Tamron has been making somewhat legendary 90mm macro lenses for 45 years and counting, starting off in 1979. The notable Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di 1:1 for both 35mm film and digital Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony SLRs was launched in 1997 and became an instant hit, picking up a Lens of the Year award in Europe. Other versions followed, culminating in the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD which boasted internal focusing and ‘hybrid’ optical image stabilization. This compensates for horizontal and vertical shift as well as for the more usual angular vibration, making it particularly effective for extreme close-up shooting. Even so, Tamron’s highly respected line of macro lenses for DSLRs were all discontinued a while ago and, after quite a wait, the Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III Macro VXD for mirrorless Nikon Z and Sony E mount was finally announced in September 2024. Following in a rich Tamron tradition, it aims to be one of the best macro lenses that money can buy.
