Handling and Features
Performance
Verdict
Specification



Tamron are calling this new 16-300mm lens, for use with APS-C and DX format SLRs a 'Mega-zoom', due to its huge 18.8x zoom range. As well as offering angles of view equivalent to a 24.8-465mm lens used on a 35mm camera, this lens sports Vibration Compensation, a silent Piezo Drive focusing motor and splash proof construction, all for around £530. There must be a catch? Right? In this review we'll take a look and see how it performs.

One image can change us.

A picture, a moment can change the way we feel. Change how we see ourselves. Change our understanding and change the rules. Provoke and change history.

MPB puts photo and video kit into more hands, more sustainably. Every month, visual storytellers sell more than 20,000 cameras and lenses to MPB. Choose used and get affordable access to kit that doesn’t cost the earth. Sell the kit you’re not using to MPB. Trade in for the kit you need to create. Buy used, spend less and get more. Buy. Sell. Trade. Create.

Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro Handling and Features

The absolutely huge zoom range offered by this lens, hasn't compromised the size, with it having similar dimension to many 4x or 5x zooms lenses and it weighs only 540g. The low weight and compact size make this lens an ideal candidate as a walkabout lens for those times you may wish to travel light. It feels right at home on the Nikon D7100 body used for testing, and will make a good companion for smaller, more compact DSLR camera bodies as well. High quality plastics with a matte finish have been used for much of the construction of the lens barrel, and it feels reasonably robust as a result. A rubber gasket, located around the metal lens bayonet, will help to prevent the ingress of dust and moisture into the camera body.

A Piezo Drive motor powers autofocus and speeds are fairly quick, especially for a super-zoom lens. Manual adjustments can be applied at any time via the narrow focusing ring near the base of the lens. Manual focusing action is smooth and well damped, which makes fine adjustments a pleasure to apply. The zoom action is smooth and it doesn't snag or tighten at any point in the zoom range. Just enough resistance has been applied to prevent the zoom creeping forward when it is pointed down, even so, a switch to lock the lens at 16mm is provided, to prevent the lens from extending accidentally when it's removed from a case or bag.



Closest focus distance is 39cm, which is very close for a lens that covers up to 300mm and focusing is performed internally. The 67mm filter thread does not rotate, which should make this lens ideal for use with graduated filters and polarisers. A petal shaped hood is supplied with the lens, which attaches to the front via a bayonet fitting.

Tamron's Vibration Compensation system promises to allow hand-held shooting at shutter slower than the usual rule of thumb for sharp hand-held photos would allow. The system settles down quickly, providing a steady viewfinder image, although it is best to leave a short pause after focusing to ensure the system is properly settled. With care, sharp handheld shots were possible at shutter speeds as low as 1/15sec around half the time at 300mm, which is roughly five stops slower than the usual rule of thumb they recommend.

Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro Performance

At 16mm and maximum aperture, the sharpness delivered by this lens in the centre of the frame is already outstanding, and clarity towards the edges of the frame is fairly good. Stopping down improves performance across the frame, with peak sharpness being achieved at f/8. Here clarity is outstanding in the centre, and excellent towards the edges of the frame.

Zooming to 70mm, results in a drop in sharpness to very good levels in the centre of the frame at maximum aperture, but clarity towards the edges of the frame is improved, reaching good levels. As is the case at 16mm, f/8 provides the best performance across the frame; with excellent sharpens in the centre and very good clarity towards the edges.

Finally at 300mm, overall performance is reduced a little, but the lens still holds up very well, especially when the huge zoom range is taken into consideration. At f/6.3, sharpness approaches very good levels in the centre of the frame and is fairly good towards the edges. The performance towards the edges of the frame doesn't improve by much with stopping down, but sharpness does reach excellent levels in the centre between f/8 and f/11.

MTF@16mm

MTF@70mm

MTF@300mm

How to read our charts The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges. Averaging them out gives the red weighted column. The scale on the left side is an indication of actual image resolution. The taller the column, the better the lens performance. Simple. For this review, the lens was tested on a Nikon D7100 using Imatest.

Levels of chromatic aberrations are an issue for this lens towards the edges of the frame, especially at 300mm. Here it exceeds two pixel widths, which is a level that may be clearly visible along high contrast areas towards the edges of the frame.

CA@16mm

CA@70mm

CA@300mm

How to read our charts Chromatic aberration is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software. Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more. For this review, the lens was tested on a Nikon D7100 using Imatest.

Falloff of illumination towards the corners of the frame is well controlled for a lens of this type. At 16mm the corners are 1.62 stops darker than the image centre and at 300mm the corners are 1.27 stops darker. Visually uniform illumination is achieved with the lens stopped down to f/8 or beyond throughout the zoom range.

As is often the case with super zoom lenses, distortion is at both ends of the range, although it isn't too intrusive with this lens. At 16mm 5.4% barrel distortion is present, which is a reasonably high level and at 300mm 0.87% pincushion distortion is present, which is much less noticeable. The distortion pattern is uniform across the frame, so any distortion should be relatively easy to correct in image editing software afterwards if required.

A petal-shaped hood is supplied with the lens, which does a decent job of shielding the front element from extraneous light that may cause flare or loss on contrast. At 300mm, shooting into the light does result in a slight loss of contrast, but otherwise, this lens is fairly resistant to flare.

Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD MACRO Sample Photos

Value For Money

This 16-300mm lens costs around £530, which is very reasonable for a newly released lens, especially as the 18.8x zoom range is currently unique.

Canon's closest offering is their EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, which costs around £370. However, this lens sacrifices 2mm from the wide and a whopping 100mm from the telephoto end, compared to this Tamron optic.

Nikon's closest equivalent is their newly released AF-S DX 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens, which costs around £615 and sacrifices 2mm for the wide end of the range compared to this Tamron.

Sony's closest equivalent is their 18-250mm DT AF lens, which costs around £430, but sacrifices silent focusing with full time manual override, 2mm from the wide end of the zoom range, and 50mm for the telephoto end.

Finally, Sigma's closest equivalent is their 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM lens, which costs around £300. Although this lens has silent focusing motor, it doesn't allow manual overrides at any time. Also, like the Sony lens, it sacrifices 4mm from the wide end of the zoom range and 50mm from the telephoto end.

Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro Verdict

Not only have Tamron delivered a lens that offers a uniquely huge zoom range, but they've managed to make one that performs well, is well specified, and is good value too.

Although those who will only really be sated by the absolute sharpest of lenses may not be overly excited by this lens, those who value convenience will find this lens is more than adequate for general photography. The compact size, light weight and splash proof construction make this lens an ideal travel companion, and the lens' ability to focus down to 39cm makes frame-filling close-ups possible.

Overall, this is a very versatile lens, which should win over many fans.

	The Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6/3 offers a uniquely huge 18.8x zoom range, performs well, delivers good value for money and has impressive close up focus performance making this an ideal travel zoom lens.

Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro Pros

Very good sharpness in the centre
Extreme 18.8x zoom range
Effective VC system
Good build and splash proof construction
Compact and lightweight
Focuses very close for a lens that covers 300mm

Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro Cons

CA levels towards edges of the frame are high at 300mm
Performance towards the edges of the frame falls behind at 18mm and 300mm

FEATURES
HANDLING
PERFORMANCE
VALUE FOR MONEY
VERDICT

Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD MACRO Specifications

View Full Product Details