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Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD Review

When Mike, the manager from our Burgess Hill camera store, heard that I’d be receiving the newly released Tamron 90mm F/2.8 Di III Macro VXD Lens For Sony E for review, he couldn’t hide his enthusiasm. He explained how Tamron’s legacy with 90mm macro lenses dates back over 45 years, with each generation earning awards and new fans along the way.

Fast forward to October 24, 2024, and the 90mm Macro (Model F072) was released for Sony E-mount and Nikon Z mount to widespread enthusiasm.

Join me for this hands-on Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD Review as I discover whether this latest generation might just be the perfect macro lens for your close-up work. Although no expert, I’m a huge fan of macro photography and was thrilled to capture sample macro images from late-autumn. These include close-ups of frost, ice, autumnal nature and more, with this new short telephoto prime lens from Tamron.

Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD Sample images

All sample images for this review were captured by Nick Dautlich using the Sony FE (full-frame) version of the Tamron 90mm lens, mounted on a Sony A7R V camera body. Photos were shot in RAW with minimal editing applied.

We’ve also included some 100% crop samples to showcase the incredible detail, which this lens can achieve when paired with the A7R V’s 60+ megapixel sensor. Spoiler alert – it’s seriously impressive!

Conditions varied during my time with the lens. After emerging from the anticyclonic gloom that had gripped the country for several days, we were hit by a howling Storm Bert, during which I was unable to shoot outdoors. Fortunately, this was followed by frost and ice, beautiful sunrises, and a spell of milder weather, giving me the chance to test the lens in a really wide range of conditions!

Sample image frozen droplet. Camera settings: 1/3 sec. f/6.3. ISO 100

Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD Key features

Before diving into the build and handling, let’s cover some of the key features, which the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD lens brings to the table.

• Life-sized 1:1 magnification ratio (sometimes referred to as true macro)
• Optical design resolves high levels of detail and sharpness
• Superior flat-field resolution with minimal vignetting
• Tamron’s first 12-blade circular aperture design
• Measures 126.5mm long and weighs 630g
• Precise and surprisingly quick VXD autofocus mechanism
• New hood design with a filter rotation window
• BBAR-G2 (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection Generation 2) Coating
• 67mm filter thread, which is the same as most Tamron lenses
• Focus set button and a Focus limiter switch
• Moisture-resistant design and a Fluorine Coating

100% crop from previous image of droplet

Price

With a price of £599.00 for both of the Sony FE and Nikon Z versions, this macro lens is a bit of a steal, especially when considering the image quality and features which it provides. By comparison, the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD zoom lens is around £1,329.00, which gives you a zoom spanning the 90mm range, but without any macro capabilities.

This comparison isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem, given that a 90mm prime is incredibly versatile and suitable for a wide variety of subjects, which we explore next.

Sample image leaf droplets. Camera settings: 0.6 sec. f/8. ISO 100

What is a 90mm macro lens good for?

90mm macro lenses are known for exceptional close-up capabilities, making this an excellent choice for capturing fine details in subjects like flowers, insects, and product photography, as well as other small objects. The 1:1 magnification ratio allows for true macro photography, where subjects are rendered life-size on the camera sensor.

However, the versatility of a 90mm lens extends beyond macro work, and the medium telephoto focal length is a fantastic option for portraits, offering a slightly compressed perspective and beautiful subject separation. The bright f/2.8 aperture, enables strong background blur, while the 12-bladed aperture captures beautifully rounded bokeh for even more professional-looking results.

For event photography such as weddings, the 90mm focal length lets you capture intimate moments from a comfortable distance without intruding. Its sharpness and detail also make it suitable for capturing details of rings and flowers for example, where resolving power is beneficial.

Sample image autumnal trees. Camera settings: 0.8 sec. f/8. ISO 100

In landscape photography, a 90mm lens is excellent for compressing scenes, drawing the viewers’ attention to specific elements like mountains, textures, or details. During my time with the lens, I was fortunate to find local roads framed by vibrant autumnal colours, enabling me to capture shots of tree-lined roads with this prime lens.

While zoom lenses are often preferred for landscapes, as they allow flexibility when you can’t physically move closer or further, certain scenes like these roads are perfect examples where you can adjust your composition by simply changing your own position. This is where a prime lens shines, encouraging more thoughtful framing and creative exploration of a scene.

Sample image grass with rain droplets. Camera settings: 1/13 sec. f/5.6. ISO 400

The compressed perspective of the 90mm focal length was particularly effective in these shots. By narrowing the gaps between the canopy, I was able to exclude distracting white skies and create cleaner, more focused images of the colourful trees. This ability to simplify a scene while maintaining sharp detail makes a 90mm lens a valuable tool for landscape photography, which you can also aim at incredibly small details, which are impossible to see by the naked eye and often overlooked.

If you’re a Sony or Nikon mirrorless APS-C camera user, it’s worth noting that the lens becomes a 135mm mid-telephoto macro lens (full-frame equivalent), while retaining the wide f/2.8 aperture. This compresses the scene even further, and appears to get you even closer to the subject, which is ideal in many situations.

Sample image decaying leaf detail. Camera settings: 1/3sec. f/8. ISO 100

Image quality

The MTF chart provided by Tamron confirms the sharpness and contrast this lens delivers across the frame, making it ideal for detailed macro photography and other high-resolution applications. It truly is a modern reinterpretation of a classic, featuring all the image quality attributes expected of professional-level optics.

In practice, the lens was razor-sharp from near to the minimum focusing distance (23cm) right through to infinity. The corners are impressively sharp too, albeit I was shooting landscapes at around f/8 to maximise depth of field. For close-ups, I experimented with a variety of apertures and found consistent sharpness across the frame, from wide open at f/2.8

A short telephoto like this naturally produces a shallow depth of field until you’re further away from your subject. This makes the 90mm focal length perfect for portraiture and images with a well-defined subject. For macro-sized objects, the incredibly shallow depth of field means only a small portion of your subject will be in focus, even when stopping down to f/8 or beyond.

Sample image mushroom. Camera settings: 2 sec. f/8. ISO 100

This is where serious macro photographers who capture small subjects might benefit from using a focusing rail, such as the Leofoto MP-180S Macro Focusing Rail With Arca-Type QR. This allows for image stacking without changing focus, as this lens exhibits some focus breathing, which hinders in-camera focus stacking. This is common for comparable lenses and, while slightly limiting, is typical when capturing minute details in small subjects.

Beyond sharpness, contrast, and corner detail, this lens renders beautifully natural colours and delivers incredibly soft defocus areas. At 90mm with an f/2.8 aperture, smooth backgrounds are easy to achieve, especially near the minimum object distance.

The rounded bokeh produced by the 12-bladed aperture is also a strength of this lens. Smooth circular highlights remain non-distracting even at f/8, although shooting wide open typically produces the creamiest bokeh.

Sample image frozen mushroom with ice crystals. Camera settings: 1/15 sec. f/8. ISO 100

Autofocus Performance

The autofocus system in the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro lens is based around Tamron’s VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor, which is reassuringly fast and precise. Focusing from the minimum object distance to infinity of course takes some time, however for typical smaller AF adjustments the lens is surprisingly quick, and snaps focus almost instantly.

Tamron has designed this AF system to deliver precision down to an impressive 0.005mm, which is less than a tenth the width of a human hair. This level of accuracy will give you exceptional results, even when photographing subjects that move around the frame unpredictably, such as children or butterflies.

The VXD motor operates near-silently, making it ideal for quiet environments, whether shooting macro in nature, recording video, or photographing events. While I didn’t photograph any moving subjects, I wouldn’t hesitate to use this lens for such purposes, particularly when paired with advanced autofocus systems like those in the Sony A7R V. This particular camera even features a dedicated insect detection setting alongside human and animal detection.

100% crop from previous image

Usability and customisation

Tamron lenses are known for being lightweight and easy to handle, and the 90mm is no exception. It weighs 630g for the Sony E version (versus 640g for the Nikon), which is typical for a lens of this type. The lens body feels solid without being plasticky, and the focus ring is relatively loose, which is actually helpful for making precise manual focus adjustments.

The only omission I noted was the lack of an AF/MF switch. I prefer having a dedicated switch rather than customising the focus hold button. However, the option to assign this functionality via the comprehensive Tamron Lens Utility app (not tested) is a welcome alternative. The app also allows adjustments to focus throw and other settings, as well as firmware updates via USB. Other nicely considered features include the lens hood cut-out for rotating a CPL, which are a compact 67mm size.

Overall, this is a very user-friendly lens to work with, despite the absence of built-in stabilisation, which may deter some users. All of the macro and landscape images for this review were shot on a tripod, where stabilisation wasn’t necessary, but handheld users may miss this feature depending on the camera body the lens is mounted to.

Sample image red leaf. Camera settings: 0.4 sec. f/8. ISO 100

Conclusion

Tamron regularly releases new lenses for mirrorless cameras, and while this is their first prime in a while, it’s an outstanding one, which is built on a 45 year legacy. I was genuinely impressed and would rate this among some of the best-performing prime lenses around this focal length, and certainly comparable with first-party lenses.

If you’re after exceptional sharpness, fine detail, natural colours, and beautiful defocus at an affordable price point, the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Macro delivers on all fronts. It’s surprising quick to focus, and I find this focal length perfect for close-ups as well as short telephoto subjects, offering a natural field of view without being overly compressed.

Sample image grains of rice. Camera settings: 1/3 sec. f/8. ISO 100

Reserve your own Tamron 90mm F/2.8 Di III Macro VXD Lens For Nikon Z or the Tamron 90mm F/2.8 Di III Macro VXD Lens For Sony E and discover a whole new world of previously unseen details in your work. 

If you’re selling an unwanted lens in order to upgrade, why not grab a free trade-in quote and find out how much you can save off the price of the Tamron, while enjoying a completely hassle-free trade-in process.

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By Nick Dautlich on 05/12/2024