In celebration of 45 years since the introduction of its first 90mm macro lens, Tamron announced that it will be bringing a mirrorless version to Nikon Z and Sony E-mount called the 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD (Model F072) in October. While it has been known mostly for its zoom lenses over the last several years, Tamron’s history in primes dates back decades. Its 90mm macro lenses specifically were first introduced in 1979 with the SP 90mm F/2.5 (Model 52B) as an academic optic that eventually grew to become popular for a wide range of uses, including portraiture. “Affectionately nicknamed ‘Tamukyu,’ a portmanteau of two Japanese words, it garnered high praise from close-up aficionados, nature photographers, and portrait enthusiasts alike,” the company says. “Tamron continued to innovate in response to evolving photographic needs, releasing subsequent models such as the SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 (Model 272E) and SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD (Model F004). In 2016, TAMRON launched the SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD (Model F017), an evolution of the Model F004. The digital-compatible coating technology, combined with its soft, natural bokeh and sharp rendering, continues to be favored by many photographers today.” Now, 45 years after the original was released, Tamron announced a mirrorless version of the optic that it says combines the expected performance of the lenses that came before it with cutting-edge technology.
Tamron says the 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD is constructed from 15 elements arranged into 12 groups, including four special glass LD (Low Dispersion) lens elements that suppress the tendency of light ray divergence and correct both spherical and chromatic aberration. It also employs a BBAR-G2 (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection Generation 2) coating which the company says minimizes ghosting and flare. It also has a 67mm front filter size which is the same as most other Tamron lenses made for mirrorless cameras. It measures five inches long and weighs 22.2 ounces (630 grams). The lens also has a new structural lens hood with a sliding window that is meant to allow for easy filter operation; variable ND filters, for example, usually require the hood to be removed to operate them, but this window allows it to be operated with the hood attached. As a macro lens, the 90mm f/2.8 features a 1:1 maximum magnification ratio, a minimum object distance of 9.1 inches (0.23 meters), and promises highly-corrected optics to produce a superior flat-field resolution that it says is ideal (and necessary) for documents, currency, artwork, and product packaging. “This quality is especially important when shooting close-up images where depth of field is too shallow to neutralize the loss of sharpness that could otherwise occur at the extreme edges of a flat subject,” Tamron says. “Because it’s highly corrected, this lens provides edge-to-edge sharpness, uniform illumination across the frame, and minimal distortion.” The lens has an aperture range of f/2.8 through f/16 via Tamron’s first 12-bladed circular specialized diaphragm which it says creates perfectly circular specular highlights when wide open while also suppressing vignetting in the corners. Altogether, Tamron says the new optic offers “unparalleled resolution performance from the center to the edges, and delivers soft, blurred bokeh.”
The Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD (Model F072) will be available for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras on October 24, 2024 at $699. Image credits: Tamron
