Tamron FAQs
Where to Buy Tamron Lenses
Tamron lenses are sold in the USA, Canada, and Mexico through a network of authorized Tamron Americas retailers as well as directly on the TAMRON Store. Authorized retailers provide lenses with Instant Savings if available, and a 6-year Limited Warranty. In case service is ever needed, only lenses purchased through authorized retailers will be serviced. Find local authorized retailers here.
Tamron is sold through several authorized online retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, Adorama, and more. Click here to find an authorized retailer.
The TAMRON Store offers a selection of lenses for sale for purchasers shipping to USA addresses only. Visit the TAMRON Store today.
See the TAMRON Store Purchase & Return Policies here. Note, these policies are for purchases made on the TAMRON Store only. See the dealer from which you purchased the lens for dealer return policies.
Press, Pro & Collaboration Inquiries
Send an email to kelly@tamron.com with information about your review site and practices. Your information will be verified, and you will be added to the press list to receive press notifications.
Collaborators residing in the USA, Canada, and Mexico can send an email with the collaboration request and specifics to social@tamron.com.
When an opening on the Tamron Creative Collaborative Team opens, Tamron reviews professional photographers, creators and/or filmmakers with whom Tamron has been working with for at least 3 years who will fill a specific need at the time of opening.
Tamron users may send portfolios and bios to social@tamron.com for editorial consideration.
Tamron users who have been asked to speak at trade-shows, camera club events, and other industry events may contact Tamron about sponsorship. Sponsorship is limited to events where Tamron will have an onsite presence. Email tripi@tamron.com.
Tamron Education & Inspiration
Tamron offers great resources in the Inspire & Learn and Tools & Resources sections on its website. Information includes:
- Photo Techniques
- Video Tutorials
- Blogs across numerous photo & video genres, technology, gear and more
- TAMRON Magazine
- Daily Inspiration photo and video gallery
You can sign up for any of Tamron’s four eNewsletters here. Each edition is sent out monthly (1-Portrait, Event & Sports Photography; 2-Everything Nature & Travel Photography; 3-World of Close-Up and Art Photography) in English, French and Spanish. Sign up for the General News edition to get information on new products, firmware updates, contest, promotions, and more.
Tamron University is a free series of online master classes taught by professional photographers. Each course focuses on a specific topic—such as travel, portraiture, landscape, or nighttime photography—and includes expert tips, in-the-field techniques, and practical guidance. Classes are self-paced, so you can watch anytime. Whether you’re just starting out or growing your photo business, Tamron University offers inspiration and skills to support your photographic journey. New classes are added frequently. Enroll here.
Visit the events page often as new events are always being added.
Tamron Lens Features
Tamron incorporates weather sealing, called Moisture-Resistant Construction in many of its lenses, especially those designed for outdoor, wildlife, sports, and travel photography. Theis design provides confidence when shooting in inclement weather and harsh conditions. Weather-sealing involves sealing critical areas of the lens barrel and mount to help prevent moisture ingress. A visible rubber gasket around the lens mount helps protect the camera’s interior from dust and water droplets.
VC or Vibration Compensation works by stabilizing the image, by minimizing the movement caused when hand holding a camera in low light or with a telephoto lens (inside the lens barrel stands a lens element on a mechanism with three motors that will counteract Horizontal, Vertical, and Diagonal movements that can be caused by the user).
The acronym VC means Vibration Compensation, this is Tamron’s in-lens Image Stabilization technology.
Image stabilization or VC should be turned off once you mount the camera and lens on a tripod.
YES, IS or VC (as it is called by Tamron) is an in-lens image stabilization system that works by stabilizing the image, by minimizing the movement caused when hand holding a camera in low light or with a telephoto lens.
YES, VC, VR, IS, OS, OIS are all acronyms for different manufacturers in-lens image stabilization systems.
The acronym VC means Vibration Compensation, this is Tamron’s in-lens Image Stabilization technology.
The acronym VC means Vibration Compensation, this is Tamron’s in lens Image Stabilization technology, Canon on the other hand uses IS Image Stabilization.
VC or Vibration Compensation works by stabilizing the image, by minimizing the movement caused when hand holding a camera in low light or with a telephoto lens (inside the lens barrel stands a lens element on a mechanism with three motors that will counteract Horizontal, Vertical, and Diagonal movements that can be caused by the user).
VC or Vibration Compensation mode can be found on some Tamron lenses. This allows the user to select from two or three different mode choices (depending on the lens). Mode 1: Standard (you can see the amount of correction in real time), Mode 2: Exclusively for Panning( ideal for sports or wildlife), Mode 3: Framing Priority (allows for faster subject acquisition and composition also offers the most amount of correction).
The meaning of the acronyms Di VC USD found on Tamron lenses are Di (Digitally Integrated) lenses optimized for Full Frame and APS-C DSLR cameras. VC (Vibration Compensation) Tamron’s in-lens image stabilization technology. USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) an upgraded AF drive system that delivers extraordinary autofocusing speed, along with virtually noiseless operation.
The acronym Di stands for Digitally Integrated (lenses optimized for Full Frame and APS-C DSLR cameras).
Di III is Tamron’s designation for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Di III-A stands for APS-C mirrorless lenses.
The meaning of the acronyms Di VC USD found on Tamron lenses are: Di (Digitally Integrated) lenses optimized for Full Frame and APS-C DSLR cameras. VC (Vibration Compensation) Tamron’s in-lens image stabilization technology. USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) an upgraded AF drive system that delivers extraordinary autofocusing speed, along with virtually noiseless operation.
Using Tamron Lenses
Macro lenses are usually prime lenses (a lens with a fixed focal length) that have a close minimum focusing distance, capable of rendering a subject at a 1:1 reproduction ratio (the subject appears life size on the sensor).
Macro lenses come in different focal lengths and are usually prime lenses (a lens with a fixed focal length). Your selection should be based on your needs for a certain focal length i.e., wide angle, normal/standard or telephoto and the need for a certain working distance (minimum focusing distance) as this can affect how much room there is between the lens and the subject.
Macro on a zoom lens indicates that the lens has a close minimum focusing distance that can achieve a reproduction ratio of greater than a 1:4.
YES, all Tamron macro lenses have a close minimum focusing distance and the capability of rendering the subject at a 1:1 reproduction ratio (the subject appears life size on the sensor) and can focus to Infinity, giving you the ability to use it as a normal lens.
Macro lenses usually have a maximum aperture of f/2 to f/2.8 but the apertures used when photographing are between f/8 to f/32.
Because of the limited Depth of Field caused by the close minimum focusing distance apertures of between f/8 to f/32 are usually needed.
Because of the limited Depth of Field caused by the close minimum focusing distance apertures of between f/8 to f/32 are usually needed.
An image shot of a subject with a wide-angle lens at close distances will make the subject appear larger than it is in real life, and if shot at normal or farther distances will make the subject appear smaller than it is in real life. The wider the angle of the lens the more pronounced the effect will be.
The widest angle of view on a Tamron lens is 105 degrees on the 11-20mm for Sony APS-C mirrorless and 103 degrees on the 17-28mm for Sony Full Frame mirrorless.
A wide-angle picture can be seen as an image taken with a wide-angle lens of a very large subject or scene from a close or far distance.
A photo taken of a subject with a wide-angle lens at close distances will make the subject appear larger than it is in real life, and if shot at normal or farther distances will make the subject appear smaller than it is in real life. The wider the angle of the lens the more pronounced the effect will be.
About Tamron
Tamron is a Japanese optical company established in November of 1950.
Tamron Americas is located at 10 Austin Blvd., Commack, NY 11725.
Telephone: 1-800-827-8880 | Email: custserv@tamron.com | www.tamron-americas.com
Information for Tamron Co., Ltd., can be found on the global website: https://www.tamron.com/global/
Visit the Tamron Group page on the global website here.
No. Tamron is an independent company. However, Sony Corporation is a shareholder in Tamron and holds approximately a 15% stake in the company as of August 2025. This investment does not give Sony control or ownership of Tamron. Instead, it means that Sony is one of several shareholders.
Tamron is an independent company and is not owned by Sony. However, Sony does hold a significant minority stake—around 15% as of August 2025—which makes them the largest single shareholder, but Sony does not control or fully own Tamron.
Camera & Teleconverter Compatibility
Tamron lenses are designed to be compatible with specific camera brands and lens mounts. Di and lenses are compatible with Canon DSLR cameras with the EF and EF-S mounts, and with Nikon DSLR cameras with the F mount (note that these lenses will work with the newer mirrorless Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts with the appropriate manufacturer lens adapter).
Tamron lenses with the designation Di III are compatible with full-frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras: Sony E, Canon R, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z mounts.
Tamron lenses with the designation Di III-A are compatible with APS-C mirrorless cameras only: Sony E, Canon R, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z mounts.
YES, the Nikon D3500 will accept all Tamron lenses with the lens designation of Di and Di II (with the mount for Nikon cameras).
Tamron makes Tamron brand lenses with Canon mounts.
YES, Tamron lenses with the lens designation of Di III for Sony E, are compatible with all Sony mirrorless cameras. Tamron lenses with the lens designation of Di III-A for Sony E are compatible with Sony mirrorless cameras with an APS-C sensor (and will also work on Sony mirrorless cameras with a Full Frame Sensor but will be cropped down to APS-C).
YES, you can use a different brand lens on different brand cameras, but you must make sure that the lens is manufactured with the compatible mount to the camera model that you are using (or by using the appropriate lens adapter).
NO, Nikon teleconverters are specifically designed to be mounted only on designated Nikon lenses (due to a very specific cutout on the lens mount).
NO, Teleconverters are lens specific and will only work on designated lenses. Currently the Tamron Teleconverters (model TC-X14 & TC-X20) will only work on the SP 150-600mm (model A022), 100-400mm (model A035), 70-210mm (model A034), and 70-200mm (model A025).
NO, Sigma teleconverters cannot be guaranteed to work with Tamron lenses. Only Tamron teleconverters are compatible with Tamron lenses.
NO, Canon teleconverters cannot be guaranteed to work with Tamron lenses. Only Tamron teleconverters are compatible with Tamron lenses.
With the 1.4x you do lose 1 f-stop (1 EV) of light and with the 2x you lose 2 f-stops (2 EV) of light, depending on what the maximum aperture is of the lens that you mount the teleconverter to. A 2 f-stop loss of light might cause a problem with the cameras AF system.
Troubleshooting
Lens profiles are available in Lightroom and Photoshop on the date the lens is available for purchase.
In the case of a macro lens, it would be the minimum focusing distance. As you get closer to the subject to increase the reproduction ratio you are also slightly increasing the focal length which in turn decreases the aperture. It is not uncommon for a macro lens that starts out with an f/2.8 maximum aperture goes to f/5.6 at its minimum focusing distance.
Zoom lenses extend by rotating the lens zoom ring.
Zoom creep can be stopped by using the zoom lock. Lenses can be locked at their widest focal length.
These lenses feature a retractable lens barrel button, which when pressed and the zoom ring rotated, extend the length of the lens barrel. In addition, pressing the button automatically turns on the camera.
Focal length increases as you zoom out and decreases as you zoom in.
Three of the main flaws are spots with undefined edges (usually caused by dust on the imaging sensor), color fringing around a highlight or Chromatic Aberration (usually caused by the lens or the lack of correction in the lens), and ghosting, a type of lens flare (usually caused when shooting directly into the sun, the lack of or poor lens coatings designed to mitigate the effects of ghosting caused by a strong light source being reflected repeatedly within the lens).
Spots or circles with undefined edges are usually caused by dust on the imaging sensor.
The best way to correct for flaws is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. In the case of spots simply make sure that you start with a clean imaging sensor. A high-quality lens with a complex lens formula will eliminate Chromatic Aberration. A high-quality lens with lens coatings, the use of a lens hood or changing your perspective will all mitigate Ghosting. Note that some of these flaws can be corrected in post processing.
A high-quality lens with lens coatings designed for correcting lens flare and if using a filter use one with multiple lens coatings. The use of a lens hood or changing your perspective will mitigate Ghosting.
A rattling or clunking sound could be caused by an unparked VC unit. This can sometimes be resolved by doing the following: 1. Turn the camera off and detach the lens 2. Re-attach the lens to the camera and turn camera on. 3. Activate the autofocus without releasing the shutter and wait for the autofocus motor and VC to stop. 5. Turn off the camera. The VC should now be parked.
With most lens models the autofocus motor and VC may be audible.
A rattling noise can be a symptom of several things, including a loose part or unparked VC.
Lenses can be removed by depressing the lens release button on the camera and rotating the lens. Do not remove the lens until the autofocus motor and VC have settled.
Check that the lens zoom lock is not engaged. If they lens still does not zoom, then service may be required.
Check that the zoom lock and Flex lock are not engaged. The Flex lock can be disengaged by pulling the zoom ring toward yourself. When the Flex lock is engaged you will be able to see a white line below the zoom ring.
Check that the zoom lock and Flex lock are not engaged.
If the zoom lock and Flex lock are not engaged and the zoom is jammed, the lens should be sent in for service.
Depending on the error code, it could mean different things. Many errors are caused by a lens or camera communication issue. If the error persists, contact service for possible service or update information.
Lenses do occasionally require firmware updates. Information on which lenses require updates can be found on our website at https://www.tamron.jp/en/support/release_note.html.
Dust inside a lens will not affect image quality in most cases unless there are large particles or a significant amount. Dust in the rear element of the lens will be more visible than in the front element.
YES, Tamron lenses are compatible with Nikon cameras. Tamron lenses with the lens designation of Di and Di II (with the mount for Nikon cameras) are compatible with Nikon DSLR and Nikon mirrorless cameras with the compatible Nikon FTZ adapter.
Tamron lenses are designed to be compatible with specific camera brands and lens mounts. Di lenses are compatible with Canon DSLR cameras with the EF and EF-S mounts, and with Nikon DSLR cameras with the F mount (note that these lenses will work with the newer mirrorless Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts with the appropriate manufacturer lens adapter).
Tamron lenses with the designation Di III are compatible with full-frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras: Sony E, Canon R, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z mounts.
Tamron lenses with the designation Di III-A are compatible with APS-C mirrorless cameras only: Sony E, Canon R, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z mounts.
AF is an acronym that stands for Auto Focus
Firmware cannot be checked on the camera body with DSLR lenses but can be checked on Sony mirrorless lenses with a Sony camera. This can be found in the “Lens system software version” menu. For more details see this link: https://www.tamron.jp/en/support/e-mount_update.html.
Support, Repairs and Maintenance
Tamron Americas offers a 6-Year Limited Warranty.
Club members are discovered through our online warranty registration system. Tamron purchases must be registered by January 15 to be considered for VIP Club membership. Annual membership level is determined by both purchase AND completed registration of Tamron products. The membership is finalized by unique email address + same first name/last name -or- by mail address + same first name/last name of purchased AND completed registration of products from May 2011 thru January 15th of the current year. Tamron is not responsible for inaccurate or missing information uploaded into the online warranty registration system. The VIP Club status will be evaluated on an annual basis, admitting new customers and promoting current members to higher levels. Club membership status will be announced to all members, new and existing, in February of each year following the close of sales and completed registration. All members are contacted via email to confirm membership level and attain current mailing address for membership package. All members must confirm every year. New members/membership level growth will occur once per year. No mid-year status changes are allowed. Valid for users residing in the USA, Canada, and Mexico only. Void where prohibited. See more here.
Visit the Lens Registration page here.
Visit the Lens Finder and filter the features you are looking for in a lens by many criteria including price, mount, focal length, use case/photo style, features, aperture and more.
Contact Tamron’s customer service by phone at 1-800-827-8880, prompt 1. Or by email at custserv@tamron.com.
Visit the Service News & Updates section of our website and select your mount to view the most recent service news.
Visit the Rebate Claims page on our website to claim a rebate you received at a Tamron event.
Visit our Catalog Download page here. Most catalogs are available in three languages (English, French, and Spanish)
Gray Market lenses are any lenses not sold by Tamron Authorized USA, Canadian and/or Mexico Dealers in the USA, Canada or Mexico. If purchased from an unauthorized dealer, the lens is considered gray market and as such do not qualify for rebates (if applicable), warranty, service or repair of any kind in the USA. Understand the consequences of purchasing lenses not sold by an authorized Tamron Americas dealer in the USA, Canada or Mexico here.
The inside of the lens should only be cleaned by Tamron service. Do not attempt to open the lens for cleaning.
Use lens cleaning pads or a microfiber cloth.
Dust inside a lens will not affect image quality in most cases unless there are large particles or a significant amount. Dust in the rear element of the lens will be more visible than in the front element.
The lens itself can be cleaned with a microfiber cloth. Visit this blog for detailed lens cleaning instructions.
The adjustment of focus on a lens can be changed by rotating the focus ring. This can be performed in auto mode or manual focus mode.
To correct front and back focus using the Tap in console see our Tap in Console instructional videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNXD2u5k0jzCA5QvOJcqlWv8MdiISnV83 For all other focusing issues please contact Tamron service.
Front and back focus can be adjusted in Tap in Console compatible lenses or sent directly to Tamron service.
NO, lens mounts are camera brand and can also be camera model specific. (However, you may be able to use different lens mounts on different camera brands or camera models with a compatible lens adapter).
NO, lenses are camera brand and can also be camera model specific. (However, you may be able to use different lens mounts on different camera brands or camera models with a compatible lens adapter).
NO, lens mounts are camera brand and can also be camera model specific. (However, you may be able to use some lens mounts on different camera brands or camera models with a compatible lens adapter).
Visit the Firmware Updates page on the Tamron Global website here.
Lenses do occasionally require firmware updates. Information on which lenses require updates can be found on our website at https://www.tamron.com/global/consumer/support/download/firmware/
Firmware updates typically correct an issue or add functionality to a lens
Firmware cannot be checked on the camera body with DSLR lenses but can be checked on Sony mirrorless lenses with a Sony camera. This can be found in the “Lens system software version” menu. For more details see this link: https://www.tamron.com/global/consumer/support/download/firmware/update.html
If firmware is not updated there may be potential issues with compatibility on some cameras and full functionality may not be supported.
Firmware cannot be checked on the camera body with DSLR lenses but can be checked on Sony mirrorless lenses with a Sony camera. This can be found in the “Lens system software version” menu. For more details see this link: https://www.tamron.com/global/consumer/support/download/firmware/update.html.
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