In order to put the capabilities of the brand new Tamron 35-150mm F/2-2.8 Di III VXD to the test, I decided to go to Rivard Compétition in Portneuf, a small town located west of Quebec . This is a family-owned automotive workshop that has specialized in the restoration of venerable classic Porsche 911s, as well as the preparation of legendary racing vehicles such as the 956 and 962, to name just a few examples. Jacques and Olivier Rivard, father and son, truly embody high-level craftsmanship and maintain a clientele not only in Canada, but also in Europe and the United States. The setting was ideal for putting this zoom lens through a series of tests, as different textures and light effects abound here. My preference for black and white photography led me to undertake a photographic report.
Over a period of about an hour, I used my Nikon Z8 camera equipped with this lens to capture various images at different focal lengths, constantly maintaining the lens’ maximum aperture to assess the quality of the background blur (bokeh). The results obtained were extremely impressive. As someone who is used to using fixed focal length lenses in my photography work, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of this zoom at all focal lengths. Undeniably, it has a substantial weight, but this constraint is easily surpassed by the versatility that this new Tamron offers. I would particularly recommend this lens for photojournalism as well as sporting events where close proximity to the action is required, such as basketball for example. Traditionally, 35mm is recognized as the ideal lens for street photography, but with this zoom lens, the ability to capture the essence of a subject by simply switching to a longer focal length to capture a portrait is a captivating reality. In addition, the lens provides exceptional performance in landscape photography.
To conclude, this lens excels at all focal lengths, offering an exceptional level of detail and manufacturing quality that that meets or exceeds contemporary benchmarks. We can easily compare it to a “Swiss army knife” of photography: by having it in our camera bag we are ready to face any photographic challenge.
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About the Author – Daniel Mallard
Daniel Mallard, seasoned press photographer, has devoted 35 years of his career to covering a wide range of areas for major newspapers in Quebec and Montreal. He has distinguished himself in covering high-profile sporting events such as the National Hockey League (NHL), politics, the arts and major events. He also completed two missions to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2013 to cover the ongoing conflict, in addition to reporting on international disasters such as the Haiti earthquake and Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. His coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics demonstrates his commitment to excellence in photojournalism.
Daniel Mallard, Photographer.
Tout à fait magnifique. Merci Dan