If there's one area of photography that has stagnated with regards to improved tech, it's lenses. That isn't to say they haven't improved, but by nowhere near the rate at which cameras have. Perhaps that's about to change.
We have seen important additions to lenses in the forms of autofocus and Image Stabilization, for example. However, great glass from 50 years ago, if kept properly, is still good today. The technology in and around lenses hasn't needed to improve by any great degree as the camera does the heavy lifting, but there are opportunities for added functionality to be baked into lens hardware; it seems Tamron are taking their first steps towards it.
I will be brutally honest: I first bought a Tamron lens zoom lens because I couldn't afford the Canon L version. It was in the 24-70 range and the Tamron was less than half the price at the time if I recall. It ended up being such a great lens that when I could afford to upgrade to the Canon, I didn't. In fact, when I moved to Sony cameras, I sold my Tamron and bought... another Tamron: the 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD.
Now, Tamron's newest version of that lens, as well as their headline-grabbing 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, have a USB-C port on the barrel with software that will allow customization of the lens and several new features.
Umm … where’s the rest of the article? Great intro but .. “Tamron’s new lenses have a USB-C port on the barrel with software that will allow customization of the lens and several new features...” without telling us what if anything those new features are, or even could be .. is like reading my high school essays. Not good.
My high school essay just said "watch the video". And I got an F!!
Watch the video.
I second what Joel Hazel said: where's the rest of the article. Someone slipped up, somewhere.
In agree whith the others, it's no article at all.
In also agree whith the author, Tamron lenses are great.
But no, I do not have the idea that the development of lenses is behind on that of camera's. Optic rules can not be broken....
You're confusing the cheap seats Robert. Need to intro the video for the rest of the story.
Huh?
There's been big improvements in coatings and in design due CAD.
The CA on many lenses of yesteryear was shocking.
Ironically CA and distortion on modern lenses can also be poor as the manufacturer knows they'll be fixed in-camera.
Can't wait to have in-lens RGB LEDs to do weird special effects ^^'