Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD

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The Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD ($659 for Canon, $829 for Fuji and Sony) is a capable wide-angle zoom for Canon RF, Fujifilm X, and Sony E cameras. The lens features bright f/2.8 optics, all-weather construction, and a slim design, adding to its appeal for each respective system. However, it doesn't have the optical stabilization that you get with corresponding first-party zooms include. The broad view is perfect for landscape and architectural images and also does a good job for self-recorded vlogs. We're happy with the picture quality and performance, but another third-party entry, the Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary, beats it out for Editors' Choice, largely due to its wider angle of coverage.

Editors' Note: This review was originally published on August 3, 2021. It has been updated to reflect changes in price and availability for additional camera systems.

Design: Made for Outdoor Photographers

The Tamron 11-20mm is available for Canon R, Fuji X, and Sony E mirrorless cameras. For Canon, you'll want to pair it with an APS-C model like the EOS R10 or R7, and with Sony, it's best used with any a6000 series camera or the ZV-E10 and ZV-E10 II vlogging cameras. In the Fuji system, all X-series models use APS-C sensors, so you don't have to worry about anything there.

Pricing varies by mount. The Fujifilm X and Sony E versions are on the pricey side at $829, though are on discount to $699 through January 5, 2025. Meanwhile, the Canon RF-S mount version debuted at $659, a price that Tamron tells us is not discounted. This makes the Canon version a far more affordable option once the discount on the others expires. We'll have to wait and see if Tamron adjusts the other lenses to be closer to the price.

The lens maintains an F2.8 maximum aperture across its focal range, netting twice as much incoming light as the Fuji XF 10-24mm WR, Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS, or E PZ 10-20mm F4 G. The Tamron lens measures about 3.4 by 2.9 inches (HD) and weighs 11.8 ounces; its extra light-gathering capabilities result in a larger and heavier design compared with the Sony (2.5 by 2.8 inches, and 9.4 ounces). You can see the two side by side in the photo above.

The Tamron's polycarbonate barrel feels sturdier than the Sony's aluminum shell. It's also better protected. Tamron includes dust and splash protection here, along with anti-smudge fluorine on the front glass. The current version of the Fuji XF 10-24mm also has weather sealing, though the first edition did not.

The 11-20mm supports the 67mm filter size, while an included lens hood offers some extra protection from stray fingerprints and lens flare. Front and rear lens caps are also in the box, but Tamron doesn't bundle a soft case or pouch—you're on your own there.

On-lens controls are as basic as it gets, with discrete rings to adjust zoom and focus. The zoom control sits mid-barrel and features a rubber finish with raised ridges so you can find it by feel. The focus ring sits a little further forward and has molded plastic ridges. There's no focus toggle switch, so you need to dive into the camera menu to change modes.

Autofocus is quick and quiet, a good fit for video and stills alike. I used it in continuous focus with the ZV-E10 for vlog footage and found it to be a good fit. A little focus breathing is visible when you rack from close focus to infinity, but it's not distracting for shots in which the subject is only moving slightly away or toward the camera.

The focus ring turns easily but with enough resistance to make subtle changes to focus for manual focus operations. The focus response is damped, so a quicker turn of the ring makes for a more dramatic shift, while slow, deliberate movements result in fine adjustments. It's helpful for still imaging, but videographers tend to prefer a linear response for manual focus.

Wide lenses don't produce macro results due to their wide angle of view, but most designs support very close focus. This lens locks as close as 5.9 inches, so you can get really close to a subject and capture a big swath of background behind it. If you zoom in, the lens nets 1:4 life-size reproductions at its closest focus point.

Optical stabilization isn't available here, a feature Canon, Fuji, and Sony put in their first-party alternatives. It's an important consideration as Sony has only a pair of APS-C cameras with stabilized image sensors, the a6500 and a6600, and for Canon, only the EOS R7 has in-body image stabilization (IBIS). Fuji only puts IBIS in higher-end models like the X-S10, X-T4, X-T5, and X-H series. These models include five-axis IBIS, as well as dust and splash protection, making the Tamron an ideal match. If your camera doesn't have stabilization, you might prefer the RF-S 10-18mm, E 10-18mm, or XF 10-24mm for handheld video and longer exposures without a tripod.

The lens is made for APS-C sensor cameras but mounts on full-frame models, too. I used it with the Sony a7R IV in the field and for lab tests. The a7R IV's 60MP sensor crops down to 26MP in APS-C mode, just about matching the resolution of the a6100, a6400, a6600, and ZV-E10. You have the option of using the lens in full-frame mode, too, but the optics don't cover a full-frame sensor, as you can see in the uncropped, full-frame photo from the a7R IV above.

Tamron 11-20mm F2.8: In the Lab

For lab tests, we set the a7R IV to its 26MP APS-C capture mode to photograph our resolution chart and used Imatest software for analysis. The pair delivers strong results. At 11mm and f/2.8, the central resolution is outstanding, and there's strong detail at the edges despite a drop in clarity.

Some field curvature is at play here—our up-close resolution testing shows very low numbers at the edges of the frame because our test chart is flat, but they don't reflect real-world results. You should still set the lens to f/5.6 or f/8 for the crispest landscape images.

Resolution remains strong at longer focal lengths. Center resolution is outstanding at 15mm f/2.8 and remains very good toward the edges. We see the sharpest results from edge to edge at f/8, as good as you can expect from a 26MP sensor. The story is the same at the 20mm setting—the lens leaves you wanting nothing in terms of resolution.

Tamron uses rounded blades for the aperture, a choice that draws pleasingly defocused backgrounds at close focus distances, but it's not ideal for sunstars. The effect is obtainable—multi-point starbursts are visible around the sun and other bright highlights starting at f/11, but aren't as clearly defined as through lenses with simpler apertures like the manual-focus, full-frame Venus Laowa 10-18mm, or exotic alternatives like the Sony FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM.

Adobe Lightroom has a correction profile for the 11-20mm, so if you use it to process your Raw images, you don't need to fret about distortion (barrel or pincushion) or a vignette. You do see it in uncorrected photos—there's some barrel distortion at 11mm and pincushion at 20mm, as well as darker corners at f/2.8. Digital corrections make them invisible for the most part; if you use your camera in JPG mode, your camera applies them automatically.

Verdict: An All-Weather Wide Zoom

The Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD is a good lens regardless of your camera system choice, but it's especially appealing for Canon EOS R7 owners who want a weather-protected wide zoom. For Fuji and Sony, the zoom isn't quite as strong a value against first-party options, though it still produces excellent results and gathers twice as much light, albeit without stabilization. Another third-party entry, the Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary, edges out Tamron for our Editors' Choice award among this type of lens; it's a little smaller, is priced competitively at $659, and can be had with a Canon, Fuji, or Sony mount.