Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD Review

The Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD ($1,299) is a truly unique lens. Combining standard to telephoto coverage, 1:2 macro focus, and full frame coverage in one zoom is a feat, and to do so in something considered lightweight is unparalleled. It’s not an all-in-one, but given all the rest, we’ll forgive the lack of wide-angle coverage.The 50-400mm is a lens that stands out in a crowded market and won our Editors’ Choice award. It’s a worthwhile zoom for creators looking to try something new, but those looking for a traditional all-in-one might instead turn their attention to the Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD.

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From standard to telephoto

Tamron really nailed the practicality when they settled on this zoom’s 50-400mm focal range. The 50mm wide-angle setting captures a standard angle suitable for portraits and other slice-of-life photography. Zooming in to 400mm gives you enough reach to capture birds in your backyard feeder or your favorite animals at your local zoo. Macro his focus is also supported and meets the needs of the naturalist.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Pairing the lens with an APS-C sensor camera gives you a slightly different experience. The 50mm angle of view is a little tight for interiors, but you’ll want to stick to brighter environments with this lens. The f/4.5-6.3 aperture is a trade-off, and flash may be required in low light. If you prefer to work with internal ambient light, an F2.8 zoom or fixed focal length lens is a good choice.

I used the 50-400mm with the Sony a7R IV, a full-frame camera, and appreciated the mid-range design. The lens measures 7.2 x 3.5 inches (HD), is surprisingly light at 2.5 pounds, and has a front filter size of 67mm (the same filter size as Tamron’s 17-28mm and 28-75mm F2.8 zooms, by the way). It will be a well-balanced handheld kit with the α7R IV.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

I haven’t had a chance to use the Tamron with the APS cameras in the a6000 series, but I can see many a6400 owners snapping this one. It has slightly more coverage on both sides than the G OSS and is a lens you can carry with you if you upgrade to a full frame camera later.

As for the other zooms, there is only one that is similar in concept. The Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports is huge by comparison (11.0 x 4.7 inches, 5.5 pounds), but zooms in even further. Its tight angle is useful for birders, field sports, and other long-distance subjects. For example, he thinks 400mm is a bit short for songbirds, even with a high pixel camera that has room to crop.

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Handling and management

Note that the 50-400mm is a very easy lens to hold, but if you use a tripod or monopod it’s worth using the A035TM Tripod Foot Accessory ($129 add-on). Feet allow the camera system to be mounted closer to the center of gravity for greater stability. Generally speaking, it makes framing the scene and fixing the ball head easier.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The zoom control is positioned forward and has plenty of control rings to handle the task. The zoom ring is easy to find by touch, finished with the typical raised rubber sheath and doesn’t require much torque to adjust The zoom goes from 50 to 400mm with a 90 degree twist and includes a lock switch to set the lens at 50mm. Because the optical block is heavy, gravity will cause it to stick out a bit, so it’s a good idea to lock the barrel when walking with the camera crossbody.

Tamron places the function buttons on the barrel. Most compatible cameras have this set to AF-ON by default, and you can remap the setting from the menu. A nearby toggle changes the stabilization mode between standard (mode 1) and pan (mode 2), and switches between three available custom modes.

Onboard USB-C connectivity works with the Tamron Lens Utility app to fine-tune performance (Credit: Jim Fisher)

To set custom modes, connect the lens to your computer via the integrated USB-C port. It works with Tamron Lens Utility that works with Mac or Windows computers and some Android handsets. The lens utility supports focus limiter feature with this zoom. This is useful if you want to limit autofocus to distant subjects, or if you want to fix the close distance for macro photography.

Autofocus is driven by Tamron’s snappy voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive (VXD) motor. The lens snapped instantly from close-up to distant focus with the fast-focusing A7R V, and the continuous autofocus proved reliable in practice. and successfully tracked birds in flight.

Sony a7R IV, 117mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

By contrast, the manual focus experience is a bit disappointing. Very small movements are recorded and extreme care must be taken to get accurate results. Perhaps agreeing with the manual his focus shortcomings, Tamron skipped putting her AF/MF toggle switch on the barrel. To change the focus mode, you have to dive into the camera’s menu system. If you’re a fan of manual focus after a telezoom, Sigma’s large 60-600mm and his mid-sized 150-600mm Sport are better choices, as both have longer focus throws.

Macro focus is a selling point for nature photographers and those who want to take artistic close-ups. The 50-400mm has the best macro performance at the wide end, and with a 1:2 life-size magnification he focuses at 9.8 inches. At 400mm it focuses just under 5 feet, but even with the narrower angle of view you get 1:4 macro.

Sony a7R V, 58mm, f/4.5, 1/2 sec, ISO 500 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Tamron’s Vibration Compensation (VC) stabilizer has proven effective here. Zooming in to 400mm managed a blur-free handheld exposure with a 1/15 second shutter speed, and at 50mm he stretched it out to 1/2 second with good results.

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Tamron 50-400mm: in the lab

Sony a7R IV, 400mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec, ISO 160 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

I had the chance to use the 50-400mm with the new Sony A7R V for a day in the field, but most of my review work was done with the camera’s previous version, the 60MP A7R IV. High pixel sensors require high quality glass for best results. Lab tests have shown that 50-400 mm can meet this challenge, but there are some caveats to consider.

Edge clarity is one. At 50mm f/4.5, the lens has good numbers in the center of the frame, as you’d expect from the a7R IV, but it’s not as sharp at the edges. However, a smaller f-stop sharpens the edges. Aperture settings between f/8 and f/11 give sharp edge-to-edge results. With high-definition cameras, image quality drops a few steps at the smallest aperture. The effects of optical diffraction are unavoidable.(opens in new window)So the image quality is not very good at f/16-22.

Sony a7R V, 102mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec, ISO 1600 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

But don’t worry about edge clarity when you zoom in. Above 100mm, consistent center-to-edge clarity is observed. The resolution score bounces back within the a7R IV’s excellent range of the a7R IV’s sensor (4,500 lines), with sharper results overall.

The lens also renders images that are not only sharp, but free of false colors. I struggled to find chromatic aberration around tree branches and in bokeh. The out-of-focus areas of the image are also well visible and gradually move away from the focal plane. It has a softer look and no onion skin or double edge halo effects that lead to complex backgrounds.

Sony a7R IV, 110mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

If you’re working in Raw format, you’ll have to deal with some distortion. The lens paints a scene with a prominent pincushion bow inside. Adobe Lightroom Classic includes one-click correction profiles that work well. Don’t worry about pincushion bows in wildlife snaps, but be sure to use a correction profile for scenes that incorporate architecture or people.

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winning concept

The Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD is a standard angle starting point that stands out from the more common 100-400mm or 70-300mm options. Opening up to 50mm adds versatility that other lenses don’t offer, while zooming in on wildlife, field sports, and other traditional telephoto disciplines. The 1:2 macro focus is a nice bonus for nature photographers. Despite the wide-angle landscape, 50-400mm is a convenient range that fits in one lens.

Sony a7R V, 72mm, f/6.3, 1/400 sec, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

However, the f-stop range is a concern for photographers working in low light, making the zoom less suitable for events and interiors than the F2.8 zoom or fast aperture prime. That’s not a bad trade-off, though, as the aperture contributes to a relatively lightweight frame of 50-400mm. Serious birdwatchers and other professionals who need extra zoom power can turn to another larger zoom, such as the Sigma 150-600mm Sport or the Sony FE 200-600mm.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

But for many photographers, a 400mm zoom is more than enough to get the image they’re after. Also, compared to another pick, the Tamron 50-400mm is the star and Editors’ Choice winner. It’s a little more expensive than the Sigma 100-400mm Contemporary ($949), but it’s a better lens with a wider field of view and sharper.