With its compact and lightweight design, the Tamron 12-20mm F2.8 lens offers superior control features tailored for professional astrophotography.
The standout attribute of the 12-20mm F2.8 (Model A084) tailored for full-frame mirrorless cameras is its ultra-wide focal range, beginning impressively at 12mm. While 14mm and 16mm lenses provide wide angles, the 12mm perspective delivers an unmatched sense of scale. According to Tamron, this allows photographers to capture perspectives with dynamic intensity, perfectly suited for everything from grand architectural marvels to vast landscapes.
This vast 12mm perspective, which offers a dynamic expression as if it captures the entire scene, is combined with a bright F2.8 maximum aperture throughout the zoom range. Tamron envisions this lens as the emerging standout for astrophotography and interior photography.
The lens’s potential is evident when considering its advanced optical system, which incorporates an XGM (eXpanded Glass Molded Aspherical) lens element, three GM (Glass Molded Aspherical) lens elements, and various special lens elements. This construction effectively minimizes peripheral blurring and color fringing, while correcting sagittal coma flare—an issue frequently encountered in astrophotography—ensuring sharpness from the center to the edges. As Tamron states, “whether capturing star-filled skies or dim interiors, this lens excels in all environments.”
Despite its “exceptional imaging performance,” Tamron proudly notes the lens achieves a sophisticated balance of size and weight, measuring just 119.3mm (4.7in) in length and weighing a mere 570g (20.2oz). Though compact, it is a professional-grade tool equipped with various switches and rings to ensure superior operability.
For autofocus, this lens utilizes the VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive), a high-speed, high-precision linear motor focus mechanism. With a minimum object distance (MOD) of 0.18m (7.1in) at the 12mm wide end, the lens offers remarkable close-up capabilities for creative flexibility, allowing photographers to get as close as 50mm (2in) from the lens front to the subject.
The lens mount includes a dedicated rear filter holder, accommodating commercially available sheet-type filters. Users can cut a filter sheet to size and insert it into the holder, providing expanded creative control, especially beneficial for long-exposure photography.
Additionally, the 12-20mm F2.8 is compatible with the Tamron Lens Utility application, allowing users to assign practical functions for both video and photography directly to the lens. This feature eliminates the need for external video equipment or previously complex setups, streamlining creative workflows and enhancing shooting possibilities.
The 12-20mm F2.8 lens is priced at $1,699.00 for the Sony E version and $1,799.00 for the Nikon Z version.
