
Tamron 20-40mm F/2.8 Di III VXD
Launch MSRP
$739- Weight
- 365g
- Filter
- ⌀67mm
- Min focus
- 0.17m
- Max mag.
- 0.26×
- Formula
- 12E / 11G
- Released
- 2022
Specification sheet
Optical construction
- 4x LD
- 2x GM
- 1x Hybrid Aspherical
- BBAR-G2 Coating
- Fluorine Coating
- Aperture range
- f/2.8 — f/22
Physical & ergonomics
- Weight
- 365g
- ⌀ × length
- 74.4 × 86.5mm
- Filter
- ⌀67mm
- Weather sealed
- Yes
- Aperture ring
- No
Autofocus actuator
- Stabilisation
- Body IBIS
- Teleconverter
- Not supported
- AF speed score
- 8.6 / 10
Close-up performance
- Min focus distance
- 0.17m
- Max magnification
- 0.26× (1:3.8)
Optical character
This is the smallest constant f/2.8 standard-type zoom for full-frame E-mount: 365g and 86.5mm long. Tamron chose a 20-40mm range instead of the usual 24-70mm. It covers ultra-wide street and interior shots up to a natural 40mm, so it can stand in for a bag of small primes for travel and vlogging.
Four LD, two GM and a hybrid aspherical element give crisp results, with BBAR-G2 coating against flare. The VXD linear motor is fast and quiet. Close focus is 0.17m at 20mm, and the zoom ring needs only 65° of rotation. It shares the 67mm filter size with most Tamron mirrorless lenses, and a USB-C port supports TAMRON Lens Utility.
Reviewer consensus
Reviewers consistently found it sharp across most of the frame from f/2.8, with especially strong results at 20mm and a slight dip in the corners at 40mm wide open. Chromatic aberration is low. Distortion and vignetting rely on correction, as is typical for compact designs.
AF is quick, quiet and dependable for video. Testers noted the extending barrel, the lack of switches or a custom button, and the narrow range compared with a 24-70. Most still saw it as a very good value that does something no first-party lens does.
Owner sentiment
Owners describe it as a lens that stays on the camera for travel, street and family use, and like how pocketable a 20mm f/2.8 setup becomes. Vloggers value the 20mm end and the light weight on gimbals and grips.
Complaints are mostly about range: 40mm is short for portraits. Some miss an AF/MF switch, and a few report the zoom ring being stiff when new. The barrel grows by about 1cm when zooming toward 20mm.
Strengths, weaknesses & performance
Strengths
- +365g, 86.5mm long for a constant f/2.8 zoom
- +Sharp across the frame, especially at 20mm
- +Fast, quiet VXD AF
- +0.17m close focus at 20mm
- +67mm filters, moisture resistant
Weaknesses
- −Range stops at 40mm
- −Barrel extends when zooming
- −No AF/MF switch or function button
Six-axis rating
- Sharpness
- 8.6
- Bokeh Rendering
- 7.5
- Autofocus Speed
- 8.6
- Flare Resistance
- 8.1
- Build / Sealing
- 8.1
- Value / Size
- 9.0
Editorial 0–10 ratings synthesised from published reviews.
Technical specifications
| Mount | Sony E (FE) · full frame |
|---|---|
| Focal length | 20–40mm |
| Category | Wide |
| Maximum aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | f/22 |
| Construction | 12 elements in 11 groups |
| Special elements | 4x LD · 2x GM · 1x Hybrid Aspherical · BBAR-G2 Coating · Fluorine Coating |
| Aperture blades | 9 |
| Focus type | Autofocus |
|---|---|
| Drive | VXD Linear Motor |
| Minimum focus | 0.17m |
| Max magnification | 0.26× |
| Stabilisation | None (uses body IBIS) |
| Teleconverters | Not supported |
| Weight | 365g |
|---|---|
| Diameter × length | 74.4 × 86.5mm |
| Filter thread | ⌀67mm |
| Weather sealing | Yes |
| Aperture ring | No |
| De-clickable aperture | No |
| Release year | 2022 |
| Launch MSRP | $739 USD |
Sources
Specifications
- tamron.com/global/consumer/lenses/a062/
- tamron.com/global/consumer/lenses/a062/spec.html
- tamron-americas.com/product/20-40mm-f-2-8-di-iii-vxd/
- photographyblog.com/reviews/tamron_20_40mm_f2_8_di_iii_vxd_review
Similar focal length alternatives
- VS20-40mm F/2.8 Di III VXD vs 17-50mm F/4 Di III VXD
- VS20-40mm F/2.8 Di III VXD vs FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM
- VS20-40mm F/2.8 Di III VXD vs FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II
- TamronDi III VXD
17-50mm F/4 Di III VXD
17–50mmF4- WT
- 460g
- FLT
- ⌀67mm
- MFD
- 0.19m
- MSRP
- $799
AFWR - SonyG Master
FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM
16–35mmF2.8- WT
- 680g
- FLT
- ⌀82mm
- MFD
- 0.28m
- MSRP
- $2,200
AFWR - SonyG Master
FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II
16–35mmF2.8- WT
- 547g
- FLT
- ⌀82mm
- MFD
- 0.22m
- MSRP
- $2,300
AFWRRING·DC


