Tamron

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Tamron is a Japanese optical company founded in 1950 as Taisei Kogaku

History

Tamron is a Japanese optical company. It was founded in 1950 by Takeyuki Arai as Taisei Kōgaku Kiki Seisakusho (泰成光学機器製作所) by Arai Takeyuki (新井健之), and was incorporated as Taisei Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (泰成光学工業㈱) in 1952.[1] The company was initially based in Urawa (浦和市) (today part of Saitama City), but it moved to a new plant in Hasunuma, Ōmiya (大宮市蓮沼) (today also part of Saitama City).[1] Early products were usually marked Taisei Kogaku / Taisei Optical.

The main optical designer was Tamura Uhyōe (田村右兵衛), from whose name was derived the Tamron brand, registered in 1957. Many Tamron lenses were made with the T-mount, a universal thread for mount adapters first presented by Tasei. In 1962 a 42×0.75mm screw thread (still in use) replaced the original 37×0.75mm T-mount. It was only in 1970 that the company took the name K.K. Tamron (㈱タムロン).[2]

Acquisition of Bronica

Tamron took shares of the Bronica company in 1995 and fully absorbed it in 1998.[3] The last Bronica products were discontinued in 2005.

Tamron is still active as a lens maker into the 2020s, supporting DSLR and mirrorless bodies with autofocus 3rd-party lenses.

Interchangeable Lens Mounts

The company started making cameara lenses in 1957; and with their first lens, a 135mm f/4.5 (model #280), they introduced the T mount. According to the company, the "T" stands for Taisei.[4] It is often erroneously thought that the "T" stands for Tamron, but Taisei did not change their name to Tamron until many years after the mount was introduced. The T mount is a 42mmx0.75 thread screw mount. According to Tamron, the mount adapter was later modified by another company into the modern T-2 mount adapter, but the threading itself remained the same. A T-2 mount adapter consists of two concentric rings. The inner ring of a T-2 mount can be loosened and rotated so that the lens markings are correctly aligned and visible from the top of camera. The T-2 mount was adopted by many other companies and is still in use today, e.g. for use with telescopes, microscopes, and mirror lenses (which lack any iris mechanism requiring a stopdown linkage).

Tamron is often erroneously credited with the T-4 and TX interchangeable mounts used by companies like Vivitar and Soligor; but Tamron history researchers deny any connection to them, even implying that there may have been patent infringement lawsuits brought by Tamron.[5]. In fact, the evidence points to Tokina as the inventor of the T-4 and TX mounting systems.

The T mount does not provide automatic diaphragm control, and was superseded in 1966 by the Taisei Adapt-A-Matic system, allowing automatic stopdown with various SLR cameras. Taisei filed two patents on the 1966 Adapt-A-Matic system that are important in the history of interchangeable lens mounts.[6][7]

The Adapt-A-Matic system was subsequently replaced by the Tamron Adaptall system in 1976, including open-aperture meter coupling.[8] Then in 1979, the company introduced the Tamron Adaptall-2 system, an evolution of Adaptall, and released the first SP (Super Performance) lenses. [9] Adaptall-2-labeled mounts and lenses are required to support more advanced metering modes; but plain Adaptall mounts for certain simpler lens standards remain compatible within their limitations. Today Adaptall-2 models are among the most commonly-encountered manual focus Tamron lenses, and are still of some interest (particularly for users of less-popular niche lens mounts).

AF mounts

Tamron didn't continue creating interchangeable lens mounts to support system cameras with autofocus. Instead it delivers its autofocus lens types in different versions for the most common camera makers' original AF lens mounts. With certain lens models it has had notable success, for example with its 18-300mm zoom lens for digital camera systems with APS-C sized sensor.

Lens model numbers are followed by a suffix depending on the DSLR camera mount: Nikon (N), Canon (E), Sony (S), Pentax (P). Lenses with a built-in motor also receive the II suffix.

As of 2021 Tamron only supports Nikon, Canon, and Sony SLR mounts, and has expanded its range to mirrorless cameras Micro 4/3, Fuji, Canon, Nikon and Sony.

Lenses

Taisei Kogaku

  • Taisei Kogaku 135mm f/2.8 T mount, (ex sn: 376193 )
  • Taisei Kogaku Vernon Edonar Auto 28mm f/2.8 (ex sn: 651471)
  • Taisei Kogaku Vernon Edonar Auto 135mm f/2.8, silver barrel (ex sn: 665723), dist by Vernon Photographic Corp
  • Taisei Kogaku Vernon Edonar Auto 300mm f/5.6 dist by Vernon Photographic Corp

Tamron T and Fixed Mount Pre-1970

Lens Model Introduction
35mm F/2.8 T mount 460 1961
58mm F/1.2 T mount 380 1960
135mm F/2.8 T mount 680 1962
135mm F/2.8 fixed mount 680AR 1962
135mm F/4.5 T mount 280 1958
135mm F/3.5 T mount 860 1963
180mm F/3.5 T mount JH-35 1963
200mm F/2.8 T mount 360 1960
200mm F/3.5 T mount 870 1963
200mm F/5.9 T mount F0-59 1963
200mm F/6.3 T mount F0-63 1963
250mm F/4.5 T mount FG-45 1963
300mm F/5.6 T mount 670 1962
300mm F/6.9 T mount S0-69 1963
350mm F/5.6 T mount 750 1963
400mm F/5.6 T mount 340 1960
400mm F/6.9 T mount F0-69 1963
400mm F/6.9 T mount ? 1963
400mm F/7.5 T mount 490 1961
400mm F/8 T mount Y0-8 1965
450mm F/8 T mount 880 1963
55-90mm F/4 T mount PZ-50 1964
80-250mm F/3.8 fixed mount PZ-20 1967
95-205mm F/5.6 T mount PZ-60P 1965
95-205mm F/6.3 T mount 910P 1961
95-250mm F/5.6 T mount PZ-10II 1965
200-400mm F/6.3 T mount PZ-70 1965

Tamron Adapt-A-Matic Lenses

Lens Model Production
21mm F/4.5 PFJ-45Au 1970–1973
24mm F/3.5 PFY-35Au 1971–1973
28mm F/2.8 PFH-28Au 1969–1973
35mm F/2.8 PSG-28Au 1969–1973
105mm F/2.5 JOG-25Au 1972–1973
135mm F/2.8 JSG-28Au 1972–1973
200mm F/3.5 870Au 1971–1973
200mm F/4.5 F0-45Au 1972–1973
300mm F/5.6 670Au 1972–1973
70-220mm F/4 PZ-30Au 1969–1973
80-250mm F/3.8 PZ-20Au 1972–1973
85-205mm F/3.5 PZ-60Au 1972–1973
200-500mm F/6.9 PZ-150Au 1969–1973

Tamron Adaptall Lenses

Lens Model Introduction
24mm F/2.5 Adaptall CW-24 1976
28mm F/2.8 Adaptall CW-28 1976
105mm F/2.5 Adaptall CT-105 1976
135mm F/2.8 Adaptall CT-135 1976
200mm F/3.5 Adaptall CT-200 1976
300mm F/5.6 Adaptall CT-300 1976
35-80mm F/2.8-3.5 Adaptall QZ-35M 1978
38-100mm F/3.5 Adaptall SZ-38 1973
38-100mm F/3.5 Adaptall CZ-38M 1976
70-150mm F/3.8 Adaptall CZ-715 1976
70-150mm F/3.5 Adaptall CZ-150 1976
70-150mm F/3.5 Adaptall QZ-150M 1978
70-220mm F/3.8 Adaptall Z-220 1973
70-350mm F/4.5 Adaptall CZ-735 1976
80-250mm F/3.8 Adaptall Z-250 1973
80-250mm F/3.8-4.5 Adaptall CZ-825 1976
80-250mm F/3.8-4.5 Adaptall QZ-250M 1978
85-210mm F/4.5 Adaptall Z-210 1973
85-210mm F/4.5 Adaptall CZ-210M 1976
85-210mm F/4.5 Adaptall QZ-210M 1978
200-500mm F/6.9 Adaptall Z-500 1974
200-500mm F/6.9 Adaptall CZ-500 1976

Tamron Adaptall-2 Lenses

Lens Model Production
24mm F/2.5 01B 1979–1987
28mm F/2.5 02B 1979–1992
135mm F/2.5 03B 1979–1984
200mm F/3.5 04B 1979–1984
28-50mm F/3.5-4.5 07A 1980–1982
28-70 F/3.5-4.5 44A 1986–1988
35-70mm F/3.5-4.5 09A 1980–1983
35-70mm F/3.5 17A 1982–1987
35-135mm F/3.5-4.2 22A 1982–1985
35-135mm F/3.5-4.5 40A 1985–1996
70-150mm F/3.5 02A 1979–1980
70-150mm F/3.5 20A 1980–1984
70-210mm F/3.8-4 46A 1986–1988
75-250mm F/3.8-4.5 04A 1979–1982
75-250mm F/3.8-4.5 104A 1981–1984
70-350mm F/4.5 05A 1979–1984
80-210mm F/3.8-4 03A 1979–1982
80-210mm F/3.8-4 103A 1981–1987
200-500mm F/6.9 06A 1979–1984

Tamron SP Adaptall-2 Lenses

Lens Model Production
SP 17mm F/3.5 51B 1979–1984
SP 90mm F/2.5 52B 1979–1988
SP 180mm F/2.5 LD-IF 63B 1988–1992
SP 300mm F/2.8 LD 107B 1983–1984
SP 300mm F/2.8 LD-IF 60B 1984–1992
SP 300mm F/2.8 LD-IF 360B 1993–2006
SP 300mm F/5.6 54B 1979–1984
SP 350mm F/5.6 06B 1981–1985
SP 400mm F/4 LD-IF 65B 1988–1995
SP 500mm F/8 55B 1979–1983
SP 500mm F/8 55BB 1983–2006
SP 24-48mm F/3.5-3.8 13A 1980–1987
SP 28-80mm F/3.5-4.2 27A 1983–1987
SP 28-135mm F/4-4.5 28A 1983–1988
SP 35-80mm F/2.8-3.8 01A 1979–1985
SP 35-210mm F/3.5-4.2 26A 1983–1987
SP 60-300mm F/3.8-5.4 23A 1983–2000
SP 70-150mm F/2.8 SOFT 51A 1979–1983
SP 70-210mm F/3.5-4 52A 1979–1984
SP 70-210mm F/3.5 19AH 1984–1999
SP 80-200mm F/2.8 30A 1985–1992
SP 200-500mm F/5.6 31A 1984–1992
SP 1.4X Tele-Converter 140F 1984–1994
SP 2X Tele-Converter 01F 1979–1999
SP 2X Tele-Converter 200F 1984–1985


==AF lenses== [10]

AF Lenses for Film/Full frame Cameras

Single Focal Lenses

Lens Model End of production
SP AF 90mm F/2.5 52E 1992
SP AF 300mm F/2.8 LD-IF 60E 1994
SP AF 90mm F/2.5 152E 1996
SP AF 90mm F/2.8 Macro 1:1 72E 1999
SP AF 90mm F/2.8 Macro 1:1 172E 2003
SP AF 300mm F/2.8 LD [IF] 360E 2005
SP AF 300mm F/2.8 LD [IF] 360EE 2005
SP AF 14mm F/2.8 Aspherical [IF] 69E 2007


Wide angle - Standard zoom Lenses

Lens Model End of production
AF 35-135mm F/3.5-4.5 Minolta-AF 40D 1988
AF 35-90mm F/4-5.6 63D 1994
SP AF 35-105mm F/2.8 Aspherical 65D 1994
AF 28-70mm F/3.5-4.5 159D 1994
AF 28-70mm F/3.5-4.5 259D 1995
AF 28-80mm F/3.5-5.6 77D 1998
AF 28-105mm F/4-5.6 79D 1998
AF 24-70mm F/3.3-5.6 Aspherical 73D 1999
SP AF 20-40mm F/2.7-3.5 Aspherical-IF 166D 1999
SP AF 28-105mm F/2.8 LD Aspherical-IF 176D 2000
SP AF 28-105mm F/2.8 LD Aspherical-IF 276D 2003
SP AF 20-40mm F/2.7-3.5 Aspherical-IF 266D 2005
AF 28-80mm F/3.5-5.6 Aspherical 277D 2005
AF 19-35mm F/3.5-4.5 A10 2005
AF 28-105mm F/4-5.6 Aspherical [IF] 179D 2006
SP AF 24-135mm F/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical [IF] MACRO 190D 2007
AF 28-80mm F/3.5-5.6 Aspherical 177D 2010


All-in-one Zoom Lenses

Lens Model End of production
AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 Aspherical 71D 1996
AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6LD Super 171D 1998
AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 LD Aspherical-IF Super Silver 271D 2002
AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 LD Aspherical [IF] Super 571D 2002
AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 LD Aspherical [IF] Super II MACRO 371D 2002
AF 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO 185D 2002
AF 28-300mm F/3.8-6.3 LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO Silver 285D 2002
AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 LD Aspherical [IF] Super II MACRO Silver 471D 2002
AF 28-300mm Ultra Zoom XR F/3.5-6.3 LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO A06 2004
AF 28-200mm Super XR F/3.8-5.6 Aspherical [IF] MACRO A03 2004


Telephoto - Ultra-telephoto Zoom Lenses

Lens Model End of production
AF 70-210mm F/3.5-4.5 Minolta-AF 53D 1989
AF 90-300mm F/4.5-5.6 62D 1994
AF 70-210mm F/4-5.6 158D 1994
AF 70-210mm F/4-5.6 258D 1995
AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 172D 1996
AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6LD 372D 1998
AF 80-210mm F/4.5-5.6 178D 1998
AF 100-300mm F/5-6.3 86D 1998
AF 200-400mm F/5.6 LD-IF 75D 2000
AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 LD 472D 2001
SP AF 70-210mm F/2.8 LD 67D 2001
AF 100-300mm F/5-6.3 186D 2001
AF 200-400mm F/5.6 LD -IF 175D 2003
AF 80-210mm F/4.5-5.6 278D 2005
AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 LD MACRO 1:2 Silver 772D 2005
AF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 LD Silver 872D 2005
AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 LD MACRO 1:2 572D 2007

Di / Di II / Di III Lenses for APS-C

Camera Mounts: Nikon (N), Canon (E), Sony (S), Pentax (P). Suffix II means that the lens has its own focusing motor.

Single Focal Lenses

Lens Model End of production
SP AF 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 272 2020
SP 35mm F/1.8 Di USD F012 2020
SP 45mm F/1.8 Di USD F013 2019
SP AF 180mmF/3.5 Di LD [IF] MACRO 1:1 B01 2016
SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 USD F004S 2016
SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD F004E/N 2016
SP 85mm F/1.8 Di USD F016S 2017
SP 85mm F/1.8 Di VC USD F016E/N 2020
SP AF 60mm F/2 Di II LD [IF] MACRO 1:1 G005E 2018
SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 USD F017S 2018
SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD F017E/N 2020
TELE CONVERTER 2.0x TCX-20E/N 2021

Ultra Wide-angle Zoom Lenses

Lens Model End of production
SP AF 17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical [IF] A05E 2008
SP AF 11-18mm F/4.5-5.6 Di II LD Aspherical [IF] A13E 2009
SP AF 10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di II B001 2019
SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD A012N 2018
SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di USD A012S 2018
17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di OSD A037E/N 2020
10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD B023E/N 2020

Standard Zoom Lenses

Lens Model End of production
SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] A16E/N/P/II 2020
SP AF 28-75mm F/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO A09E/N/P/II 2020
SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di USD A007S 2017
SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD A007E/N 2017
SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] B005E/N 2020

All-in-one Zoom Lenses

Lens Model End of production
AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO A14E/N II/S/P 2016
AF 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO A18E/N II/S/P 2010
AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 XR Di Aspherical [IF] MACRO A031E/N/S/P 2010
AF 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO A061N 2010
A061E/S/P 2014
AF 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO B003E/N 2011
AF 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO A20E/N 2013
18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II PZD B008S 2017/
18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD (With gold ring) B008E/N 2017
28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di PZD A010S 2018
18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II B018S 2018
16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II PZD MACRO B016S 2018
18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III VC B011EM/SE

Silver or black

2020
14-150mm F/3.5-5.8 Di III C001 Silver 2018
28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD A010E 2020
18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD (With tungsten silver ring) B008TSE 2020
16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di Ⅱ VC PZD MACRO B016E 2021

Portrait Zoom Lenses

Lens Model End of production
35-150mm F/2.8-4 Di VC OSD A043E 2020


Telephoto Zoom Lenses

Lens Model End of production
AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 XR Di LD MACRO A17N/S/P/E/NII 2020
AF 55-200mm F/4-5.6 Di II A15N/E/S 2013
SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD A009E/N/S 2017
70-210mm F/4 Di VC USD A034E/N 2019/
SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di USD A005S 2018
SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD A005E/N 2020
SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD A030E/N 2020
SP AF 70-200mm F/2.8 Di LD [IF] MACRO A001P/S/E/N 2019


Ultra-telephoto Zoom Lenses

Lens Model End of production
SP AF 200-500mm F/5-6.3 Di LD [IF] A08E/N/S 2014
SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di USD A011S 2018/
SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD A011E/N 2020
SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di USD G2 A022S 2019

Gallery

Lens Model
SP 10-24mm 1:3.5-4.5 Di II
SP 24-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 Macro
AF 28-80mm 1:3.5-5.6 AL
SP 90mm 1:2.8 Macro 1:1 Di 272E

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 See this official history page (1950s).
  2. See these official history pages: 1950s and 1970s.
  3. See this official history page (1990s).
  4. History of Tamron
  5. History of Tamron, 1960 to 1969
  6. U.S. Patent 3,500,735
  7. U.S. Patent 3,657,988
  8. Tamron History, 1960-1969, 1970-1979
  9. Date of the Adaptall-2: Tamron history at Adaptall-2.com. Date of the SP lenses: this official history page (1970s). Adapt-A-Matic lenses did offer a hacky form of open-aperture metering for Minolta MC mount.
  10. Tamron official list of discontinued lenses

Links

In English:

In Japanese: