70mm F/2.8 for Canon RF and Nikon Z Five Years After Sony Debut

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Tamron has officially expanded its popular 17-70mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD to Nikon Z and Canon RF APS-C mirrorless cameras, nearly five years after the lens first debuted for Sony E mount.

When it launched in late 2020, the lens became the world’s first APS-C standard zoom to combine a 4.1x zoom range with a constant F/2.8 aperture. With its arrival on Nikon and Canon systems, APS-C photographers now have another fast all-around zoom option for everything from travel and landscapes to events and portraits.

A Versatile Standard Zoom for APS-C Cameras

On Nikon DX cameras, the lens provides a 25.5-105mm full-frame equivalent focal length, while Canon APS-C users get an equivalent range of approximately 27.2-112mm due to Canon’s 1.6x crop factor.

That versatile range covers wide-angle through short telephoto, making it well suited for travel, street photography, landscapes, portraits, events, and everyday shooting.

The Canon RF version is particularly noteworthy because Canon currently does not offer a native APS-C standard zoom with a constant F/2.8 aperture. Canon’s RF-S standard zooms have variable apertures of F/3.5-6.3 and F/4.5-6.3, while Sigma’s 18-50mm F/2.8 DC DN offers a similar aperture but with a shorter zoom range.

Proven Optical Design

The Nikon Z and Canon RF versions retain the same optical construction as the original Sony E model.

The lens features 16 elements in 12 groups, including two low-dispersion elements, one hybrid aspherical element, and two molded aspherical elements that help reduce distortion while maintaining sharpness throughout the zoom range. Tamron’s BBAR G2 coating also minimizes flare and ghosting to improve contrast when shooting into bright light.

Fast Autofocus and Close Focusing

Autofocus is powered by Tamron’s Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive (RXD), which promises fast, accurate, and quiet focusing for both still photography and video recording.

The lens is also designed to suppress focus breathing, making it better suited for video work. It can focus as close as 0.19m at the wide end and 0.39m at the telephoto end, allowing photographers to capture detailed close-up compositions.

Lightweight Build

The 17-70mm F/2.8 features a durable polycarbonate exterior with a moisture-resistant construction for shooting in challenging weather conditions. The front element is coated with a fluorine coating to repel water, oil, and fingerprints.

The Nikon Z version weighs 540g and measures 121.3mm, while the Canon RF version is slightly lighter and shorter at 530g and 117.3mm. Both versions accept standard 67mm filters and include a petal-shaped lens hood.

One small difference is found on the Nikon Z version, which omits the dedicated AF/MF and VC On/Off switches found on the Sony version. These functions are instead controlled through compatible Nikon camera menus.