Last Updated on 11/07/2024 by Hillary Grigonis
Tamron has worked hard on revamping its lineup over the last few years. The most significant difference is that Tamron prime lenses offer excellent image quality, autofocus, and weather sealing, and they come in at incredibly affordable price points. We’ve gone through our database and have put together all of our Tamron prime lens reviews to help you figure out which ones are best for you.
It’s an exciting time to be a Tamron fan right now, especially if you shoot with mirrorless cameras. Tamron is continuing its great tradition of offering solid lenses that perform well above their price points. The next few years look to be promising with many new Tamron prime lenses on the horizon. As we get our hands on their latest glass, and as we complete our reviews, we’ll add them to this buyer’s guide. If you’re planning on investing in Tamron prime lenses, bookmark this page. This way, you can refer back to it to get all of the reviews that you need. Check out the real-world reviews that we have completed on Tamron prime lenses below.
Remember, Tamron lenses are available for DSLRs and mirrorless and are compatible with a variety of mounts, so double-check the mount to be sure you are purchasing a compatible lens.
Editor’s Note: This guide was updated in November 2024 to include the latest Tamron prime lenses.
Table of Contents
Understanding Tamron Prime Lenses
Like most lens manufacturers, Tamron has its own way of naming lenses which can be confusing if you’re new to the brand. Besides the focal length and aperture, Tamron lenses will use these designations in their lens names:
- Di: Digitally integrated design, these lenses are made for full-frame and APS-C DSLRs and need an adapter for mirrorless.
- Di II: These lenses are designed for crop sensor DSLRs and need an adapter for mirrorless.
- Di III: These lenses are designed for mirrorless cameras. Make sure you buy the mount that matches your camera body, as Tamron offers lenses for multiple brands.
- OSD: This stands for Optimized Silent Drive, which means the autofocus motor is designed for quieter performance.
- USD: This stands for Ultrasonic Silent Drive, a technology that helps reduce the noise and increase the speed of the autofocusing motor.
- M: Lenses with an M followed by a ratio have close focusing capabilities. A lens with M1:1 in the name, for example, can focus with a true 1:1 macro ratio.
Why You Should Trust Us
The Phoblographer has been doing real-world photography gear tests longer than any other photography publication currently run. We also have the largest database of real-world lens reviews, amongst other things like straps, camera bags, lights, accessories, and more. Here’s why that matters:
- AI Can’t Do This Job: These days, other publications do roundups, sometimes using generative AI. That’s the same as a person researching products and then making a decision without actually trying it. All of our reviews and guides are written not just by humans but by working photographers — not AI. Computers don’t use cameras, so why would you trust AI to recommend cameras for you?
- Research and Practical Experience: Here at the Phoblographer, humans consult on what roundups to do with guidance from an editor. Then, a human goes through our database of reviews and selects the best products based on our own internal research. The human creating the roundup has practical experience with photography gear and will apply their knowledge of what’s best to the already human-based experience provided in our reviews.
- We Block AI Bots: The Phoblographer blocks indexing bots from reading our site, so what’s here can only be read here.
How we Test Tamron Lenses
- The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed in these roundups.
- If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
- When we test lenses, we’ve got various things in mind. First off, we consider who might want to buy the lens and what they might do with it. With that in mind, we try to tackle at least three genres of photography with that lens in a variety of situations. If the lens has weather resistance, then we’ll test it accordingly with a weather-resistant camera. We also test the autofocus of the lens in continuous mode, single mode, with exposure preview effects, without those effects, and then with all the major image quality parameters. These days, no one really makes a bad lens — but some are far better than others.
- In this specific roundup, we’re listing every Tamron Prime lens that we’ve tested.
Tamron 20mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2
| Model | F050 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 20mm |
| Maximum Aperture | F/2.8 |
| Angle of View (diagonal) | 94°30′(for full-frame mirrorless format) |
| Optical Construction | 10 elements in 9 groups |
| Minimum Object Distance | 0.11m (4.3 in) |
| Maximum Magnification Ratio | 1:2 |
| Filter Size | Φ67mm |
| Maximum Diameter | Φ73mm |
| Length* | 64mm (2.5 in) |
| Weight | 220g (7.8 oz) |
| Aperture Blades | 7 (circular diaphragm)** |
| Minimum Aperture | F/22 |
| Standard Accessory | Flower-shaped hood, Lens caps |
| Compatible Mounts | Sony E-mount |
- Well built
- Affordable
- Nice colors
- Tamron is embracing Mirrorless with a small and lightweight offering.
- Weather sealed very well; it survived a few hours in the rain.
- Autofocuses quickly
- Priced at only $349
In our review, we said:
“This lens has great image quality with nice bokeh (when possible), very good sharpness, and beautiful colors. On top of all that, it’s lightweight and built like a tank. Best of all, the price and portability are things you’ll be very happy with.”
Tamron 24mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2
| Model | F051 |
| Focal Length | 24mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f2.8 |
| Angle of View (diagonal)* | 84°04′ |
| Optical Construction | 10 elements in 9 groups |
| Minimum Object Distance | 4.7 in (0.12m) |
| Maximum Magnification Ratio | 1:2 |
| Filter Size | Ø67mm |
| Maximum Diameter | Ø73mm |
| Length** | 64mm (2.5 in.) |
| Weight | 7.6 oz (215g) |
| Aperture Blades | 7 (circular diaphragm)** |
| Minimum Aperture | f22 |
| Standard Accessories | Lens hood (Flower-shaped), Lens caps |
| Compatible Mounts | Sony E-mount |
| * for full-frame mirrorless format | |
| ** Length is the distance from the front tip of the lens to the lens mount face. | |
| *** The circular diaphragm stays almost perfectly circular up to two stops down from maximum aperture. |
- Small footprint
- Lightweight (7.6 oz / 215g)
- Very robust weather sealing
- Excellent image quality overall
- Close minimum focusing distance
- Affordably priced at just US $349
In our review, we said:
“The Tamron 24mm f2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 is an affordably priced lens for Sony Full Frame Mirrorless cameras that combines outstanding image quality and robust weather sealing with a compact and lightweight form factor. At press time, it’s cheaper than Sony’s entire native Full Frame E Mount lens lineup, with the exception of the 50mm f1.8”.
Tamron 35mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:2
| Model | F053 |
| Focal Length | 35mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f2.8 |
| Angle of View (diagonal)* | 63°26′ |
| Optical Construction | 9 elements in 8 groups |
| Minimum Object Distance | 5.9 in (0.15m) |
| Maximum Magnification Ratio | 1:2 |
| Filter Size | Ø67mm |
| Maximum Diameter | Ø73mm |
| Length** | 64mm (2.5 in.) |
| Weight | 7.4 oz (210g) |
| Aperture Blades | 7 (circular diaphragm)** |
| Minimum Aperture | f22 |
| Standard Accessories | Lens hood (Cap-type), Lens caps |
| Compatible Mounts | Sony E-mount |
| * for full-frame mirrorless format | |
| ** Length is the distance from the front tip of the lens to the lens mount face. | |
| *** The circular diaphragm stays almost perfectly circular up to two stops down from maximum aperture. |
- Compact
- Lightweight
- Class-leading weather sealing
- Excellent image quality overall
- Very affordable (only $349)
In our review, we said:
“You’d be hard-pressed to find a weather-sealed 35mm prime for Sony Full Frame Mirrorless cameras that can deliver the same level of performance and image quality for the price.”
Tamron SP 35mm F1.4 Di USD
| Model | F045 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 35mm |
| Maximum Aperture | F/1.4 |
| Angle of View (diagonal) | 63゜26′(for full-frame DSLR cameras) |
| Optical Construction | 14 elements in 10 groups |
| Minimum Object Distance | 0.3m (11.8 in) |
| Maximum Magnification Ratio | 1:5 |
| Filter Size | Φ72mm |
| Maximum Diameter | Φ80.9mm |
| Length* | 104.8mm Canon (4.1 in) 102.3mm Nikon (4 in) |
| Weight | 815g Canon (28.7 oz) 805g Nikon (28.4 oz) |
| Aperture Blades | 9 (circular diaphragm)** |
| Minimum Aperture | F/16 |
| Standard Accessory | Flower-shaped hood, Lens caps, Lens pouch |
| Compatible Mounts | Canon EF mount, Nikon F mount Nikon Z compatibility Canon EOS R compatibility |
- Sharp image quality
- Truly lovely colors
- Weather sealing
- Price tag isn’t all that awful
- Good autofocus
- Great for photographing people and events
In our review, we said:
“It boasts gorgeous image quality, creamy bokeh, loads of sharpness, and low enough distortion to be a great choice for portraiture. The only thing that is a mark against it is the lack of image stabilization.”
Tamron 35mm f1.8 Di VC USD SP
| Model | F012 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 35mm |
| Maximum Aperture | F/1.8 |
| Angle of View (diagonal) | 63°26’ for full-frame format 43°29’ for APS-C format |
| Optical Construction | 10 elements in 9 groups |
| Minimum Object Distance | 0.2m (7.9 in) |
| Maximum Magnification Ratio | 1:2.5 |
| Filter Size | Φ67mm |
| Maximum Diameter | Φ80.4mm |
| Length* | 80.8mm (3.2 in) Canon 78.3mm (3.1 in) Nikon |
| Weight | 480g (16.9 oz) Canon 450g (15.9 oz) Nikon |
| Aperture Blades | 9 (circular diaphragm**) |
| Minimum Aperture | F/16 |
| Image Stabilization Performance | 3.0 Stops (CIPA Standards Compliant) For Canon : EOS-5D MarkIII is used / For Nikon : D610 is used |
| Standard Accessories | Flower-shaped lens hood, Lens caps |
| Compatible Mounts | Canon, Nikon, Sony*** |
| Available Firmware updates | Click for details Canon EOS R compatibility Nikon Z compatibility |
- Great texture on the outside
- Weather sealing
- Pretty good image quality
- Fast focusing
In our review, we said:
“What we’re also a big fan of is the color rendition. The lens tends to give us warmer images than what we’re used to–and actually we like that. It’s great when it comes to skin tones and sunsets. “
Tamron 45mm f1.8 Di VC USD SP
| Model | F013 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 45mm |
| Maximum Aperture | F/1.8 |
| Angle of View (diagonal) | 51°21’ for full-frame format 34°28’ for APS-C format |
| Optical Construction | 10 elements in 8 groups |
| Minimum Object Distance | 0.29m (11.4 in) |
| Maximum Magnification Ratio | 1:3.4 |
| Filter Size | Φ67mm |
| Maximum Diameter | Φ80.4mm |
| Length* | 91.7mm (3.6 in) Canon 89.2mm (3.5 in) Nikon |
| Weight | 540g (19 oz) Canon 520g (18.3 oz) Nikon |
| Aperture Blades | 9 (circular diaphragm**) |
| Minimum Aperture | F/16 |
| Image Stabilization Performance | 3.5 Stops (CIPA Standards Compliant) For Canon : EOS-5D MarkIII is used / For Nikon : D610 is used |
| Standard Accessories | Flower-shaped lens hood, Lens caps |
| Compatible Mounts | Canon, Nikon, Sony*** |
| Available Firmware updates | Click for details Canon EOS R compatibility Nikon Z compatibility |
- When it’s accurate and it’s sharp, it’s incredibly so.
- Nice bokeh
- Weather sealing for an affordable price point
- Nice handling of backlit situations.
In our review, we said:
“It’s got image stabilization, nine aperture blades, weather sealing, an affordable price, and can deliver good image quality to the user. Plus, it’s got a metal build to it, is lightweight and just looks good. In the right situations, it’s very sharp and the lens renders images to be really beautiful either way.”
Tamron 60mm f2 SI DI II
| Model | G005 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 60mm |
| Maximum Aperture | F/2 |
| Angle of View (diagonal) | 26゜ 11′ |
| Lens Construction | 14 elements 10 groups |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 0.23m |
| Max.Mag.Ratio | 1 : 1 |
| Minimum Working Distance | 100mm |
| Filter Size | φ55mm |
| Overall Length | 80mm * |
| Maximum Diameter | φ73mm |
| Weight | 350g * |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 |
| Minimum Aperture | F/22 |
| Standard Accessory | Lens hood |
| Compatible Mount | Canon, Nikon** and Sony |
In our review, we said:
“Wide open, it has the tendency to be a little soft, with some fairly severe chromatic aberration. Stop it down a tiny bit though, and it starts to get ridiculously sharp. At f/3.4, you still get some wonderful smooth bokeh, but your in-focus elements will be razor sharp. Speaking of bokeh, this lens produces very pleasing out-of-focus elements. It’s creamy, and melts away quickly with no distracting sharp edges.”
Tamron 85mm f1.8 Di VC USD SP
| Model | F016 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 85mm |
| Maximum Aperture | F/1.8 |
| Angle of View (diagonal) | 28°33′ for full-frame format 18°39′ for APS-C format |
| Optical Construction | 13 elements in 9groups |
| Minimum Object Distance | 0.8m (31.5 in) |
| Maximum Magnification Ratio | 1:7.2 |
| Filter Size | φ67mm |
| Maximum Diameter | φ84.8mm |
| Length* | 91.3mm （3.6 in) Canon 88.8mm (3.5 in) Nikon |
| Weight | 700g (24.7 oz) Canon 660g (23.3 oz) Nikon |
| Aperture Blades | 9 (circular diaphragm**) |
| Minimum Aperture | F/16 |
| Image Stabilization Performance | 3.5 Stops (CIPA Standards Compliant) For Canon : EOS-5D MarkIII is used / For Nikon : D810 is used |
| Standard Accessories | Lens hood, Lens caps |
| Compatible Mounts | Canon, Nikon, Sony*** |
- Super sharp image quality
- No focusing issues with the Canon 6D or other Canon SLR cameras
- Fast focusing
- Weather sealing
- Nice feel in the hand
- Vibration compensation built in is a godsend
- Fantastic color
- A unique look that makes everything seem like it’s got quite a bit of Clarity in Lightroom increased.
- Beautiful bokeh
In our review, we said:
“For what it’s worth, the Tamron 85mm f1.8 Di VC USD wipes the floor with everyone else’s lenses…”
Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III VXD
| Model | : F072 |
| Focal Length | : 90mm |
| Maximum Aperture | : F2.8 |
| Angle of View (diagonal) | : 27°2′ (for full-frame mirrorless format) |
| Optical Construction | : 15 elements in 12 groups |
| Minimum Object Distance | : 9.1“ / 0.23m |
| Maximum Magnification Ratio | : 1:1 |
| Filter Size | : Ø67mm |
| Maximum Diameter | : Ø79.2mm |
| Length* | : 5” (126.5mm) for Sony / 5.1” (128.5mm) for Nikon |
| Weight | : 22.2oz (630g) for Sony / 22.6oz (640g) for Nikon |
| Aperture Blades** | : 12 (circular diaphragm) |
| Minimum Aperture | : F16 |
| Standard Accessories | : Round-shaped hood with filter effect control window, Front and Rear caps |
| Mount | : Sony E-mount, Nikon Z mount |
In our Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III review, we said:
“The Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III VXD is an excellent lens overall when it comes to image quality, performance, autofocus, weather resistance, lightweight, and practicality. I really can’t find a fault with it — it’s just a good lens. That’s also my way of saying that they need to find a way to make excellent lenses that stand out from the pack. I haven’t seen many of those from Tamron, and I wish that they didn’t hold back as much.”
Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di VC USD SP Macro
| Model | F017 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 90mm |
| Maximum Aperture | F/2.8 |
| Angle of View (diagonal) | 27°2′ for full-frame format 17°37′ for APS-C format |
| Optical Construction | 14 elements in 11 groups |
| Minimum Object Distance | 0.3m (11.8 in) |
| Maximum Magnification Ratio | 1:1 |
| Filter Size | φ62mm |
| Maximum Diameter | φ79mm |
| Length* | 117.1mm (4.6 in) Canon 114.6mm (4.5 in) Nikon |
| Weight | 610g (21.5 oz) Canon 600g (21.2 oz) Nikon |
| Aperture Blades | 9 (circular diaphragm**) |
| Minimum Aperture | F/32 |
| Image Stabilization Performance | 3.5 Stops (CIPA Standards Compliant) For Canon: EOS-5D MarkIII is used / For Nikon: D810 is used |
| Standard Accessories | Lens hood, Lens caps |
| Compatible Mounts | Canon, Nikon, Sony*** |
| Available Firmware updates | Click for details Canon EOS R compatibility |
In our review, we said:
“The Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di VC USD lens is one that is rather interesting. It delivers the performance that many more expensive lenses will, but it does it at a very affordable price point. On top of this it also gives weather sealing, fast focusing, and great image quality. There isn’t much to complain about here. Honestly, it’s probably one of the best telephoto macro lenses out there and doubles its versatility as a portrait lens for most photographers.”
Picking the Right Tamron Prime Lens for You
- What mount is your camera body?
- What’s your budget?
- How will you use the product?
- What lighting situations are you in, and how will that affect what you’re doing? Our reviews hyperlinked in this article can help with that.
- Are you traveling a lot with it?
- Will you be using it in a situation that’s a bit rougher?
- Who else uses this product? How are they using it?
- What’s so appealing about this product that I can’t get from what I have already or something else?
- When will I really have time to use this product?
- Where will I bring this product?
- How will this product help bring me joy and joy in my photography?