Best Tamron Lenses for Sony E-Mount

A Guide for Photographers and Videographers

• Tamron lenses for Sony E-mount offer versatile, lightweight options ideal for a range of photography styles, from portraits to videography.
• The Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 DI III VXD G2 provides fast autofocus and excellent low-light performance, making it perfect for general photography and video.
• For portraiture and sports photography, the Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 DI III VXD G2 delivers sharp images with beautiful background bokeh.
• The Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 DI III RXD is a great choice for landscape and street photographers, thanks to its ultra-wide angle and compact design.
• APS-C shooters and videographers can benefit from the Tamron 11-20mm F/2.8 DI III-A RXD, which offers flexible wide-angle coverage and smooth focusing for vlogging and content creation.

Sony E-mount cameras have gained immense popularity for their versatility, compact design, and exceptional performance. Whether you’re using a full-frame or APS-C camera, pairing it with the right lens is crucial to unlocking its full potential. Tamron offers a range of high-quality, lightweight, and feature-packed lenses that are ideal for different photography styles. This guide will explore some of the best E-mount lenses for Sony cameras.

Why Choose Tamron Lenses for Sony E-mount?

Tamron lenses are known for being incredibly compact and lightweight, yet they deliver excellent optical performance. Many of these lenses are designed with videographers and photographers in mind, offering features like weather-sealing, fast and accurate autofocus, and specialized glass elements for clear, sharp images.

Here are the top Tamron lenses for Sony E-mount:

1. Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 DI III VXD G2

Best for: General Photography and Videography

The Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 DI III VXD G2 is a versatile lens perfect for photographers who want one lens to cover a broad range of shooting scenarios. With its constant f/2.8 aperture, it performs excellently in low-light conditions, making it ideal for everything from indoor portraits to evening street photography.

One standout feature of this lens is its VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) motor, which provides incredibly fast and precise autofocus. This is particularly helpful for videographers who need smooth and quiet focusing. The G2 version has also been optimized for better resolution and overall image sharpness compared to its predecessor, making it a fantastic option for high-resolution Sony E-mount cameras.

This lens is perfect for general photography, events, and video work, and it excels at balancing performance with portability.

2. Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 DI III VXD G2

Best for: Portraiture and Sports Photography

For photographers looking to dive into portraiture or sports photography, the Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 DI III VXD G2 is an excellent telephoto zoom lens. Weighing just over 1.8 pounds, it’s one of the lightest in its class, making it perfect for extended shoots or travel.

Like the 28-75mm, this lens features Tamron’s VXD autofocus system, ensuring quick, silent focusing that is particularly useful when shooting fast-moving subjects in sports or wildlife photography. Despite its longer focal length, it maintains a constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range, offering beautiful subject isolation and creamy bokeh—ideal for portrait photography.

This lens is especially suited for portrait and sports photographers who need reach, speed, and image quality in a lightweight package.

3. Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 DI III RXD

Best for: Landscape and Street Photography

The Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 DI III RXD is an ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, making it perfect for landscape, architectural photography, and astrophotography. The wide field of view allows you to capture vast scenes with incredible clarity and detail, while the fast f/2.8 aperture helps in low-light situations like early mornings or twilight shoots.

This lens is equipped with an RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) autofocus motor, which ensures quick and near-silent focusing—especially handy for videographers and street photographers aiming to shoot discreetly. Despite its wide-angle capabilities, the lens is remarkably compact and lightweight, weighing just 14.8 ounces, making it a go-to lens for photographers on the move.

If you enjoy capturing sweeping landscapes or the hustle and bustle of street life, this lens should be in your kit. It’s also among the best lenses for Sony E-mount full-frame users who need wide-angle versatility.

4. Tamron 11-20mm F/2.8 DI III-A RXD

Best for: APS-C Cameras and Vlogging

For those using Sony APS-C mirrorless cameras, the Tamron 11-20mm F/2.8 DI III-A RXD offers ultra-wide coverage with a fast f/2.8 aperture, making it a perfect choice for both stills and video. Its compact size makes it especially attractive for vloggers and content creators who need a high-quality lens that won’t weigh them down.

This lens also utilizes the RXD motor, providing smooth and silent autofocus—a crucial feature for anyone recording video. Whether you’re shooting expansive landscapes or filming yourself in tight indoor spaces, the wide angle and bright aperture make this lens a versatile tool for APS-C shooters.

It’s a top contender for the best Sony E-mount lenses for video on APS-C bodies, thanks to its light weight and versatile focal range.

If you’re a content creator or vlogger looking for the best portrait lenses for Sony E-mount APS-C bodies, this lens checks all the boxes.

5. Tamron 150-500mm F/5-6.7 DI III VC VXD

Best for: Wildlife and Sports Photography

The Tamron 150-500mm F/5-6.7 DI III VC VXD is a super-telephoto lens designed for wildlife and sports. Its impressive 500mm reach allows you to capture distant subjects in stunning detail. It features VXD motor technology, ensuring fast and precise autofocus even at extreme distances. The built-in VC (Vibration Compensation) system helps minimize camera shake, which is especially important when shooting at long focal lengths without a tripod.

Despite its long zoom range, the lens remains relatively compact and lightweight for a super-telephoto, making it a practical choice for outdoor photography adventures.

If you’re passionate about wildlife or need reach for sports photography, this lens is a fantastic option for the best lenses for Sony E-mount full-frame bodies.

Capture Your Passion With Tamron

Tamron offers a range of exceptional lenses for Sony E-mount users, from wide-angle lenses for landscapes and street photography to telephoto zooms for sports and wildlife. Each lens brings something unique to the table, whether it’s compact size, fast autofocus, or specialized features like VXD and RXD motors. Depending on your specific needs—whether it’s portraiture, videography, or everyday shooting—there’s a Tamron lens that will enhance your photography experience with your Sony E-mount camera.