The Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 is a small, lightweight standard zoom for APS-C mirrorless cameras. It's available for Sony E-mount and Canon RF, with Fujifilm X and Nikon Z versions on the way. I took it out for a day of street photography on the Sony A6700 to test it for both photo and video, and I also put it side by side with Sony's 16-55mm f/2.8 G.
As usual, this review isn't sponsored. I'm not being paid and I don't keep the gear.
Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 specs at a glance
- Focal length: 16-50mm, around 24-75mm full frame equivalent
- Aperture: constant f/2.8 through the zoom range, down to f/16
- Weight: 305g (Sony, Canon and Fujifilm), 315g (Nikon)
- Filter thread: 55mm on every mount
- Minimum focus distance: 15cm at 16mm, 29cm at 50mm
- Aperture blades: 7, circular
- Autofocus: VXD linear motor
- Build: external zoom, moisture-resistant, USB-C port, petal lens hood included
The Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 on the Sony A6700.
All the edited photos in this post were edited with my Hibiscus Lightroom preset pack.
Tamron 16-50mm image quality
I'm really impressed with the photos from this lens. It's sharp, with plenty of texture and detail, and the images look very high end for such a small lens. Skin tones look natural too, and it's flattering for portraits rather than harsh or clinical. In the video I show 100% crops straight out of camera, so you can see the detail for yourself.
Shot on the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 and Sony A6700, edited with Hibiscus.
UneditedEdited with Hibiscus
Unedited (left) and edited with Hibiscus (right).
Shot on the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 and Sony A6700, edited with Hibiscus.
Focal range: a 24-75mm equivalent for APS-C
On an APS-C camera, 16-50mm works out to roughly 24-75mm in full frame terms. For street photography it was a really useful range, taking me from wide establishing shots to closer details without changing lenses. I've used a 24-70mm for so many portrait shoots, and this gives you the same flexibility in a much smaller package.
The same portrait at 16mm, 23mm, 35mm, 40mm and 50mm.
Shot on the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 and Sony A6700, edited with Hibiscus.
Bokeh, distortion and lens flare
With a constant f/2.8 aperture across the whole zoom range, you can get nice separation between your subject and the background at any focal length. The lens has 7 circular aperture blades.
I tested how the bokeh looks wide open and stopped down, how much distortion there is at the wide end, how it handles flare and chromatic aberration, and where it surprised me. You'll see all of that side by side in the video.
Shot on the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 and Sony A6700, edited with Hibiscus.
Shot on the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 and Sony A6700, edited with Hibiscus.
Build and handling
One of the most impressive things about this lens is how small and light it is for the image quality. It felt comfortable and nimble out on location, and I could easily carry it all day. At 305g it's much lighter than Sony's 16-55mm f/2.8 G at 494g.
It has a zoom ring, a focus ring and a USB-C port. There's one thing I wish Tamron had added, which I talk about in the video.
Autofocus and video
The 16-50 uses Tamron's VXD linear motors. I tested it on the A6700 with wide area continuous AF, letting the camera and lens do all the work, and it was quick, responsive and stayed locked on through the whole zoom range. It also holds focus while you zoom, with minimal focus breathing, which is great news for video.
I filmed all the video samples handheld in S-Log3 and graded them with my own Rec 709 conversion preset for Premiere Pro, LOG to Rec 709 Essentials. The footage looks sharp and clean, with the same high-quality look as the photos. Because it's an external zoom, I also tested how it balances on the DJI RS4 Mini gimbal as you zoom, and the results are in the video.
Shot on the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 and Sony A6700, edited with Hibiscus.
UneditedEdited with Hibiscus
Unedited (left) and edited with Hibiscus (right).
Tamron 16-50mm vs Sony 16-55mm f/2.8 G
I shot the same scenes on both lenses with the same settings. Image quality is very close: both are sharp with plenty of detail. The Sony has an extra 5mm at the long end and the Tamron is almost 190g lighter. There are a few differences in colour, corners and bokeh that might decide it for you, and I go through each one in the video.
Who is the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 for?
This lens fills a real gap: great image quality in a small, lightweight size. That makes it a brilliant everyday or travel lens, and on something like the A6700 it makes a really compact setup. Covering 16 to 50mm, it handles street, landscapes, portraits and family photos, so it's a great all-rounder to leave on your camera.
Depending on your camera, here are the main alternatives:
- Sony E-mount: Sony 16-55mm f/2.8 G, Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8, or the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 if you want more reach
- Canon RF: Canon doesn't make an f/2.8 APS-C standard zoom, so the main alternative is the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8
- Nikon Z: Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR, which has built-in stabilisation
- Fujifilm X: Fujifilm 16-55mm f/2.8 II, Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 or Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8
- For more background blur: the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8, on every mount except Nikon
Shot on the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 and Sony A6700, edited with Hibiscus.
Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 FAQ
How much does the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 weigh?
It weighs 305g on the Sony E, Canon RF and Fujifilm X versions, and 315g on the Nikon Z version.
What is the Tamron 16-50mm in full frame terms?
On an APS-C camera, 16-50mm is roughly equivalent to 24-75mm on full frame.
Which cameras is the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 available for?
It's made for APS-C mirrorless cameras: Sony E-mount and Canon RF, with Fujifilm X and Nikon Z versions on the way.
What filter size does the Tamron 16-50mm use?
It uses a 55mm filter thread on every mount.
Want your photos to look like the edited samples in this post? They were all edited with Hibiscus. You can browse all my packs in the Lightroom Presets for Portraits collection, and if you're stuck between a few, you can buy any 3 presets and save 10%.
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