Introduction

The Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 is an all-purpose zoom lens designed for Fujifilm’s APS-C mirrorless cameras. With a bright f/2.8 aperture, built-in image stabilization, and a pretty flexible focal range, it’s a strong contender for photographers seeking flexibility while still staying budget friendly. In this review, I will discuss my opinions on build quality, autofocus, image performance, and overall usability for the Tamron 17-70mm on the Fujifilm X-T5 with its demanding 40MP sensor.

For full transparency, I purchased this lens with my own money. I managed to pick one up for £469 new from Cotswold Cameras. Huge shoutout to them as their service was great!

Build Quality

Tamron has a good reputation for reliability in the lens world. There have been a couple of recalls relating to the autofocus system in a few lenses however, Tamron have been pretty forthcoming with any faults and taken ownership which is nice to see.

While the exterior is made of plastic, it feels very sturdy and has a fairly decent weight to it (530g). From the experience I have had with Fuji lenses, I would personally say that the build quality and feel was above the XC lens range. The lens has a metal mount for additional stability and the gaps are protected with a rubber gasket for moisture resistance.

Durability

One of the reasons that drew me to this lens was the supposed weather resistance. Not only do I explore the Scottish Highlands regularly, climb mountains and travel often, I also like to capture the elements such as rain in my frames. I have subjected this lens to pretty demanding conditions so far, and it has consistently performed well. This includes freezing temperatures (-10 degrees in Scotland), sandy beaches with strong winds and fairly heavy rain. Even after one or two accidental drops, this lens rose from the ashes in victory, fully functional with minimal damage.

Handling & Practicality

Tamron 17-70mm extended to 70mm on the XT5

Due to the size and weight of the Fujifilm X-T5, this lens fits comfortably. This lens is fairly long compared to it’s rivals such as the Sigma 18-50mm however, the XT5 body is still comfortable to grip without any additional grip enlargers. The zoom ring is well-dampened and is very smooth however I found the focus ring to be on the looser side and was easy to accidentally rotate. For the most part, this is not an issue but can be annoying when you have setup a composition and focus perfectly and a small nidge on the focus ring bring up the focus peak UI. In comparison to the Fuji lens lineup, the biggest difference is the lack of an aperture ring. For me, this wasn’t a huge issue as the XT5 has enough dials and function buttons that the dedicated use of the rear command wheel for aperture did not restrict other setting controls.

Due to the great focal range coverage and fast aperture, this lens is great as a first lens as it covers a lot of bases. In the same vein, it’s a great travel lens as you can get away with just taking a single lens with you in your baggage and you won’t feel like you are making any big compromises.

Autofocus

For dynamic scenes often seen in street & travel photography, autofocus is a pretty crucial element. In my experience, the autofocus in this lens is snappy and on the quieter side compared to other lenses in this price range. I originally thought that this lens did have some autofocus issues however, this turned out to be related to the Fujifilm XT5’s firmware update and focus issues in the body itself. Subject tracking is pretty reliable in all lighting conditions however, I have not tested this fully with Fujifilm’s different subject-tracking capabilities (such as birds and animals etc). I tend to use burst a lot for street photography and this lens is able to keep track of the moving subject throughout the frame burst exceptionally well. Other reviews have explained that the autofocus of this lens excels in videography but this is not something I have explored in depth as of yet.

Image Stabilization

The image stabilisation (Vibration Compensation) in this lens for me is one of it’s strongest points. This has meant that I was able to capture several photos which would be extremely difficult to capture otherwise. The XT5 I use this lens on also has image stabilisation natively and these work exceptionally well together. I have been able to capture longer exposure scenes handheld with this combination while still keeping the majority of the frame in focus and harp. I have included examples below for reference which were captured handheld.

Sharpness & Resolution Handling

With the X-T5’s 40-megapixel sensor, lens sharpness is a concern. The Tamron 17-70mm delivers excellent results across the focal range but being a zoom lens, it does have it’s best and worst ends. For me, the sharpest performance is in the lower 2/3 of the focal range, anywhere from f/4 to f/6. With these settings, the majority of the frame is exceptionally sharp and has a high level of detail. At the top end of the focal range, I find myself needing to stop down to around f5-f6 to get the most amount of sharpness out of this lens.

Being in Scotland, I often find myself needed more light hitting the sensor as the winter days are dark and the sun goes down around 2pm. At it’s widest aperture of f/2.8, frames are noticeably softer than those at f4-5, especially around the edges. Unless I am doing wide open landscape shots, I prefer the higher end of the focal range and as I mentioned above, this does require stopping down to f5-f6 for sharp images. In dark days, this can be challenging and I often need to sacrifice some ISO grain or clarity to capture images, unless I am using a tripod.

For photographers that prefer focal ranges between 17-50mm and take images in well-lit places of the world, slap this baby to f5 (depending on desired effect) and it is a dream!

Lens Flare

Lens flare is a difficult topic as some photographers (like myself) do like to introduce some lens flare if they can to certain shots however, for 99% of shots, we do want some resistance. I have taken the Tamron 17-70 to Barcelona during Summer when the sun was extremely strong and I struggled to find a single lens flare in my images. The only time this has been an issue was during my trip to the Cairngorms in winter while there was a lot of snow on the ground. The days were dark and every now and again, intense low sun would break through the clouds, reflect off the snow or nearby water, and caused some flare. In most cases, this looked almost deliberate but in one or two cases, I did have to try my best to remove the flares during the edit. Starbursts are also great!

If you really really try, you can get some pretty bad ghosting by stopping down to f18 in direct sunlight.

Sun star & ghosting at f/18 in direct sunlight

Conclusion

The biggest selling points of the Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 is how versatile it is while still remaining budget-friendly. Not only that, it pairs well with flagship cameras with demanding sensors such as the Fujifilm X-T5. The build quality is solid, I have found it very durable, the autofocus & stabilisation is reliable. While it has great sharpness for the majority of it’s focal range, it does require stopping down aperture for the best results (f4-5 for 17-50mm and f5-7 for 50-70mm). Overall, it’s the perfect choice for travel photographers as it very much delivers on it’s “1 lens can do it all” aura.

Pros:

Handy 17-70mm focal range

f/2.8 aperture for low light and depth

Good image stabilization (VC)

Solid build quality with good resistance to the elements

Reliable autofocus, especially for tracking moving subjects

Great sharpness between f/4 and f/6

Handles lens flare well in most situations

Good value for money (£469 new)

Cons:

No dedicated aperture ring (not a huge issue for some)

Softer images at f/2.8, especially at the edges at higher focal lengths

Requires stopping down at the telephoto end for best sharpness

Focus ring is fairly soft and can be accidentally adjusted

Some lens flare in specific lighting conditions

Larger and heavier than some competitors like the Sigma 18-50mm

Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 on the Fujifilm X-T5 - A 6 Month Review