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Tamron announces SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 wide-angle zoom lens
posted Friday, August 31, 2018 at 3:01 AM EDT
Tamron has announced an updated version of their very popular wide-angle zoom lens, the Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2. The full-frame lens continues in the tradition of its predecessor by offering a fast f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range while bringing a revised design and new optical technologies to the table.
The Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 G2 zoom incorporates an eXpanded Glass Molded Aspherical (XGM) lens element in addition to multiple Low Dispersion (LD) elements to minimize distortion and lateral chromatic aberrations, two issues that are more common to wide-angle lenses. Additionally, Tamron has developed a new Anti-reflection eXpand (AX) coating to reduce ghosting and flare more than the previous 15-30mm lens. The front element of the lens also includes fluorine coating to repel dirt, oil and water. In total, there are 18 elements across 13 groups.
Tamron's SP series of lenses are known for their more robust construction, and the 15-30mm f/2.8 G2 has a moisture-resistant construction and includes seals at the lens mount area and other critical locations. The lens weighs 39.2 ounces (1,110 grams) for the Canon mount and 38.8 oz. (1,100g) for the Nikon mount. This is roughly the same weight as the previous generation lens. The G2 is 5.7 inches (145 millimeters) long for the Canon version and 5.6 in. (142.5mm) for the Nikon version. The Canon version also includes a rear filter holder, something the Nikon mount version lacks.
The lens has a Dual Micro-Processing Unit (Dual MPU) for its autofocus, which Tamron says will deliver fast and precise focusing performance. The lens has an enhanced focusing algorithm and features Tamron's Ultrasonic Silent Drive (USD) technology. The lens also offers full-time manual focus override.
The close focus distance is 11 inches (0.28 meters) across the entire zoom range, which offers a maximum magnification ratio of 1:5 at 30mm. In addition to its promised high focusing performance, the lens features Vibration Compensation (VC) which promises up to 4.5 stops of shake correction.
The Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 will be available for Nikon F-mount on September 21st and Canon EF-mount on October 12th, at a suggested retail price of US$1,299.