Landscapes with the TAMRON 17-70mm F/2.8 DI III-A VC RXD

Images and text by Luke Stackpoole

My name is Luke Stackpoole, and I’m a professional lifestyle and adventure photographer. I love taking landscapes above all else and having an opportunity to show off shots from around the globe – I believe that a landscape can truly tell a story, and evoke emotions in a viewer unlike any other type of photography.

That’s why I was so excited to be contacted by Tamron to try out the Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 DI III-A VC RXD (Model B070) zoom lens for Sony E and Fujifilm X APS-C mirrorless cameras.

Mountain reflected in a lake

What Is the Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 DI III-A VC RXD (Tamron Model B070)?

The Tamron 17-70mm is a high-speed standard zoom mirrorless lens for Sony E and Fujifilm X APS-C mirrorless cameras. This is great news for me since I often shoot with crop sensor mirrorless cameras. I find that they are extremely portable and easy to take with me on my adventures, and provide me with more flexibility when taking landscape shots and other photos.

That means I’m always looking for gear that’s compact and lightweight but does not compromise on quality. With this in mind, I planned to visit the Dolomites in the autumn and put the Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 mirrorless lens to the test.

My Initial Impressions of The Tamron 17-70mm (Model B070) – A Joy To Use (And Pack)

Once I had the Tamron 17-70mm lens in hand, the first thing I noticed was the solid, professional-feeling design of the Sony E-mount lens. Just like most of the Tamron lenses I’ve tried out over the years, it felt weighty, durable, and built to last.

The build quality was top-notch while remaining lightweight in my hand while I used this lens with my Sony a6400 compact mirrorless camera. The zoom ring was smooth and accurate, allowing me to both make minor adjustments and quickly re-adjust to much different zoom distances with no issues at all.

This lens also made it easy for me to pack light for my trip into the Dolomites. It was compact and small along with my camera, and its varied focal length of 17-70mm meant that I could pack a single lens – rather than multiple lenses to cover my typical shooting range of about 25.5-105mm with full frame cameras.

The Tamron 17-70mm Boasts Great Photo Quality & Shooting Convenience

From wide angle shots of the Tre Cime peaks, to tightly cropping a tiny cabin in the plains of the Alpe Di Siusi, I had the freedom to focus on any subject matter I wanted – without swapping the lens once!

I felt like I always had the right lens for the situation – and that’s a very important thing for me, as I typically shoot handheld and don’t like to be weighed down with a tripod. The versatility of the lens makes it ideal for my shooting style since I usually shoot with just a prime lens or a zoom lens with a F2.8 aperture.

I was also happy to find out that the lens was perfect for low light shooting, such as sunrise and sunset shots. I could keep the ISO low at just about 100, and the built-in vibration compensation (VC) and large aperture combined to ensure the lens could focus quickly – resulting in tripod-level quality without the use of any kind of tripod or stand.

I’m extremely happy with the performance of the Tamron 17-70mm lens. The build is rugged, features like bokeh and vibration compensation are excellent, and the overall quality of my shots had the professional level of detail that I would expect from any top-quality lens.

I think just about any travel photographer will be thrilled with this lens, particularly those who shoot with mirrorless cameras. It’s so compact yet provides professional-quality results that are sure to please. Tamron has, yet again, shown why it’s a leading camera lens manufacturer for enthusiasts and pros alike.

So find one of our authorized Tamron dealers in your area or visit the TAMRON Store today.

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