DPReview TV: Tamron 35mm F2.8 ($349) vs Sony/Zeiss 35mm F2.8 ($800)

[@justinw1563]

I love the subtle dry humor. And the accurate USD to CAD conversion.

[@AaronLaye]

I had to do a double take.

[@masterpringle]

That was beautiful.

[@LucasPetersWriter]

Yeh. That was laughs. :)

[@LowLightVideos]

It's not pesos.

[@tommyes3591]

That was a good one indeed! :D

[@pavelbtn]

LoL, Chris' humour has reached a new level. Their little review videos are becoming really funny, which is much needed when we're talking about 35m lenses

[@GaryJahman]

The crying Jordan photo is such a fine art piece

[@michael007ish]

These need to be a T-Shirt.

[@redrebelsheep6303]

perfect for my living room

[@thomasgunn4146]

I just got the Tamron, and can confirm it's excellent. It's lightweight on the Sony, and it's sharp. Definitely has the image quality of prime lenses twice the price, the only caveat being the smaller aperture. At 2.8 it's plenty usable, but at f/4 it really shines. I usually keep at it at that aperture all the time as a walk-around lens for images with sharp with punchy contrast.

[@WesPerry]

Sony really needs to drop the prices on some of those early E-mount lenses. Especially this and the 35 1.8 APS-C lens. At this point they’ve already paid off the tooling and they cost them pennies on the dollar to produce.

[@DiablyOo]

I have 10 vintage lenses and the kit lens. I am not planning on buying any new lenses with the current price market

[@BaraaAljanabi]

plz. is sony 35mm f1.8 for full frame or just for aps ?

[@julienxie1110]

@@BaraaAljanabi the 2 versions exist

[@julienxie1110]

#10-18mm

[@BaraaAljanabi]

@@julienxie1110 oss version

[@LucasPetersWriter]

I think someone mentioned this below, but the 35mm Zony 2.8 is probably best found gently used. Personally, I’ve come to love this lens for its rendition. The colors I find preferable to the equivalent Tamron or the Samyang. I also trust the build quality more for it. I found mine for a bit less than $400 USD (probably like 3.48 billion CAD with today’s conversion rate). If this difference is, say, a Samyang used for $300 or the Zony for $400, I think its a nod to the Zony. Definitely overpriced when it came out, but for travel and streetphotography (where fast, great auto AF is welcomed), buying used, this is one of the best deals on the A7 platform.

[@scottparis6355]

The price of the Zeiss lens seems to fall off a cliff in the used market. I got a near-perfect one for about US$350, and couldn't be happier with it.

[@johnkelly8009]

that CAD conversion rate is getting pretty crazy these days

[@MichaelTapel]

I'm a simple man, I see Chris & Jordan, I like

[@CallMeChato]

Which lens sounded better when hit with glockenspiel hammer? I guess we’ll never know.

[@FrantaBina701]

Crucial question is, how will Tamron compare to Samyang 35/2.8?

[@ThePhotographyHobbyist]

I don't know, but I had the Samyang/Rokinon 35mm f/2.8 and while it was reasonably good, I wasn't very impressed and don't plan on buying anymore.

[@edshotsdotcodotuk]

The Samyang formula is similar to the SonyZeiss 35 2.8 so the image quality is similar. The focus speed is near Sony made lenses. No sealing of any kind. Skinniest 35 FE.

[@ceddo2511]

I have the Samyang, think it's great, focus is better by the looks of it over this Tamron.

[@ceddo2511]

@dennytenny How do you know the IQ is not as good? Do you also have the Tamron?

[@VZAAGE]

I'm shocked at the results but I think at the end of the day that autofocus is huge.

[@plowmanjoe]

that and the focus breathing.

[@zi4169]

yup especially for wedding videography!!

[@wawa5379]

A bit disappointing to forget the Samyang 35mm f/2.8 for this comparison !

[@photographerjonathan]

there are a bunch of comparisons to the Zeiss out there already.

[@Schwingi]

Thanks, my thoughts exactly!

[@joseluisphotoReal]

Exactly

[@mw3742]

Dear, now is DEC 12, 2021, WE are able to get zeiss at 268 including shipping cost. 2nd hand of course, it's nearly brand new, i like it so much.

[@abolzon]

Tamron is absolutely amazing, no doubts. But autofocus speed and the size of Sony Zeiss were decisive in my choice once I was seeking for a compact lightweight travellers lens. Got a second hand in perfect state for the same price of a brand new Tamron.

[@legend240891]

In Australia used market, The Sony Zeiss costs around 350-400AUD (228USD) which basically 25% cheaper than the Tamron. It's kinda an obvious choice. Lenses don't usually break that easily so if you can go for a good used copy without dust/moisture in the elements. Go for it.

[@cameraprepper7938]

A few month ago (2023) I got the Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar 35mm 2.8 ZA used for US$215 (taxes included), I like this Lens a lot and I can recommend it !

[@johnxantoro5511]

I am wondering how much of a resolution edge the Tamron has over the Tamron 28-75/2.8.

[@Wabajak13]

For real. It's so big, you barely get a size advantage haha.

[@lukazupie7220]

Wabajak13 good point haha:)

[@AgnostosGnostos]

A serious omission is that the Sony Zeiss Sonnar 35mm f/2.8 T* ZA is made in Japan. (One of the very few Sony full frame e-mount lenses that is made in Japan). The Tamron FE 28mm f/2.8 is made in Vietnam. Most small Sony e-mount APS-C or full frame lenses have a 49mm filter thread. The 49mm is very common with Sony even during the Minolta a-mount era. 67mm filters of the same brand and type are always more expensive than 49mm filters. Plus the lens hood of the Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8 with the code ALC-Sh129 has a filter thread of 40.5mm can accept even smaller and maybe less expensive and heavy filters. The Sony Zeiss 35mm f/2.8 like most lenses with Sonnar design has good sharpness but suffers from serious chromatic aberration. The Sony Zeiss was one of the very first full frame e-mount lenses. It was even earliest than the kit lens Sony FE 28-70 f/4-5.6. It was made small and light in order to emphasize how small and light the Sony a6 and a6r cameras were in comparison to full frame dSLR in 2003. Since 2003 of the introduction of Sony a7 and a7R, the Sony Zeiss is still smallest and lightest full frame e-mount lens. Sony has two APS-C e-mount pancake lenses but it isn't interested at in a full frame e-mount pancake lens. Also don't forget to check the much cheaper Samyang/Rokinon full frame autofocus e-mount FE 35mm f/2.8 which have a very similar size and weight with the Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8.

[@Reno_T]

Man I want Tamron to start making Fuji X mount lenses 😬

[@lukazupie7220]

ReN TiL everybody wants 50mm f4 equivalent that weights more than camera:)

[@SDK2006b]

I’m a telephoto shooter : 70-200 and 200-600 lenses, but wanted a cheap, compact sharp portrait lens for general walk about photos and this Tamron has been perfect. As you mentioned in the video - focus speed is poor but everything else is great and I love the lens hood design too 👍🏻

[@alhOOO2O]

“Which is about 4.8 billion Canadian” Lolllllllllll

[@paulfairchild8942]

I wonder if Tamron can fix the AF issue with a software update. They did that with one of their other lenses. The AF issue will be a deal breaker for some potential buyers.

[@rendem8]

What about distorsion? A the resolution part of the video, it was more than conspicuous at the corner zooms. Chris smartly evaded that subject.

[@averageguy1261]

This show is getting better and better.

[@XiweiYing]

I am surprised the rokinon/samyang 35 2.8 isn't compared here, since they are similar pricing to the tamron

[@ceddo2511]

A lot cheaper than the Tamron here in the UK

[@jackodon74]

Yeah it would be a fairer comparison although most people who have compared the Samyang to the Sony Zeiss say the Sony is not worth the extra. The Samyang looks very sharp with great colors. I need another prime to go with my 55 1.8 Sony Zeiss but unlike the 55 the 35 does not seem to be as highly rated?

[@JoseAntonioAlvarado5]

Another good comparison would be against the Samyang/Rokinon 35mm F2.8

[@joseluisphotoReal]

Jose Antonio Alvarado yup, that’s what this video should have been comparing. Literally no one buys the Sony 2.8 at full retail price these days

[@jenesuispasbavard]

The Rokinon / Samyang 35mm 2.8 is awesome too, and much smaller and lighter than the Tamron, and lighter than the Zeiss too - 85g for the Rokinon vs 130g for the Zeiss and 210g for the Tamron.

[@jeremypentsil6390]

I think a crying Jordan calendar is in order

[@AndrewSowerby]

Must be tough pushing those wheelbarrows full of Canadian dollars through the snow. Great review!

[@niccollsvideo]

We burn bills as heat for our igloos. :)

[@AndrewSowerby]

@@niccollsvideo aha, so that's why the icecaps are melting

[@CKramburglar]

Would love to see a showdown between the budget 2.8 primes of Tamron vs Samyang/Rokinon :)

[@joseluisphotoReal]

Chris K yeah that would have been the logical comparison I think

[@jgvbadv]

3:39 What is that pattern on the roof of that building? (Tamron lens)

[@dennissilvas882]

Probably interpolation/demosaicing artifacts. When the lens' image detail gets finer than the sensor's color array, the software can get confused when interpreting it (usually only a problem on sensors without extra low pass filters like the a7R line). This might show that the Tamron is more detailed there, though artifacts in an image might make that a negative...

[@photographerjonathan]

do you think it's possible for the focusing to be made faster in a firmware update ? because it just doesn't make sense that Tamron would have a slow focusing lens when other lenses that they have are not slow.

[@chesslover8829]

The Sony Sonnar T* FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA Lens now sells for $598 new in the USA.

[@Scooter-K]

Its worth mentioning that the auto-focus will likely improve over time with future firmware release in the same way the auto-focus was enhanced on the now famous Tamron 28-75.

[@lukazupie7220]

Scott Katzenoff quite incredible that they give it to reviewers before fixing this stuff...:o

[@Shinigami7of1]

I think this is a awesome deal for someone getting into full frame. A used a7 or a7II and a few of these lenses would be less than 2,000

[@foreignbeard]

This is an old video now... However I'm not sure if it's because I've finally calibrated my screen properly, or you filmed this with a different camera, or added some magic in post, but this was one of the most pleasing looking videos I've watched in such a long while and I can't put my finger on it. Also the photo of Jordan's eye is print-worthy.

[@villemononen5303]

Zeiss has great AF, coating and is absolutely tiny. However Tamron is priced excitingly, macro capabilities are the unexpected plus and weather-sealing. All it all, it seems Tamron really did nicely here again. I'm sure they'll sell many of these, for good reason.

[@benjaminzika1127]

You should have included the Samyang 35 2.8 ! It's smaller and cheaper than both!

[@meronmeron-m3m]

is the sound of focus noticable for tamron?

[@ziginox]

I'd have liked to see some notes on distortion...

[@kane01337]

Awesome - we need that Xylophone as a wrap up / conclusion sound every time now !!

[@Gynra]

I can see that the fast focus of the Zeiss would be an advantage for still photography, but is jarring in video, where I preferred the Tamron, which melted from one focus point to another.

[@streets28mm]

Has it been any firmware update or a newer version that fixes the the autofocus problem?

[@dougdavis5808]

I am just getting into photography I was taking pictures with a 13 year old point and shoot, so I took the plunge and bought a Canon SL2 with the kit lens EF-S 18-55mm IS STM Len so with this said what would you suggest for taking pictures and video at disney we are heading down there in early January. The camera store guy suggested 35mm 2.8 macro I did some reading and there were more lens that came up, they are EF 50mm F 1.8 stm, this len I heard mixed views on, the EF Stm 10 - 18 F-4.5 - 5.6 , 18 - 135mm stm I am going to take mostly videos and some pictures.

[@zfisher]

Nice video, love the look on the S1H but seems like off focus a bit on the walk and talks?

[@vpr5562]

For daily photography i got samyang 35 2.8 sony lens for around 250$ and i am considering this 35 (only when it hits some good deals), only because of the close focusing, which is tempting. For my a7R3. For the paid work (baptism, weddings,) got 35 1.4 samyang -a very sharp lens.

[@c.augustin]

I find the image quality of the Tamron surprisingly good for this price point! If the 20 mm can come up with similar quality, I know what lens to buy next …

[@misreb1]

I am curious how much sharper is this Tamron compared to the zooms?

[@_rhapsodist]

the S1H ibis sucks for walking as it seems

[@glitchlife4639]

Where was this video shot?

[@AgnostosGnostos]

The Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8 T* ZA is one of the few and maybe the only one Sony e-mount lenses that is made in Japan. Most of Sony e-mount lenses are made in Thailand and some in China. The Tamron 35mm f/2.8 is made in Vietnam. The Sony FE 35mm f/2.8 is the first full frame e-mount lens and the lightest and smallest Sony full frame e-mount lens. Only the third party plastic full frame e-mount Samyang FE 35mm f/2.8 is slightly smaller and lighter. The Sony FE 35mm f/2.8 was introduced alongside with the Sony a7 series in 2003 before the 28-70mm kit lens in order to emphasize how small and light the a7 series is. However after seven years no smaller or lighter full frame lens has introduced by Sony. A full frame e-mount pancake is an omission by Sony. In 2015 the collaboration of Sony and Zeiss on lenses ended and the Sony Zeiss FE 50mm f/1.4 T* ZA was the last of the collaboration.

[@GiovanniMastellone]

Do you suggest this or the new Sigma 35mm f2 for a Daily-Outdoor ( trekking-climbing) use with a Sony A7ii? I actually use a Sony 24-70 F4, and the AF is good for my use.. I'd love to have a small, qualitative 35mm, and this Tamron looks perfect, but I'm afraid of the AF ( My A7ii Is not a Rocket for what concerning AF).

[@magicalsnek]

Had to return the tamron 24/2.8 since the af on my a7ii was horribly slow... What a bummer, but I know it would annoy me when using it.

[@natashanicole7408]

Sorry to hear that. Did you try another copy or look online for other users with the same issue?

[@magicalsnek]

@@natashanicole7408 I've read from two other users about the same issues. Also the barrell distortion on the 24mm was crazy and despite it being easy to correct, it's an optical flaw and was the second reason for me to return it.

[@HappyHubris]

Were any of the early E/FE Zeiss lenses Zeiss quality? E16-70mm, FE35mm, etc.

[@Ax5]

Thanks I think also you should compare Sony vs sigma (2.8 24-70) and update your site seggestion lens

[@bakhtiyargasimov4155]

Zeif or Gm ?

[@charlesboulet8563]

Nice vid. Nice to see YYC featured! Love the Camera Store! Tamron it is.

[@farhanrikwanto8440]

So which better , sony or thamron bro

[@jshanni2066]

Another entertaining review! So....would you recommend the Tamron over the Samyang 35/2.8 as well?

[@nore8141]

A musical ear, a great eye for photography, a great commentary and of course can’t forget Jordan who keeps you always in focus.

[@edshotsdotcodotuk]

A lot of SonyZeiss 35 2.8 lenses on the UK secondhand market at the moment. Average pricing is around £350-375 so close to the new price of the Tamron.

[@marcp.1752]

Damn you nifty-fifty, damn you into friggin hell ! 🙂 I *love* shooting 35 & 40mm lenses since the later 80's, but 50mm always gets my nerves - too compressed, not wide enough. 35mm is perfect for 95% of anything, Chris.

[@jeffluo9591]

If you use AF-C instead of AF-S, which focus faster?

[@gohrhyyan5483]

Jeff Luo i’ve got the zeiss. AF-C uses phase detect AF so it snaps into focus quicker. AF-S uses contrast detect for better accuracy so it has to hunt a little, hence being a little slower.

[@jeffluo9591]

@@gohrhyyan5483 I meant which lens focus faster in AF-C mode, Zeiss or Tamron? This video only tested the AF-S mode. Maybe the Tamron could do better in AFC.

[@fotosvond_]

This lens is often put aside just for the AF, but I'd say it's the #1 "lens for money" on Sony FE. - image quality right from 2.8 is superb from corner to corner, even in close-ups at minimum focus distance - very good contrast and sharpness without looking overly or artificially sharp - thanks to the minimum focus distance of only 14/15 cm, it is very versatile and doesn't suffer from perspective distortion like you get on a 24mm lens - CAs are low - handling and grip are very good: the lens is small, yet at the same time big enough to give you a proper touch to it - hood: very smart solution, doesn't add any size to your lens - price: it was around 170€ by the end of December The AF, however, for sure isn't the fastest, but 1) it is not terribly slow, 2) it's surprisingly reliable and 3) can be put to MF if the clicking sound is undesirable. Plus, if you set AF to "slow" for more soft transitions, it is a lot quieter in video. Nevertheless, it's not your all-around-package. You have to get used to its AF and know how to make the best use of it - which is certainly possible.

[@jmack88]

can someone explain to me why some have rectangular front glass and some are round ?

[@jmack88]

nevermind its the lenshood ... right ?

[@sh8736]

Nice pipes at the end was it Christmas bells Chris?

[@裴浩宏]

If I can get a Zeiss 35mm at 300 euro (new one is 629euro here), should I buy Zeiss or Tamron?

[@ScottJWaldron]

Jordan can add model to his list of skills like actor and video producer. The lens appears to do camera based firmware updates, so hopefully they will improve the autofocus situation.

[@GiovanniMastellone]

Hi, do you suggest this on an "old" Sony A7II? It looks like a perfect lens for me (travel, trekking, climbing) due to its lightweight and optical performance.. but I've read some reviews talking about slow AF... Actually I have a 24-70 F4, can this Tamron AF be compared with my actual lens, or is it really slower? I'm wondering to buy this the new Sigma 35mm F2, or the Sony 35mm F 1.8.. I would love the Tamron for the 2:1 magnification ratio, the price (I will use it during trekking session, or Bike Travelling, so a small and cheap lens is best) and for the complete tropicalization.. I'm only a bit boubtful for the AF.. (I will use it for stills at 90%)

[@ngocnguyen6345]

I also like hiking but what I took during those trips are usually things that don't move. Slow AF doesn't matter in those cases. Ask yourself, do you need to take photos of fast moving objects a lot? On the other hand, macro ability is an absolute killing feature for me. Taking pics of small flowers, leaves, berries on the way...

[@djrbfmbfm-woa]

love these location shoots. they show a lot of Calgary......particularly the end scene with chris playing the tubes.............nice depth of field and contrast. i'm in northern nsw, australia. high summer. bush fires everywhere. best. j.

[@G95G95]

Auto focus speed and accuracy is so much more important than peak optical perfection, what good is perfect optics if you often miss focus

[@kartchinski]

Maybe you should do reviews of the Samyang 35mm f/2.8 and the Samyang 35mm f/1.4 (they are both excellent in my opinion).... Chris will love that.

[@faynan4165]

Why Jorden always cried when you shoot him. Does it really that hurt? 😂

[@sgpork]

still rocking the 35 1.4 ZA. only problem is. alittle big n heavy. but loving the quality.

[@vic_squeak]

So you showed Tamron's AF-S focus speed at 1x video time speed, and Sony's AF-S video portion at 2x speed or more. How people are supposed to make judgements out of it? All I see is video speed increased, but can't say anything about the lens focus time and wobbling, because video speeds are different

[@cosminovidiumunteanu]

Do not forget about the Samyang 35/2.8 FE AF lens ;)

[@afrank3029]

Cosmin Munteanu Whoo..!?

[@maxime-yj4of]

Can you do that with a Big objectif

[@birjub9647]

Can you update firmware on the tamron?

[@idontwantacallsign]

I just got the Tamron 35 f/2.8 and I must say I am disappointed. The whole left side of the frame are blurry. So possibly a decentered one I got. So I returned the lens.

[@murtzt8023]

This review changed my mind from buying the Sony 35 2.8 to the Tamron. Photography is not my profession. I do own some moderately expensive Sony lens like the 24-105 and the amazing 85 1.8 but I couldn't justify neither of the 35mm 2.8 nor the 1.8 after watching some reviews. I am still waiting for the Tamron to come in, but I think t will be the right lens for my needs.

[@Auteur_Vision]

Hey Jordan and Chris can you shoot a BTS video of how you shoot DP review TV from scripting to delivering to youtube?

[@nicsolo59]

For the focus test you have to be at the sâme distance of the subject to compare them. Because the tamron has à better minimum focus distance, the lens have more course when you focus far and near.

[@joeljrichards]

Surprised you compared it with the Sony when Samyang lens seems more comparable in market appeal.

[@Manusnake2000]

Nice review, thanks guys. I’d like you to do one for the Sigma 1.4 Sony APS-C lenses too! (16-30-56)

[@KyleClements]

I never got the 35mm 85mm combo. The first is never wide enough, and the other is never long enough. 28mm and 105mm is my dream prime combo.

[@saintlouis1989]

Could you please test it on Apsc body? Is it worth it?

[@mrbaiser4133]

I think the Sigma 30mm f2.8 is still a great option for aps-c.

[@MrPhilbautista]

I came into the video thinking "what a stupid lens, but Chris and Jordan are reviewing it so click play," and now I want one.

[@lukazupie7220]

philaw123 why??:O

[@yeohrichard3548]

Hi Chris Please review Tamron 24mm f2.8 Thanks

[@DaleSheltonsPage]

Nice video - thanks! I sold my Zeiss largely because of the CA. Really frustrating given the price. Now I'm looking for a good street lens for by A7Riv for a trip to Cambodia. Hope I can find a run-off between the Tamron and the Samyang.

[@BiscuitLazers44]

Love the look of the S1H footage

[@MikeLikesChannel]

The new price on the Zeiss is absurd... but lightly used they're $350-400... not a bad deal. The issue with the Tam 35 2.8, as well as the Samy 35 2.8... is autofocus issues at night.

[@lukazupie7220]

Why would they make it so big?:o

[@auroraflash]

the colors are amazing on the S1H

[@mcauleyrj]

I would love to see you review the 24mm

[@mrbaiser4133]

The Tamron vs the Sony FE 1.8/35mm would be VERY interesting!

[@murtzt8023]

Lots of reviews out there on it as well now. Sharpness wise they are both close or same. 1.8 has its obvious advantages plus the faster auto focus.

[@spybloodjr]

"endless non-committal compromise between telephoto and wide" really hits the core of how I feel about a 35mm lens. Can't live with it, refuse to shoot without it!

[@eccentricsmithy2746]

Mine has a rubber gasket around the mount......

[@byVidalby]

I think it would be better to compare it with samyang 35 2.8

[@MarshallSmith27]

I have the Zeiss and I love it!