Tamron’s New SP 150-600mm Lens Has Some Serious Reach

Looking to upgrade your super-telephoto lens? Tamron is refreshing its 150-600mm full frame telephoto lens in late September with a new optical design that it says will bring better corner-to-corner sharpness and a shorter minimum focusing distance (7.2 feet) than its predecessor.

The SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 f/5-6.3 (model A022) has vibration correction (VC) good for 4.5 stops of image correction per CIPA standards. VC is available in several modes. Mode 1 balances the stability in the viewfinder for the stability of the image when captured. Mode 2 stabilizes during panning. Mode 3, where the maximum 4.5 stops of correction are realized, prioritizes the stability of the image and not the viewfinder. Owners of the TAP-in Console accessory will be able to reprogram mode 1 to work continuously during video recording. 

Additional features include:

• A 1:3.9 magnification ratio at 600mm
• an ultrasonic ring drive AF motor
• a flex lock mechanism to lock the zoom into place at any position
• flourine coating on the front lens element to make it easier to clean
• weather-resistant construction
• an electromagnetic diaphragm for Nikon cameras for more precise aperture control
• Arca-Swiss compatible tripod lens collar

The SP 150-600mm will be available for Canon and Nikon mounts initially with a Sony A mount version of the lens to ship at a later date. The lens will cost $1,399. Tamron will also offer two teleconverters, a 1.4x and a 2x, for use with the new lens. The 1.4x will set you back $419 while the 2x will cost $439. Like the 150-600mm, the teleconverters are weather resistant and will land in stores in late September.