Tamron has announced the upcoming release of a new telephoto zoom lens for Nikon Z mount mirrorless cameras. The company says that the 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD (Model A047) is the world’s smallest and lightest telephoto zoom for full-frame mirrorless cameras.
Compact
The Tamron 70-300mm Di III RXD telephoto zoom lens is only 5.9 inches (150.3 mm) long and weighs 20.5 ounces (580 g). The company says that the lens is ideal for landscapes, sports and for things like portraits, birds and casual snaps.
Aperture
As is common with telephoto zoom lenses, the 70-300mm Di III RXD isn’t designed for use in low light. At the 70 mm end of the zoom range, the maximum aperture is f/4.5, and this drops to f/6.3 at 300 mm. However, due to the focal lengths, you will still be able to achieve a limited depth of field in your footage.
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Optical design
The 70-300mm Di III RXD lens has 15 elements in 10 groups. This includes an LD (Low Dispersion) lens element to suppress axial chromatic and other aberrations that can occur with telephoto zoom lenses. In addition, the 70-300 mm lens has Tamron’s anti-reflection BBAR coating to ensure crisp and clear images throughout the zoom range.
Autofocus
The 70-300mm Di III lens uses Tamron’s RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) autofocus motor. The company says this is exceptionally quiet. In addition, the autofocus drive incorporates a sensor that detects the position of the lens. All the while, the RXD motor unit delivers optimized AF control. Tamron says this also gives you very fast and accurate autofocus operation even on continuously moving subjects.
Weatherproofing
The 70-300mm Di III RXD lens has seals at the lens mount area and other critical locations. These are designed to block the ingress of moisture and rain. Tamron says that this moisture-resistant construction gives you an extra layer of protection when shooting outdoors under adverse weather conditions.
Lens utility software
The 70-300mm Di III RXD lens for Nikon Z mount mirrorless cameras is compatible with Tamron’s dedicated lens utility software. You can use the software to update the lens to the latest firmware without going through the camera. You simply connect a PC to your lens using Tamron’s optional USB Type-A to Type-C connection cable.
Verdict
A telephoto zoom can be a great addition to your lens arsenal; however, they are usually big and bulky. This means they are often the lens that gets left at home unless you know you specifically need them. Therefore, Tamron’s lightweight 70-300mm Di III RXD telephoto zoom lens could be the ideal solution, being light enough to keep in your camera bag all the time.
Pricing and availability
Tamron says that the 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD telephoto zoom lens for Nikon Z mount mirrorless cameras will launch in Fall 2022. However, the company has not released any pricing information as of yet.