Back in October, I was asked to review the new Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 for my Sony. I loved it so much I bought it, Seriously! Tamron 70-300mm for Sony really is a nature photography gem.

It was the smallest, most compact and lightweight telephoto lens currently on the market, and possibly still is. It’s only marginally longer than my Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 workhorse and is actually a fraction lighter — a must as far as I was concerned. I aim to keep all my gear as compact and lightweight as possible.

I was never a fan of telephoto shooting, so it did take a bit to adjust. My biggest issue was (and still is to some degree) remembering the maximum focal length versus shutter speed, which should be at least equal to the focal length (for example, 300mm at 1/300s). Sony’s Eye AF is supported, as well as other Sony features. The 70-300mm claims to be a versatile lens for sport, action, wildlife, pets, landscapes and even portraits.

I must confess using the 300mm for nature photography was a BIG plus for me …

Great for nature photography

While this lens is great for nature photography, the autofocus is not quite as fast as I would have liked. However, it’s super quiet — a positive when it comes to nature photography. It also works well with the Sony AF-C mode.

The zoom turned out to be a brilliant addition for photographing wildlife, as I couldn’t get very close. When originally trialling this lens, I was still in lockdown and couldn’t travel far, but recently I managed to get in some long-awaited travel and nature photography, this was the first lens I packed, it was fabulous to capture up-close details otherwise unavailable in my standard 75mm lens. The images are just wonderful … strong and detailed.

Portraits & sports

While technically NOT a portrait lens it actually handled some casual shots quite well. Totally adored the almost Lensbaby-like swirly bokeh I achieved on some of the shots, while still keeping the subject in perfect focus. Still to try sports as such, but not really my forte. I am yet to attempt a creative portrait shoot with this lens but hopefully will soon get the chance.

Surprisingly beautiful macro lens

What really surprised me was how much I love shooting flowers with it as well. Technically it’s NOT a macro lens — far from it. It provided such a pretty bokeh. I was really quite impressed with the lens compression and forced focus on macro-style shots. Add extension tubes and it is pure magic!

Handles landscapes well, too

At 70mm, the lens handles landscapes pretty well, presenting a fairly good mid-range shot. Far from a wide-angle, it actually picks up from where my other lens finishes off. I get a lovely bokeh and good dynamic range on a basic landscape. This lens has special elements to correct for most chromatic aberration (which can quite strong in some telephoto lenses apparently), but I did find that there was still a little magenta-green fringing in high contrast areas, but it was easy to correct in post.

Specs

Focal length: 70-300mm
Aperture range: f/4.5-6.3 to f/22-32
Aperture blades: 7 circular
Minimum object distance: 31.5 inches (wide) to 59.1 inches (tele)
Filter size: 67mm
Length: 5.8 inches
Weight: 545 grams (19.2 oz)
Mount: E-mount; designed for full-frame. Will also work with APS-C.
Works with Sony AF, Eye AF and DMF

Lightweight and compact, the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 is the smallest, most compact lens of its kind on the market. It features moisture resistance and has fluorine coating for protection against weather and fingerprints.

The manual focus ring is smooth in its transition and zoom ring is ridged for grip (without being too much). Finally, it includes a lens hood and lens cap.

So if you are looking for a great telephoto lens for nature photography I can recommend the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 enough! It has a great range and offers a truly beautiful bokeh. It’s a quiet lens that’s a good performer without breaking the bank. It’s perfect for an early morning (or late afternoon) in the wetlands and nature shots and some basic landscapes too.

If you are after a telephoto with a good range that doesn’t break the bank, this is a great lens to have in your kit.