We review products independently, but we may earn affiliate commissions from buying links on this page. Terms of use. The Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD ($799) is a midrange zoom lens for full-frame SLRs, though it can also be used on mirrorless models via the appropriate adapter. It includes some features we'd expect from pro-grade optics, including dust and splash protection, but its autofocus design, which turns the manual focus ring during acquisition, cheapens the overall package. Midrange Zoom The 35-150mm f/2.8-4 looks like most other lenses. It's finished in black, with a polycarbonate barrel, and ribbed rubber wraps over both the zoom and manual focus rings. It measures 5.0 by 3.3 inches (HD) at its shortest position, but gets a couple inches longer when zoomed in to 150mm; there's a lock switch to keep it set at its shortest position if desired. The lens weighs about 1.8 pounds, supports 77mm front filters, and includes a reversible hood. Tamron offers the zoom in Canon EF and Nikon F mounts. There's no native mirrorless version, but you can pair it with a Canon, Nikon, or Sony camera with an adapter. It's a full-frame lens, but it's sure to have some appeal to owners of APS-C cameras as well, where the smaller image sensor gives it a bit more effective telephoto reach. Dust and splash protection are included, as is a fluorine optical coat. The latter is a material that makes water drops bead right off the glass, and also makes it easy to wipe stray fingerprints away. The weather protection adds appeal for hikers and others who'll use the lens outdoors. There is extension when zooming, a pretty common design choice. What's uncommon is the way the manual focus ring works. It turns when autofocus is activated, something we expect from the cheapest of 18-55mm kit zooms, not a modern zoom aimed at photographic enthusiasts. There's a practical reason to complain. It's only natural to cradle the lens when making images, and the unnatural jolt under your fingers as you engage autofocus is disconcerting to say the least. It also introduces some ambient noise when focusing, and is generally pretty slow to drive the lens—expect a lag of up to 0.7-second when moving focus from its closest point to infinity, or vice versa. The autofocus design also means you'll need to toggle a switch to change between manual and autofocus operation. It's another aspect where the ergonomics lag behind—even Tamron's budget-friendly 70-210mm f/4 Di VC USD allows for full-time manual focus override, without the need to flip a switch. Close-up focus is decent, with a maximum 1:3.7 reproduction ratio at its minimum 1.5-foot (45cm) working distance and 150mm setting. You won't get close views of tiny insects with this zoom, but you can still snap some nice near-macro images. There is quite a bit of focus breathing—a change in angle of view as the plane of focus changes—which makes the lens less than appealing for some video shots. Lab Tests We looked at the 35-150mm in the lab along with the 50MP Canon EOS 5DS R. It proves to deliver very strong results with Canon's highest-resolution camera when evaluated using Imatest software. At 35mm f/2.8, it scores 4,267 lines on a center-weighted evaluation, which falls into the excellent performance range for the 5DS R's sensor. The central area of the frame is outstanding (5,510 lines), but it's more down to earth as you move away from center, showing around 3,350 lines as you move toward the edges. Resolution ticks up as the aperture is narrowed. It crosses into outstanding territory at f/4 (4,800 lines) and f/5.6 (4,700 lines). We see a drop in clarity starting at f/8 (4,035 lines), but it's not worth fretting about. I would recommend avoiding f/16 for anything but shots where you're going for a sunstar effect, as it does soften detail slightly. There's an overall downward tick in resolution at 105mm; at the wide-open f/4 aperture, the lens shows a very good result, 3,715 lines, and stays in this range at f/5.6 (3,900 lines), f/8 (3,600 lines), and f/11 (3,500 lines). There's a drop at f/16 (3,019 lines) and the minimum f/20 setting (2,614 lines). Resolution remains in the same ballpark at corresponding f-stops at 150mm. Image stabilization is included, and it's quite effective. I was able to get consistently blur-free images at 1/20-second at the 150mm zoom position, and stretched it to 1/15-second when taking great care to hold steady. There is some visible distortion. At 35mm, the lens exhibits 1.9 percent barrel distortion, drawing straight lines with a slight outward bulge. It gives way to an inward pincushion effect of about the same amplitude at 105mm and 150mm. It's not extreme, but if you're capturing subjects where perfectly straight lines are important, you'll want to apply some correction. Many Raw processors, including Lightroom, include one-click distortion correction. Lightroom can also remove a vignette effect. The 35-150mm shows a slight illumination drop at the corners when shooting wide open, but it goes away when you narrow the aperture. It's a pretty modest effect in most images, though you'll probably see it in shots with lots of clear, bright sky. The Lens for You? Who is the Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC USD for? It's a good question. I'm sure that Tamron is trying to sell it to serious amateur photographers shopping for high-quality optics, but on a budget. It's designed to complement the company's 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di USD, giving you a two-lens kit with a long coverage range. I think I'd opt for a bit of a gap in coverage and go with the Tamron 70-210mm if I was putting together a budget-friendly full-frame lens kit, but that comes down to a matter of personal preference. It's not so much the extra bit of telephoto reach that pushes me there, it's a matter of handling. The 35-150mm's rotating focus ring got into my way on more than one occasion while out in the world making images. It's just the nature of a telezoom—you're going to cradle it when holding the camera to your eye, and the ring is just where your fingers rest naturally. It's not an issue with the 70-210mm, which has an internal focus system. Where we have little to complain about is optical performance. There's a bit of distortion, yes, and edges aren't as crisp as the outstanding center, but it's still an excellent performer all around, and stabilization is good too, even if autofocus is on the slow side. The strong center resolution is a plus for APS-C system owners. The 35-150mm may be a bit of an oddball range on a full-frame camera—not really wide angle, and not really telephoto—but it seems a more natural fit when its angle of view is tightened by a smaller sensor. Whether or not the lens works in your kit is up to you. I walked away with mixed impressions overall, but if you're willing to live with the rotating focus ring and find the zoom range to your liking, there's little to argue with about the rest of the package. Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD Bottom Line: The Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD lens promises pro-grade results on a budget, but the focus ring turns during autofocus, which will make it a nonstarter for many. Top Comparisons

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