Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 Review + Sony 16-55mm F2.8 G Comparison
In this video I check out the Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 APSC zoom lens on my A6100 and I compare it to the Sony 16-55mm F2.8 G.
You can buy the Tamron here: geni.us/ZdPBq8
A BRIEF Q&A:
(1) IS IT BETTER THAN THE SONY 16-55mm? In some ways, yes. It is just as sharp and offers image stabilization.
(2) IS IT BETTER THAN THE SONY 18-135mm? Yes.
(3) IS IT BETTER THAN THE SONY 18-105mm G? Yes.
(4) IS IT BETTER THAN THE ZEISS 16-70mm F4? Duh. The Zeiss is garbage.
(5) IS IT BETTER THAN THE SIGMA TRIO? For convenience, yes. But I personally wont be selling my Sigmas for this lens. F1.4 is amazing.
(6) SHOULD I BUY IT? If you want a great lens that covers 98% of what most people shoot, that is sharp, has excellent autofocus, built great, and has a nice warranty, YES.
(7) SHOULD I SELL MY __________ LENS TO BUY THIS LENS? Probably. this is one of the sharpest zoom lenses I've tested, and for $799, its a bit of a bargain.
-------------------
Gear That I Use & Recommend:
CAMERAS:
For Photo & Video
▸ Sony A6100 (My Favorite) - geni.us/MyFavorite
▸ Sony A6400 (Better) - geni.us/BetterAPSC
▸ Sony A6600 (Best) - geni.us/BestAPSC
▸ Sony A7C (Full Frame) - geni.us/FullFrameA7C
For Video
▸ Sony ZV-E10 (Good) - geni.us/ZVE-10
▸ Sony FX30 (My Favorite) - geni.us/BeastASPC
APS-C LENSES:
▸ Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 (My Favorite) - geni.us/BestZoom
▸ Sony 11mm F1.8 (Best Ultrawide) - geni.us/BestUltraWide
▸ Sigma 16mm F1.4 (Best Wide Angle) - geni.us/Popular
▸ Sigma 30mm F1.4 (Affordable Street Lens) - geni.us/Street
▸ Sigma 56mm F1.4 (Best Portrait Lens) - geni.us/Portrait
FULL FRAME LENSES:
▸ Sigma 20mm F2 (My Favorite) - geni.us/FFSigma20mm
▸ Rokinon AF 14mm F2.8 (Best Ultrawide) - geni.us/Rokinon
▸ Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 G2 (Best Do-Everything Lens) - geni.us/TamronV2
▸ Sigma 85mm F1.4 ART (AMAZING Portrait Lens) - geni.us/SHARP85
▸ Sony 50mm Macro (The Only Macro I Own) - geni.us/SonyMacro
AUDIO:
▸ Zoom F3 (Love this Recorder) - geni.us/zoomf
▸ Audio-Technica AT875R Mic (What I Use) - geni.us/at875rmic
▸ DJI Mic (Best On-The-Go) - geni.us/djimice
▸ Acoustimac Sound Panels (Must-have) - geni.us/soundpanels
LIGHTING:
▸ SmallRig RC220D (Great Value) - geni.us/rc220dlight
▸ SmallRig RC220B (My Key Light) - geni.us/rc220
▸ Sofirn SP33 V3 (Best Mini Flashlight) - geni.us/bestflashlight
NICE-TO-HAVE ACCESSORIES:
▸ Feiyu Scorp Pro (Big Gimbal) - geni.us/scorppro
▸ Zyihun Crane M2S (Travel Gimbal) - geni.us/cranem2s
▸ Atomos Ninja V (Recording Monitor) - geni.us/ninja5
▸ SanDisk SD Cards - geni.us/sandisksd
▸ Sony ECM-B10 (Camera Mic) - geni.us/ecmb10mic
Complete Gear List:
▸ kit.co/ArthurR
-------------------
Disclosure:
Most of the links above are affiliate links, which means at no extra cost to you, I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase. If you want to buy something else, you can also use this link to Amazon:
🛒 Amazon - geni.us/shoparound
-------------------
Supporting The Channel:
▸ If you wish to support the channel with a donation, you can donate via PayPal here: paypal.me/arthur213
▸ Buy me a coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/arthurr
▸ Follow me on Instagram: / arthur213
-------------------
Professional & Sponsorship Inquiries:
For professional and sponsorship inquiries, please email me at arthur2@live.com
Пікірлер: 722
I've already seen a lot of comparison with these two lens, but Arthur's review is THE review I've been waiting for.
@M0N-S00N
3 жыл бұрын
Me too
@jackjohn3694
3 жыл бұрын
Me too!
@markyoseph
3 жыл бұрын
me too, he is the reason I buy an a6400 👍🏻
@flymanhawaii
3 жыл бұрын
Same here. Wait for the lens on sale
@sukesh1805
3 жыл бұрын
same here
WTF KZread - Only 18.5k views!? This is the most comprehensive Sony APS-C channel reviewing the most significant new lens in ages !!
@RyanKirbyArt
Жыл бұрын
165k now…good things take time to build. This video was excellent though!
@danielkoskiluoto4499
2 ай бұрын
@@RyanKirbyArt 185k :/
Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your channel. Great to have someone producing quality content for Sony APSC users. Keep up the good work.
Waited for this review for so long because you're the only APS-C lens reviewer I truly trust. The other reviews raved about it so much it felt like they were biased/sponsored. Now I know for sure it's a really great lens!
@LeuyinTv
11 ай бұрын
Me too my friend this guy is very honest!
@haabc3268
7 ай бұрын
+1
I've been waiting for this review since the 17-70mm was announced and now I can't wait for it to come in the mail now! Thank you again Arthur for another awesome review!
Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 - my favorite APSC lens. For me, this is the best lens for the 6000 series without stabilization. Worth every cent.Thanks for the great review Arthur.
You’re right, Arthur. This IS the video I was waiting for. You’re doing great work my dude.
I sold my sigma 30mm & sigma 16mm primes and bought this one as a travel lens. I do not regret it at all, it is amazing. No more constant changing of lenses, VC is amazing on a6400 I can get usable shots up to ~1/4. Plus more range, just the ideal travel lens for me. Of course, Sigma 16mm & 30mm were razor sharp, this has good sharpness but not excellent like sigma primes(as expected tho). It is a bit front heavy and does not feel as agile as sigma 16/30 due to size, but the lens itself is a more practical carry than both sigma primes.
Good review as always! Definitely getting the lens. Thanks for buying the lens for the review and making it attractive.
I bought this lens one day after official release and I can tell, it is the best all-around lens I ever tried for my a6400.
I've recently taken up photography and I'm always excited to use my Sony a6400. I've been watching your videos for quite some time and because of them I have purchased the Sony a6400 as well as the Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 I also wanted to say that I appreciate all of your honest reviews.
Arthur, Thank you for your excellent review and trusted commentary.
Thanks for another fantastic review Arthur. I'm stunned that the Tamron is that good. Time to buy it!
Darn you, more of my money spent. Your reviews are always compelling and I appreciate the format. In my decades with Canon DLSR's I had a 17-55m f/2.8 IS USM and I loved it. With the A6300 I was waiting for something similar to come along that didn't break the bank. You and every other PRO reviewer on KZread have been praising this lens. Finally B&H's got some in stock so there goes the milk money for the kids. Keep up the reviews they are insightful, especially for those of us who are not PRO's but hungry to learn more about the art of photography.
Im a beginner for choosing new camera and lens. Watching this makes me feels like wow.. this is what I want one lens covers all! Thanks Arthur for the video! Regards from Malaysia!
You mentioned it in another video and I started researching it. I've been waiting for this review. I will be buying it.
Great comparison! Thank you for your opinion. I bought the Tamron lens and i am happy with it!
I love your comparison reviews...they really are better than anyone else's. This is one of the two comparisons I've been waiting for and it certainly didn't disappoint. Now, if you could compare the Sony 70-350 vs the Sigma 100-400 on the Sony crop bodies, I could die a happy man!...
Thanks Arthur, i’ve been waiting this review for a long time. I got the Tamron eventually , even though in my area I can get a pretty close price for both lens, I mainly shoot video, and it’s amazing.
Just purchased using your link- thanks for putting up consistently great content!
Thank you for the awesome review! It‘s now definitly on my wishlist, especially because of the VC. At the moment i own the Sigma 30mm and 56mm prime lenses and love them. Greetings from Germany!
So happy this video is finally here.
Bought this lens based in part on your review. I'm blown away by this lenses performance! I have severe tendinitis in my right wrist and I recently had to switch from my big DSLR blaster to the smaller Sony A6400. I'm still getting used to it and it's a challenge for sure. But the fact that I can now run with only two lenses (the Tamron 17-70 & Sigma 56mm) means the weight of my set up is now literally a third of what it was. Now if I can just get used to Sony Menus!
Nice lens, great to see that there are more lenses coming for Sony APS-C. But I prefer my 16-55G, the smaller size plus noticeably more wide angle is more important for me than the slightly longer range of the Tamron. Main use case for these kind of normal zoom (or travel zoom) lenses is when you are on the go or travelling. That means it should be small/ lightweight and it must have enough wide angle for landscape photos. 16mm vs. 17mm definitely makes a difference (9:06). Much more difference than 55mm vs. 70mm in my opinion.
Great review Arthur and one a lot of us were waiting for. My copy of this lens should be arriving soon 😊 The Sony does look a tad sharper in the corners when you punch in and it does have the extra switch and button, but the fact the Tamron is $500 - $600 cheaper, with that extra reach and vibration control makes it a great all round lens. I think I prefer the slightly warmer color tone from the Tamron too.
Been waiting for this review. I already own the 16-55mm F2.8, and Tamron will definitely be an addition to my collection.
Thanks for this. My 17-70 arrived yesterday. Its sooooo sharp. I dont need anything wider than 2.8 and hate swapping prime lenses. Anyway its not that big or heavy. I drink too much coffee so the stabilisation for mounting on 6400 is great. Well pleased.
I was waiting for this reveiw , thank you arthur🌺
Had mine a couple of days and it is definitely a winner. I look forward to your comparisons with the Sigma trio. As always a straightforward cut to the chase review that tells us what we need to know. The close focussing is impressive and should make for interesting shots.... thanks Arthur
Now this is what I've been waiting for.
I’ve been waiting to see this! I couldn’t wait for the video to order one from my local camera shop. I actually traded in my Sony 18-105 G as a deposit on this Tamron. I should be picking it up this weekend. I’m super excited after seeing this video!
I'm so happy I pre ordered this and sold my 18-105 ASAP! So far.... I love it.
Greetings from Italy Arthur! Another great review. I'm glad to see there is another valuable 2.8 zoom lens for A6x00 series (in addition to the very expensive 16-55 G). This is a must to have (as soon as I found the budget...)
Great review! I've watched a lot of reviews of this lens and yours was the best. * You compared the sharpness between the two lenses both at 50mm, most other reviews compared the 50mm sharpness of the Sony to the 70mm sharpness of the Tamron--not a fair comparison * You showed a comparison with no stabilization, just the lens stabilization, and the lens stabilization combined with IBIS--great to see all three in action in the same scene * You tested it on APS-C bodies, most other reviews were done with FF bodies in crop mode--much more accurate to review a lens on a camera it will actually be used on Thanks!
Looked far and wide for the Tamron 17-70 lens as it was highly touted and back ordered. Decided to buy online. Can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Thanks Arthur - Great job.
Finally! Thank you for this comparison video.
I watched many of your videos in the last several days for camera and lenses review as a beginner for my first camera. I went from Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 -> Tamron 28-200 F/2.8-5.6 -> Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 -> overwhelmed then finally found this Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8. I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on this lense as you recommended for my Sony ZV-E10. Thank you sir
This is no brainer, definitely the one to get for me to replace the kit lens.
Thanks for the review Arthur ! Just ordered my Tamron 17-70 for my ZV-E10. Can't wait to start playing with it !
@Outcasts3
2 ай бұрын
Hey i was looking for that comment, since i’m filming with a Zv-e10! How is it working for you? Would you recommend?
@michelhuyskens9790
2 ай бұрын
@@Outcasts3 Hi unfortunately the Tamron was out of stock at the retailer when I ordered it and never came back in stock. My order was ultimately cancelled. I ordered the lens at a very good price, maybe that's why, I have no clue. Sorry I am unable to help you here.
Thanks very much for your insights Arthur. Incredible comparison, your work is very professional. Both lenses are amazing but the price different probably will be definitive for enthusiast users. Cheers.
Very comprehensive review without being too "dry" with numbers and stats. Like Sigma with their "trio", Tamron really seem to have hit on something good with this single zoom lens. I have to say I'm interested in getting one of these! Very nice work Arthur R. :)
Thanks for a great review!
Mine should arrive in the mail today, I’m excited
This is an amazing review, and led me to get the Tamron for my a6500. Thank you for the great content!
Yay! Arthur got the best matched lens for the A6xxx series! A magic lens for my Sony!!!
Wishlisted! Thank you for the excellent review
very detailed and thorough comparison! thanks for your work (and your wife for allowing you to really zooming in lol)
Thank you so much for this! I made my buying decision towards the Tamron because of this video!
Thanks for this amazing review as always
Great review (as always)! I purchased to pair with my A6600.
Thank you for the review! 😁
Thanks for this excellent review. I was impressed by the 16-55G in the original review where you compared to the Sigmas. But I'm amazed now at this Tamron lens. Looks so good I am tempted to sell off my primes and buy this. But I do love my old sony 50/1.8.... it would be hard to let go of that one!
Definitely my next lens. I can see it staying on my a6400 about 90% of the time. As always, very nice review of the lens!
Sony has a lot of lenses in this general range, but all of them seem to have one (or more) issues. No OSS, or no weather sealing, or slow, or sketchy performance, or really high price. The 16-55 is probably the best lens, but no OSS and high price. I've tried all of them, and prefer this Tamron for all around performance. I might wish it were a little smaller but it's so good I can live with the size. (And more recently I bought the tiny Sigma 18-50, so I can have a really small set-up ; or if I want more reach, I have that too, both with great performance and f2.8!) Given the alternatives, I don't want to encourage Sony's pricing practices.
Thanks for the review! It's quite comprehensive!
I was surprised to find out that the Sony 16-55 2.8 doesn't have OSS, I thought that would have been inherent for the price tag! Insane performance from the Tamron, thank god I can get something as great as the 16-55 2.8 for so much cheaper.
I’m new to your channel but I love your honest review and practical explanation. I’m so new to the channel that I have been looking only old videos, and I just realized you both have a kid now. CONGRATULATIONS!!! P.s. I also live in Japan
Wow, that Tamron is incredible! Nice that it's not overly corrected. Impressive it's a decent size for the aperture & focal range. The photo of your wife where it slightly missed focus is beautiful.
I've bought this lens absolutely occasionally, and I like it very much!
I have to say, since I got the 17-70 it has been on my a6400 a lot more than my beloved Sigma 16 or 56mm. Not having to bother with switching lenses and still getting great quality shots with a stabilized lens is a huge deal. Really love it!
@YangShengBJ
Жыл бұрын
I have the same setup and reckoning with what to do with those Sigma 16 and 56 if I get Tamron. Do you still keep the Sigma lens and what do you use them for then, thanks
@andreagallo70
Жыл бұрын
did you notice any faster battery consumption when using the Tamron vs the Sony SELP 18-105 or other older lenses from Sony? or is it just my 17-70 that is possibly flawed?
@YangShengBJ
Жыл бұрын
@@andreagallo70 I didn't notice any significant battery drain
@andreagallo70
Жыл бұрын
@@YangShengBJ thanks, I think I have found something, it is a mix of the VC engine consuming much more than the OIS on the Sony 18-105 and a replacement battery that does not have the same capacity as the Sony original battery...
Thanks Arthur! Great review! I want to sold my Sony 18-105 f4!!! This Tamron is very, very interesting lens, and the price is a great thinks... Thank for all your "peacefully" reviews. God bless your family
Thanks for sharing! The Tamron is definitely one of the most interesting lenses right know. I can hardly wait to get one myself and review it.
@go_rideyourbike
2 жыл бұрын
Arthur great video! Keen on your channel since you are in nearby Austin. You sir from gadgets & tech, you can produce pleasing videos to watch and I would love to watch more a6400 content from your channel 🤙🏼
I kinda went nuts yesterday and bought the 17-70mm and the 70-300mm for my a6000. I'm new and trying to figure it out but I thought having good/decent lenses is the only way to know if I enjoy photography! Thanks for all your videos, they are a great help!!
@DIGITALMIND63
2 жыл бұрын
I have the Tamron 70-300 and thinking of getting the 17-70 like you. You're covering an effective focal range of 25mm to 450mm!
Ready, Set, Buy!
Great review. Practical, hands on useful information.
Finally. Thanks Arthur. I was waiting for your review of this lens for almost a month already. Ordered it for my birthday mid January and about to get it. So if you see fellow clueless Austinite trying to use it, please don't be mad
Lens shopping in here in Saigon is a bit tough, the lenses are always late to arrive. I did buy the Viltrox 23mm f1.4 after watching your review and couldn't be happier. This one will be in my bag as soon as I can budget for it. I think my KZread channel will benefit from having this lens, I can carry less stuff around. Good review as always!
I have been waiting for your take on this lens I was wondering when it was going to finally come lol. I preordred it as soon as I heard about it and have had it a few weeks, it is great to use and pairs perfectly with the Tamron 70-180 f2.8. I still have the 18-105 and pondering selling it but still love it as a gimbal lens and works with the RM-VPR1 remote to control the power zoom, so i have been holding onto it for now
I am really sorry there is no LOVE button under youtube videos. Amazing job Arthur, I am hardly waiting for this lens to receive my order!
Thank you for this review. Great information
Ordered immediately, it really is a complete package especially with the weather sealing. Matches my a6400 perfect for this pacific NW climate!
@matic2601
3 жыл бұрын
Going to pick mine up today even my wallet is screaming 🥸💁♂️😂
@xxx4651
3 жыл бұрын
@@matic2601 Hahah, I am going to do the same 🤣
Great review! Thank you!
Good Review. Also note the near macro capability of the Tamron lens .
Great review - been following you for some time and you always nail the queries I have. I am due to go to Turkey and now have the answer on what to take! I have the Sigma ‘three’ which are great but will buy the Tamron which will allow me to leave behind my much heavier Sigma’s. Hope you agree!
Such an anticipated video! Please compare it with the sigma 16mm. I am so very curious of how the f-stop of 1.4 would compare to the tamron!
This lens is now on my radar for a purchase, and if it is on sale even better. I am saving for the 16-55 F2.8 G, however this Tamron will do very nicely !
Great video as usual!
Thanks for the detailed image comparisons! Nice review...I think I´m gonna pick up the Sigma 56mm 1.4 because I just love the 85mm look and then this Tamron will arrive after....
@Reinh4444
3 жыл бұрын
Same here
Awesome review!
My favorite review.!! Will upgrade my Sony A6100 kit lens to this Tamoron.
@MarcosEatsTacos
2 жыл бұрын
*Update* I got the lens, and love it ever since.!!! My go to lens.!!!
Nice review as always. What an awesome lens for such a low price.
Bought it 2 weeks ago! Traded my 100-400 Gm for it plus the Sony 70-350 & Godox TT685ii and I am just loving It
awesome comparison! could you do a tamron 17-70 vs sigma trio 😍
The fact, that the two lenses result in different shutterpeeds at the same ISO and the same apertutre has to do with the Transmission values. Great Review. I think, I would go with the tamron, because of that extra range and the VC... Did you notice a difference how the camera corrects both of the lenses?
Great Video! Thank You Arthur!!!
Can't wait to get this! The range is even better then then 24-70, about a 25.5-105. Typically this range only has a constant f4.
Great review. I've been considering getting the Sony 16-55 but it seems like the Tamron is the way to go - thanks!
I'm getting the tamron 17-70mm f2.8 to add to my trio of aps-c zoom lenses... My other lenses in the trio are the Sony 70-350mm G oss and the Sony 10-18mm f4 oss. I'm using a Sony a6300 camera so now I do get image stabilization with all three lenses in the trio (in future I will upgrade to a Sony a6600) ✌☺
Finally! A perfect all around lens. Value for money I'd say.
your video review lens/camera .. always da BEST Bro !!! this is the kind of lens I been waiting for.. gonna break $$$ for this .. isk isk .. ty bro for the video
Throughout the portraits I was left with the impression that that Tamron was the ‘kinder’ lens. Not a scientific assessment but a valid opinion perhaps . I would be very happy with such results. Would also like to pas on my appreciation of your first class review - one really worth listening to .
Great informative video as always. Are you planning to review the Sony A7C anytime soon would like to hear your take on that. Thanks
Thank you for including pictures in your review. Keep up the good work! I already have the sigma 16, now I have to debate whether to keep it once I get the tamron.
@AndrewLovato
3 жыл бұрын
I received my Tamron on Thursday and did a comparison of the two lenses at night since I mostly shoot Astro. The Sigma has slightly better stars at 16/17 and 2.8. Stop down to f4 and they are really really close with the sigma slightly better. In the end I thought they were within 5% and so I sold the sigma. Got $300 for it. Ps... the day time shots are almost identical. I was just being critical of the Star shapes.
@victor.ivanov
3 жыл бұрын
IMO 1.4 vs 2.8 is a huge deal. I have 16-55 and it feels so dark compared to sigma 16/1.4. but if you control the lights and don't need that shallow DoF then not sure it is worth keeping the sigma
After this review, i couldnt resist anymore. I drove to the nearest camerashop and pulled the trigger. oy, this thing make my A6600 feel like a new camera! The sharpness is real, but not only that, the contrast and color matches my taste. Im used to using sigma trio, 18-105 F4. Furthermore i own the Sony 10-18 F4. I will think about selling off the 56 + 30mm sigmas, but before that i will put this thing to the test... I have been watching your Channel for a long time, enjoying the comparisons, you do a very stable job, and i use your channel like a kind of library. Its always possible to compare every available lens somehow, by browsing older stuff. Have a nice weekend. BR Jesper.
@rockchalkbach
3 жыл бұрын
So out of the Sigma trio you’re keeping the 16? I have the exact same lineup and am wondering which 2 I would replace with the Tamron
@Olympiakos_Editor8
Жыл бұрын
How is Tamron compared to Sony 18-105 ? Focus and sharpness ? Thanks a lot !
This is great! I was wondering what to replace the kit lens for my A6000 with. Thanks for your wisdom, Arthur.
On Sale Now for Mothers Day !!!! Just got mine !!! Thanks for the review !
@pretor706
Жыл бұрын
How much?
Good review. Based on your images, the sony looks quite a bit sharper to me at 2.8. The Tamron looked a tad sharper in the center at 4.0 but still a bit softer on the edges.
Been waiting for this!
You should compare this lens with a lot of other lenses (the kid lens 16-50, 18-135 and also 18-105) This lens is THE lens for all. You can earn easy clicks with this one lense.
@spdcrzy
2 жыл бұрын
The 16-50 kit lens is crap compared to this lol. No comparison.
@mabasports
2 жыл бұрын
@@spdcrzy of course it is. But the difference would be interesting.