%. You can read the full report which the above image comes from here. Of course, this chart includes all kinds of image sensors including industrial and camera phone sensors and they dwarf the camera market, which is why Sony is so big. It would be interesting to see how this chart would change if Samsung started making sensors for Apple’s iPhone.

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OL: Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary

By Louis Ferreira | Published: August 6, 2023


Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

Optical Limits posted its Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary review and it is a bit of a mixed bag from Sigma if you do not like autocorrection. You can read the full review here or read the summary below:

Overall, the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens is a fine package with a few caveats. It shares a few weak spots with its bigger brother, the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN ART – namely, some corner issues at f/2.8. The broader center quality is generally great, and if you stop down a little, the outer image field is also pretty sharp in the wide- to mid-range. The situation is more difficult at 70mm, where you have to stop down to at least f/8 for decent results across the image field. For most users, the 70mm setting will be primarily about shallow depth-of-field photography, and for this, the weakness isn’t a showstopper. However, for landscape or architecture photography, this is less ideal. Uncorrected RAW images show heavy vignetting at f/2.8 and quite pronounced distortions at the extreme ends of the range. Auto-correction will take care of this as well as the already low lateral CAs. The quality of the bokeh is generally good, especially for a zoom lens. The lens isn’t a sun star lover, which seems to be typical for most Sigmas. This is also a design choice between better out-of-focus discs or better sun stars.

We have been a fan of Sigma build quality ever since they started with their ART/SPORT/Contemporary lineups. Sigma’s TSC plastics feel both solid as well as nicely textured, the overall build tolerances are very tight, and the control rings operate smoothly. And all this applies to the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary as well. Maybe its biggest value proposition is the very compact size and low weight. In this respect, it undercuts all other lenses in this class by quite a margin. While the lens has some basic weather sealing at the mount, it’s not as well sealed against the elements as professional-grade lenses.

As you may conclude, it depends on a couple of factors whether the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is the right lens for you. If you are looking for a fast, reasonably priced and very compact standard zoom for street photography or family events, the Sigma will tick a lot of boxes. It doesn’t deliver the ultimate in image quality, but if that’s your goal, you’ll have to invest quite a bit more.

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Lengthy Sony a6700 Full Menu and Setup Guide

By Louis Ferreira | Published: August 5, 2023

Sony a6700: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

If you’re new to Sony cameras a setup guide could be very useful since Sony isn’t exactly known for its great intuitive menus. Sony’s menus have gotten a lot better over the years, but I still think Sony has a way to go if it wants to make its camera accessible to new users.

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Pergear 60mm f/2.8 II Ultra-Macro 2X Magnification Lens

By Louis Ferreira | Published: August 4, 2023


Pergear just announced a new Pergear 60mm f/2.8 II Ultra-Macro 2X Magnification Lens for E-mount. The lens is available from Amazon and there is already a review of the lens that you can watch below.

  • Full-frame Coverage: Short telephoto is designed for Full-frame Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, providing an all-in-one solution for normal portrait shooting as well as ultra-macro photography.
  • 2X Magnification: Featuring a 2X maximum magnification and a 19.1cm minimum focusing distance, this lens allows for precise close-up photography. Its manual focus design, focus distance, and depth of field scales further enhance focusing control.
  • Optical Design: The lens also boasts an optical system with 10 elements in 7 groups, including three high refractive index elements. These elements help to minimize spherical aberrations and distortion, resulting in high sharpness and accurate image rendering.
  • Ideal Aperture: With its bright f/2.8 maximum aperture, this lens performs well in various lighting conditions and contributes to its sleek form factor. Additionally, the 10-blade diaphragm creates a pleasing bokeh effect.
  • De-clicked Aperture Ring & Multi-layer Coating: For video applications and shooting, the de-clicked aperture ring provides smooth and silent rotation throughout the aperture range. The lens also features a multi-layer coating, which effectively reduces flare and ghosting to ensure greater contrast and color accuracy, even in strong lighting conditions.
  • Kindly Note: Please note that when using this lens at a 2X magnification, slight vignetting may occur during infinity focus shooting. This is a normal occurrence, and adjusting the magnification to 1X will eliminate the vignetting.

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