The Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD is an intriguing lens, especially if you want a versatile zoom that doesn’t break the bank. For portrait sessions, landscapes, and a bit of everything in between, it’s worth a look.
Coming to you from Julia Trotti, this detailed video walks through how the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD performs when paired with the Nikon Z8. The lens, built for both Sony E mount and now Nikon Z mount, is impressive for its price point. Trotti breaks down the build, noting the 1.18 kg weight and customizable buttons, and highlights its external zoom and weather-sealing—important if you shoot in varying conditions.
Trotti’s testing showcases a range of focal lengths and demonstrates how versatile this lens can be. One of the standout features is the sharpness, even at the far end of 400mm. The focus was generally on point, although there were occasional moments of back focus, with the lens locking onto the shoulders instead of the face. Still, Trotti mentions the autofocus generally performed well, especially with Nikon’s Z8 doing most of the heavy lifting.
The comparison between the Tamron 50-400mm and its sibling, the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3, adds a helpful layer to this review. While both lenses have similar apertures and autofocus abilities, Trotti emphasizes that the 50-400mm’s wider focal range offers more versatility. You get a bit more flexibility when framing your shots, especially if you’re looking to capture wider scenes without sacrificing the ability to zoom in tight. The weight difference is notable, with the 50-400mm being heavier, but Trotti points out that it comes with vibration compensation, an essential feature when shooting handheld at long focal lengths.
During her shoot, Trotti also touches on the bokeh quality and chromatic aberration. While the lens can produce creamy backgrounds, she notices some “onion ring” patterns in the bokeh, which can be distracting in certain shots. Chromatic aberration, particularly in high-contrast lighting situations, is present but manageable in post-processing. For portrait lovers, Trotti recommends keeping your distance from the background to ensure the best separation between subject and background.
Trotti rounds out her review with a look at the lens’ autofocus performance in video mode. Here, she notes that the autofocus is snappy and tracks moving subjects well, even when her model moves in and out of the frame. While the autofocus stumbles slightly at close distances, it quickly recovers, making it a solid option for both stills and video work. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Trotti.
Of course it is not, to answer the title question. For that it is not wide enough. But it has great focal lengths the same, and could be the only lens you need to carry on an outting, good light even etc. It is brilliant range and as always, Tamron is coming up with brilliant focal range lens.
50mm on the short end adds so much versatility tbh, when shooting landscapes or action it can save one a lot of lens swaps since it's not necessary to switch just to shoot something close.