Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Key Features

Tamron have announced a new generation of their popular 150-600mm lens. The original was announced in 2013, with the new addition being unveiled in September 2016. 

ePHOTOzine was lucky enough to get hands-on with the new lens at Photokina 2016, and here we'll round up some of the key features of the lens:

Enhanced Optics

The new 150-600mm G2 has 3 LD (Low Dispersion) lens elements which completely eliminate axial and transverse chromatic aberrations. There is also an upgraded optical construction of 21 elements in 13 groups. 

The lens also features anti-reflection technologies eBAND (Extended Bandwidth and Angular-Dependency) Coating and BBAR (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection) Coating. Both of these improve light transmission and suppress internal reflections. So, even when taking a backlit photograph ghosting and flare will be eliminated. 

The minimum object distance has also been reduced with this new version of the lens, allowing you to shoot things as close as 2.2m to the lens. 

Improved VC (Vibration Compensation

This feature now allows you to achieve sharp images roughly 4.5 stops slower hand-held than with a lens without VC. There are 3 VC modes on the 150-600mm GF lens:

• VC Mode 1 - This standard mode gives a good balance between the stability of the viewfinder image and the stabilisation effects. 
• VC Mode 2 - This mode is for panning.
• VC Mode 3 - This mode stabilises the captured image without stabilising the viewfinder image.

Sharp And Accurate Autofocus

The 150-600mm G2 has an Ultrasonic Silent Drive (USD) that is excellent both in responsiveness and control. AF speed has been improved significantly from the current model, enabling accurate high-speed focus even when capturing moving subjects.

Protective Lens Coatings 

The front lens element has a fluorine coating which protects it by making it water, dust and oil repellant. You can easily wipe clean the front of the lens. 

Flex Zoom Lock

This easy to use mechanism lets you lock the zoom quickly at any position by sliding the zoom ring. This is great for preventing travel when shooting at different angles.