Tamron has announced it is developing a new high-speed standard zoom lens for 35mm full-frame mirrorless cameras, the 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD.

The new lens promises to deliver both “outstanding image quality and beautiful background blur effects (bokeh)”. At the wide-angle end of the lens, the minimum focusing distance is just 0.19 metres, while the lens itself weighs just 550g and measures only 117.8mm.

Another new feature of the lens will be a high-speed RXD AF driving system. The RXD (Rapid extra-silent stepping drive) promises to deliver remarkable quietness, making it ideal for video recording. The lens also features a moisture-resistant construction, as well as hydrophobic fluorine coating which is highly resistant to fingeprints and other debris.

The lens will be compatible with the “Direct Manual Focus” (DMF) system found on Sony cameras.

Full-frame rumours

At the moment, only Sony makes full-frame mirrorless cameras, such as the Sony Alpha A7R III, but it has long been rumoured that other manufacturers, such as Nikon or Canon, could launch a full-frame mirrorless system of their own into the market at some point. Third-party lenses like this could presumably therefore be offered in a variety of different mounts to suit different cameras.

No pricing is yet available for the 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lens, but it should be available around the middle of the year.