I Bought My Dream Wedding Photography Lens

For several years, I traveled to weddings or other events with multiple lenses in my bag, much to the detriment of my back! No longer is this the case, as I finally purchased a lens that was top of my wish list, and the results have been amazing! Can you guess what it is yet?

I am sure many of you can probably take a solid guess on what lens this is, and if you guessed the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8, you would be correct. 

We are fast approaching two years since this lens was first announced, so I am late to the game on this amazing option, but ever since it was first launched, it has sat at the very top of my wish list. I lost count of the number of reviews I read or watched, and also the bouncing back and forth deciding between this model and its competitor, the Samyang 35-150mm f/2-2.8. 

In the end, instead of the cheaper Samyang offering, I opted for the Tamron, and I do not regret it one bit. I have not used the Samyang, so I cannot compare the two lenses, but as I have used more of Tamron's products in the past, I decided this would be better suited for me.

Versatile

The first thing that comes into my mind when thinking about the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 lens is the incredible versatility it has, especially when taking the fast apertures into consideration. Whether you want to shoot wide at 35mm or telephoto at 150mm, the options are there, and it performs very well throughout the focal range. 

The benefits of the versatility during a wedding are second to none. During the ceremony, I can position myself almost anywhere within the room and capture a wide variety of images from many angles. This makes my life so much easier, especially when previously I could be switching between 3 different lenses throughout the day.

Of course, you could have two camera bodies with a different lens on each, but that is extra weight and can be a hassle.

Having this lens in my camera bag minimizes the requirement to have multiple lenses such as primes. Of course, with primes you may get even sharper quality or brighter apertures below f/2.0 which of course is nice to have, but this lens is no slouch wherever you take it.

Weight

Despite all of the pros this lens has, the most common complaint and one of the only complaints I see is regarding the weight. This lens weighs in at 2.6 lb / 1,165 g, so it is no feather, but for me, I actually like the weight.

The Tamron sits nicely on my Sony a7 IV body, and the weight of the lens is comfortable for me to hold. To be fair, I am a big fella and I head to the gym 3-4 times a week for weight training, so that might give me an advantage over some other users. However, I am sure for many of you, the weight of this lens is not a deal breaker.

The lens is very well built, especially when compared to the lighter lens offerings from Tamron such as the 28-75mm and 70-180mm (these are well built as well, but the 35-150mm is a tank!).

Yes, this lens is heavy, but the great performance does all the heavy lifting here.

Performance

For the focal range and wide aperture this lens offers, the performance across the range is absolutely fantastic. As you continue to zoom up towards the 150mm range, the bokeh and sharpness continue to impress me. I saw some reviews early on mentioning that the focus speed was slow, however I experienced no such issues with the autofocus performance.

Using back button focus, I reliably always found my subject and quickly, even when shooting from afar against the backlit bride and groom.

With 35mm at the f/2.0 range, and then building up to f/2.8 within the focal range, you can easily replace a 35mm f/1.8 prime and one or two longer f/2.8 lenses. The barrel of the lens does extend when zooming, so do be wary if using the lens on a tripod, gimbal, etc., however, it does not extend that far where it became an issue for me.

The lens does suffer from some vignetting across the focal range, however, it is easily fixed in post-processing, and to be honest, I quite like the vignette in a few of the images.

The lens does feature some custom buttons, a lock switch where you can lock the extension of the lens at 35mm, AF/MF switch, and a custom switch. Most of these functions are commonplace now on lenses for mirrorless cameras and are always handy to have when the need arises.

Summary

The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 has to be one of my favorite lenses of all time, and I have bought and sold quite a few over the years. Up until last year, I had the Tamron trilogy of the 17-28mm, 28-75mm, and the 70-180mm lenses, and I was very happy with them all, but the 35-150mm feels like a massive step up compared to carrying those 3 lenses.

With having this one lens, I am missing some range on the wider and more telephoto end of the Tamron trilogy, and it has not been a big problem. I will eventually be looking to get something within the 16-35mm range again just to cover larger group shots, etc., but until that point, the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 is very capable and I can just stand a little further back!

What I Liked

• Versatility: The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 lens offers incredible versatility, allowing me to shoot wide at 35mm or telephoto at 150mm with ease. This flexibility is especially beneficial during events like weddings, where I can capture a wide variety of images from many angles without constantly switching lenses.

• Build Quality: The lens is very well built, feeling sturdy and durable. Compared to other Tamron lenses like the 28-75mm and 70-180mm, the 35-150mm stands out as exceptionally robust.

• Performance: The lens performs fantastically across the focal range. The bokeh and sharpness remain impressive, even towards the 150mm range. Despite some reviews mentioning slow focus speed, I experienced no issues with autofocus, reliably and quickly finding my subject.

• Aperture Range: With an aperture range from f/2.0 at 35mm to f/2.8 at 150mm, this lens can replace multiple prime lenses. The wide aperture allows for great depth of field control and low-light performance.

• Comfort: Despite its weight, the lens balances well on my Sony a7 IV body.

What I Didn't Like 

• Weight: The lens is quite heavy at 2.6 lb / 1,165 g. While I personally don't mind the weight, it could be a significant drawback for other photographers, especially those who prefer lighter gear.

• Vignetting: The lens does suffer from some vignetting across the focal range. Although this is easily fixed in post-processing, it's something to be aware of, especially if you prefer minimal editing.

• Lens Extension: The barrel of the lens extends when zooming, which could be an issue when using the lens on a tripod, gimbal, or other stabilizing equipment. While it didn't cause me problems, it's worth noting for those who frequently use such gear.

The only question I really ask myself is why on earth did I not buy this lens sooner?! I do know why, I was skint (British slang for no money!). However, if I was able to buy it sooner, I absolutely would have. With the lens retailing around $1,800, it is not cheap, but you do get the quality you pay for, and if it lightens the load in your backpack by removing some other lenses, then I am all for it.