Tamron Blog: 1 Subject, 3 Different Shot Styles

We can have the zoom vs prime argument all day but when you want to travel light and still have the option to shoot wide landscapes as well as get close to detail, you're going to reach for a zoom lens. 

We've said it before, we know, but the Tamron 16-300mm is a rather good companion for your travels because it offers a slightly longer reach and having multiple focal lengths built into one lens will just make your life a little easier when out for the day. Sharpness is also good at all focal lengths, a factor which is always critically important. The built-in vibration compensation also means you don't have to worry about carrying a tripod around either which is always a bonus. 

Take the below shots as an example. The first one shows the wider landscape which is great for giving a photograph a sense of location. Plus, there's detail right through the image from front to back so there's plenty for the eye to look at. The second shot was taken from the exact same spot but this time, we zoomed to around 230mm to really focus on the old architecture and as a result, we captured a second image of the same location but it has a totally different feel and look to it. There wasn't a quick way to walk around the water either so the zoom saved us a bit of a treck! 

Yes, you could have used two prime lenses to get the shots but by pressing the shutter button to capture the landscape then simply turning the lens barrel to the longer focal length was just so much easier. Plus, if you were in a situation were something popped into the frame that you needed a longer focal length for when you were shooting with a wider focal length, a zoom allows you to switch distances rapidly so you don't miss your shot.