Tamron 20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 lens review with samples

It's taken me a while to get round to testing out this new range of low-budget Tamron lenses - sorry! Here's the 20mm option for you - is its low price and macro ability enticing enough to make it worth a punt?
Find it here! (Amazon affiliate link - thanks for your support!):
geni.us/Tamron...
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All pictures taken by me on a Sony a7R III and Sony a5100 camera.
Equipment I use to make my videos (Amazon affiliate links):
Canon EOS R5: geni.us/CanonE...
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Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS STM: geni.us/CanonR...
Marumi Fit and Slim CPL Filter: geni.us/Marumi...
AudioTechnica AT2020USB+ Microphone: geni.us/AT2020...
Rode Smartlav+ Microphone: geni.us/RodeSm...
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Zoom H1n Recorder: geni.us/ZoomH1...
DJI Mini 2 Drone: geni.us/DJIMin...
Music:
'Opportunity Walks', Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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[@kronusaerospace8872]

Lenses like this are great to have. Those who need lenses of this focal length, and need weather sealing and decent build quality, but can't justify buying more expensive high end models.

[@HappyHubris]

Picked this up for $200 and it's incredibly strong for the price. It's the perfect light prime to throw in your bag for stopped-down wide angle shots.

[@myblujl7503]

When I started photography this year, it was a Sony A6000. I was really not impressed with the camera using the "kit" 16-50 lens. I went to a local camera shop and talked a bit, and he recommended the Tamron 35MM 2.8 in this line. I got it and just fell in love with photography in general simply due to that lens. I didnt know it was full frame capable! Wow what a value for new photographers. I now have an A6600 with a Tamron 17-70. I got the 17-70 100% due to your review, and love it.

[@sarveshgupta9924]

Check out Sigma's DC DN line for Sony APS-C, cannot recommend the 30mm f/1.4 and 56 f/1.4 enough. Didn't have a use for the 16mm myself, but that one gets even more parise than the other two.

[@LeeAllen337]

I just purchased this lens today. I'll have it in a few days and I can't wait to use it. I have a Sony a7iii. Along with the kit lens of 28-70mm, I have the Tamron 70-300mm and I absolutely love it. Tamron makes an excellent lens for the price. Thanks for the video.

[@martinezpix]

How have u been enjoying the lens?

[@LeeAllen337]

@@martinezpix I do like it. I enjoy how close I can get to a subject and still focus correctly. AF speed is pretty good as well. The only downfall is the very edges of photos aren't as sharp and there is focus breathing involved if doing heavy focus stacking. Overall for the price, it's a nice little lens to keep around.

[@AndreasRavnestad]

I happen to own a copy of this lens, and my experience with it is very similar to your findings. It's a very lightweight and cheap lens though, and works very well for landscape shoots on my A7RIV. Maybe you will be reviewing the Tamron 17-28mm in the future as well? Would be very interesting to see how they compare at 20mm :) Edit: Also, thank you for another great review!

[@alexanderje8336]

It's one of the great mysteries of this channel that that lens has never been reviewed. Big fan of Chris his work, but I'm almost beginning to suspect Tamron doesn't legally allow him to do that lens or something.

[@keystonebrotherb]

The 17-28 is wonderful. I have the 28-75 and 70-180 also! Best value out there.

[@mire_cs]

yeah i've got the 24mm version, a crazy solid lens for the pricepoint

[@Wistbacka]

This or the Samyang 18 mm? What do you recommend for A7Rii?

[@slr7075]

Holy fisheye effect! This was surprising.

[@Cahejo]

How's the longitudinal chromatic aberration on this lens? I've only tried it very briefly once but didn't really notice any strong aberration. Fantastic video as always.

[@christopherfrost]

Gah, I can't remember I'm afraid!

[@Cahejo]

@@christopherfrost Don't worry - I'll get the opportunity to try it tomorrow (again); which is why I was inquisitive.

[@peteT269]

Please review the Tamron 20-40 f2.8! I would love to hear your opinion.

[@drbeardo6960]

Thanks for reviewing this lens Great efforts

[@SPYROSMANTZAKOS]

Would love to see a review of the Zeiss loxia 21mm f2.8, consider to be the best 21 from what I've heard.

[@zh123456]

Thank you for another wonderfull video. Enjoy the weekend Christopher.

[@rsrally5263]

I own the 24mm Version, very useful. I love the good macro function of some Tamron lenses!

[@silentcovemusic]

Another fantastic review! Thank you CF

[@zdenexxx]

Please do a review of the new Tamron 20-40mm f2.8

[@geohoundTube]

Yeah, comparition between 20 + 24 + 35 vs 20-40 would be interesting. I think this zoom will kill the tamrons trinity sales.

[@clixbyshivanth]

i bought tamron 20mm f2.8 for my sony a6400 apsc camera i thought the image getting from this lens is equal to full frame 30mm (crop factor) but iam getting equal to 20mm result comparing my apsc lens sony 16-50mm in 20mm zoom, how this possible 😐 pls help me to understand about this lens 😢

[@HenryPiffpaff]

Did you find the answer already?

[@clixbyshivanth]

@@HenryPiffpaff yas

[@agillis00]

Lol I had this lens and didn’t even know of it’s macro capabilities. I was waiting to hear a mention of the distortion or how loud it is lol, but it is a nice little lens

[@cameraprepper7938]

A "true" macro Lens are not about 1:1, a true macro Lens are specially designed to have optimal image performance at close-up range from about 1:4 to 2:1 and have a flat field images (zero distortion !). In the "good" old days most macro Lenses had 1:2 (half size), so a macro Lens is not the ability to focus with the focus ring to 1:1, it is how the Lens are designed ! At close-up macro photography you do NOT use the focus ring (neither AF) to focus, you set the focus ring to the size you want the image to be and then you move yourself carefully slightly forth and back till you nail the focus where you want it to be.

[@toby1248]

Don't forget a lot of the old 1:2 lenses supported 2x teleconverters which push them up to true 1:1 macro. The Sony 70-200 F4 II is a modern example of this

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@toby1248 Do not use 2x teleconverters for macro, use Lens tubes ! Now what is macro !? Macro is when a subject is 1:1 or larger, so lets say you have a Lens that only focus to 1:4, a quarter of the real size, but when you enlarge the image on a computer screen or print it, bingo !!! Then you have a macro image larger than life size ! So macro is not about a Lens can focus to 1:1 or not, a true Macro Lens do need to have a flat focus plane and it must not have distortion which some new "macro" lenses do.

[@toby1248]

@@cameraprepper7938 extension tubes remove the ability to focus to infinity and they don't work well with zoom lenses like the 70-200. You'd also need over 100mm of extension to reach 1:1 with a 200mm lens. So no, if your lens supports a TC you shouldnt be using tubes

[@cameraprepper7938]

Well, if you will go with the much reduced resolution and sharpness, go on ! WHY use a zoom for macro !!! Should not be allowed. I do not like zoom lenses, too big, too heavy, too expensive and never as good as a prime Lens !

[@michaelq16000]

I have an unrelated question- does more expensive CPL remove reflections better than a cheap one? Or is it just image quality thing?

[@utomotjipto5294]

Allow me to jump in. Higher quality CPL filter has minimal color shift for the same amount of reflections removal. So if you mainly shoot monochrome perhaps its a moot issue, but if you shoot color and your advertising agency requested to have quality color reproductions then a more expensive CPL will be useful.

[@ulimuller7892]

After having Nikon to allow Tamron lenses under Tamron name (70-300 is the only one for the moment), I really hope for this one to follow. There is just no 20mm or wider other than the nikon 20mm 1.8 for around 1k 😲

[@geonerd]

That looks kind of fun!

[@fzeo]

i tried this 20mm. the af is very slow. when i tested 17-28, af is significantly faster. so i had to buy 17-28 tamron.

[@fallogingl]

Thinking of pairing this with zv-e1 and make it a fullframe go pro 😂

[@RFGfotografie]

Awesome review. Awesome lens.

[@JAMESDOWDELL-dv9se]

I follow and enjoy your reviews, but I myself along with as I suspect, my fellow Americans, would love your critiques even more if you would translate the metric system into something we here in the colonies can comprehend!! Thanks for the uniformly consistent reviews. James Dowdell

[@robyfadilah8157]

pls review ttartisan 50mm f2 fullframe lens..

[@bennytang6841]

Hi, Christ. I have found a guy who uses your video on bilibili(哔哩哔哩）, which is a Chinese video platform like KZbin. That guy calls 攝影家传说(you can use these characters to search him on bilibili。 does he use your videos accepted from you? If not please alert him cause I don’t see any description under videos about you.

[@lighthousephoto7143]

I went for the Tokina Firin

[@Greetz108]

Please test the NEW pergear 35mm f1.4 for FullFrame - its new also for Nikon Z Mount and EOS R - thanks!

[@lewiss66]

Maybe the 20-40mm f2.8 is a more relevant lens to test. Thanks for your video.

[@Vulturetanki]

I just tested a good amount of Fuji cameras and lenses at a store since they were doing an official showoff. I gotta say, the 50-140 f2.8 an extremely nice lens in every way, the 56 f1.2 has a bit clonky af and it's not on par with the newest lenses but still nice, the 150-600 can't be tested in a store at night (f8 and a few meters of minimum focus distance). I gotta say, the ISO performance different is visible and 4:3 aspect ratio is (in my opinion) the best format to shoot because it gives you a not to squared but not too long image. X-H2s AF is impressive if compared to my X-T4. I kinda want to have a GFX camera now ahah

[@Donbros]

Better to save up for sony or sigma option. Espevially sony which is relatively light

[@toxotis70]

I wish they released it for Nikon z too…

[@beallouseanne920]

1:10 Korean Money ~!!! It's about 0.8 USD~!!!

[@CristoforoBonissone]

Ciao 😃

[@봉-w6p]

06:12 우리나라(한국) 돈이...ㄷㄷㄷㄷ

[@ovo7830]

Viltrox do better in quality & price

[@Princeton_James]

Tamron's little lenses are crazy sharp, but so are Sony's. Not sure why anyone would want this over the Sony 20mm 1.8.

[@geohoundTube]

Price, I guess

[@BigBampot]

Weight is half, price is less than half, still sealed.. pretty good

[@SunnySoCal]

seems like the weakest out of the bunch but looks fairly useable

[@jukeboxjohnnie]

Looks poor for a prime I'll pass

[@mattstolzman]

This!

[@neilfullframe]

Yeah well it’s $249 can’t expect flagship

[@MrSongwriter2]

The macro function is amazing. Autofocus on mine is bloody noisy but weight is great. It’s good enough for me for the occasional landscape or interior photography and would be great for basic vlogging using and external mic. It’s not going to compare with Nikon Z glass or Sony GM but it’ll do. I paid 170 used which for me makes it a steal

[@drbeardo6960]

First

[@Badonicus]

Any thoughts on the actual review tho

[@drbeardo6960]

@@Badonicus I'll wait for an RF version of this lens I'd love this lens for my R6

[@Joe-hm1zk]

@@drbeardo6960 HA like that will happen anytime soon

[@nikhilpv06]

Worst lens