Macro photography opens up a world of detail, from intricate textures to tiny subjects that escape the naked eye. The Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Macro aims to provide stunning image quality for those close-up shots while remaining affordable compared to other options on the market.
Coming to you from Christopher Frost, this detailed video explores the features and performance of the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Macro lens for Nikon Z and Sony E mount cameras. With a slightly wider 90mm focal length, it delivers well for portraits as well as macro photography. While it lacks image stabilization, Frost notes that the lens is lightweight and well-balanced, making it easier to manage handheld macro work.
The lens boasts impressive build quality for its price point, featuring a weather-sealed metal mount, a large rubberized focus ring, and a USB-C port for firmware updates. The autofocus is silent, accurate, and reliable for most uses, though it’s not necessarily designed for fast-action scenarios. On the downside, the plastic construction feels slightly lightweight, but it doesn’t compromise durability. Key features like a focus limiter switch and an autofocus hold button add to the lens’ practicality, especially for precision macro work.
Key Specs
- Focal Length: 90mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8
- Lens Mount: Nikon Z or Sony E
- Format Coverage: Full-Frame
- Minimum Focus Distance: 9.1" (23.1 cm)
- Maximum Magnification: 1x (1:1 macro ratio)
- Optical Design: 15 elements in 12 groups
- Diaphragm Blades: 12
- Filter Size: 67 mm
- Dimensions: 3.1 x 5" (79.2 x 126.5 mm)
- Weight: 1.4 lb (0.6 kg)
The image quality of this lens stands out. On a full frame Sony a7R III, it delivers perfect sharpness and contrast in the center of the frame at f/2.8. Corner sharpness is slightly softer wide open but improves significantly by stopping down to f/4 or f/5.6. At f/11 and smaller apertures, diffraction starts to affect image sharpness, but this is expected for macro lenses. Close-up image quality is equally impressive, with excellent sharpness and contrast from f/4 to f/8.
Frost also examines distortion and vignetting. The lens exhibits minimal barrel distortion, and vignetting is noticeable at f/2.8 but reduces significantly when stopped down. Chromatic aberration and flaring are well-controlled, while the bokeh is smooth and free of distracting artifacts. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Frost.
