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March 10, 2010: Tamron is celebrating its 60th anniversary with the announcement of a new 70-300mm F/4-5.6 telephoto zoom lens featuring superior optical performance.
The new lens is designed for digital SLR cameras and can be used with both full-frame sensors and with APS-C sensor cameras, as well as AF 35mm film cameras. When imaging to a 36 x 24mm area, the new lens covers a zoom range of 70-300mm. With APS-C sensor cameras, the angle of view will change the zoom range equal to 109-465mm for cameras with 1.5x crop factors or 112-480mm for cameras with 1.6x crop factors.
Constructed from 17 elements in 12 groups, the lens’s optical design includes a sophisticated XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) lens element that provides similar dispersive properties to fluorite. Tamron’s VC (Vibration Compensation) stabilisation technology is included, providing a claimed shutter speed advantage of up to four f-stops. The new lens introduces a new AF drive system that uses USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) technology, which is faster and quieter than previous drive motors, making this lens ideal for sports photography.
According to Tamron’s press release: ‘Tamron’s USD works with the high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations that are produced by a ring called a ‘stator’. Energy from the vibrations is used to rotate an attached metallic ring known as the ‘rotor’. Piezoelectric ceramic, an element that produces ultrasonic vibrations when voltage of a specific frequency is applied is arranged in a ring formation on the stator. This electrode configuration of piezoelectric ceramic causes two ultrasonic vibrations to occur in the stator.
‘By effectively combining these two ultrasonic vibrations, it is possible to convert the energy from the vibrations that produced simple motion into energy known as ‘deflective travelling waves’, which then moves around the circumference (rotation direction) of the ring. With the USD, the friction between these deflective traveling waves created on the metallic surface of the stator and the surface of the rotor produce force, causing the rotor to rotate. The focusing ring lens, which is linked to the rotor, is thus moved, creating a fast and smooth auto-focus drive.’
Other features include support for full-time manual focusing and internal focusing to allow easy use of angle-critical attachments. New BBAR (Broad-Band Anti Reflection) multilayer coatings reduce reflection into the lens elements to minimise flare and ghosting. The new lens will come with a petal-shaped lens hood. Shipping dates and pricing have still to be announced. For more information, visit www.tamron.com/news/35mm/70300vc_60th_2010.asp.
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