Scenes Seen, I Wish They Made This Lens For Other Mounts: The Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 Di III VXD.

I Wish They Made This Lens For Other Mounts: The Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 Di III VXD.

Last time out I called this lens “A Little Bag Of Primes Lens”. And I stand by that.

I have said recently that brand does not matter but this lens complicates things a bit for me. Canon does not allow third party manufacturers to their party but Nikon has been more flexible. Tamron saw fit to make a Nikon version of my favorite lens overall the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8. I have also read that the Nikon 17-28mm f/2.8 lens is a rehoused and more expensive Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8. While it stinks that it costs more at least they have access to a lens I really liked. So is two Tamron lenses allowed into the Nikon party. Hopefully Nikon will get this one also. Not that I plan on switching. Just thinking it would be nice to share. I want all to share in the fun.

Am I not merciful!

<ahem>… Anyhoo.

I have moved past my, “Respectfully what the heck?”, phase about this lens. Have now settled into my “I really like this lens I did not get at first.” phase.

As mentioned recently I wrote a post about me trading two lenses I really like for this lens.

The 20-40mm succeeded.

Wide enough to meet my Tamron 17-28mm needs and its performance at 40mm has me not missing the Sony prime.

It has become my, “I just need the pic.”, lens.

Not for when I want dreamy backgrounds or ridiculous subject isolation. And that is ok. It still makes quite the pleasing image.

Then there is the biggest surprise. Had feared I would miss the Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G lens. But nope. Not at all. I have not given a second thought to that lens since.

I went on a short photo walk in local small town… downtown recently to kill some film and brought this lens along also. The film solution was a rangefinder so I went another way for digital. At first, I used it intermittently. But a good thing I had it because I had bought some expired film from my local camera and realized the abrupt way that the last roll on me was 24 exposure and not 36 as I had assumed. Had more captures planned. Welp. Digital it is. And it did not disappoint. You know. The same old, same old. Scenes seen.

Closing thoughts.

Um… I like this lens. A lot.

Far more flexible than its humble focal range spec would imply. Replaces my favorite f/2.8 prime lenses 28mm, 35mm. Comes close enough to my previous favorite 50mm focal that it lands on my new favorite, 40mm. Then for kicks it throws in a 20mm focal length while it is at it.

As I said in my last post about this lens:

At this moment this is my favorite Sony FE lens. Not because it is best at one thing. Because of its flexibility.

Well done Tamron.

Happy capturing.

-ELW