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Tamron

17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Sony E Mount

17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD — 17–28mm f/2.8 for Sony E, a popular choice in the tamron lineup.

$899

Launch price

Released Jun 2019

vs

Tamron

20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD

Sony E Mount

20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD — 20–40mm f/2.8 for Sony E, a popular choice in the tamron lineup.

$699

Launch price

Released Oct 2022

20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD is 3.3 years newer.

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Wins

0categories

17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

LandscapeSports & Action

Wins

2categories

20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD

Sports & Action

6 categories tied

TL;DR — Key differences

17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD wins 0 categories·20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD wins 2 categories
  • B20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD has lower Weight (365 g vs 420 g)
  • B20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD has lower Length (101 mm vs 109 mm)

Key specs at a glance

17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD
Focal Length17-28 mm20-40 mm
Max Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
MountSony ESony E
CoverageFull FrameFull Frame
StabilizationNoNo
Weight420 g365 g
Min Focus38 cm38 cm
Filter Size82 mm82 mm

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use case17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD
Portrait
4.5Fair
4.5Fair
Sports & Action
6.5Good
6.5Good
Video & Hybrid
4.0Fair
4.0Fair
Landscape
7.0Good
4.0Fair
Travel
5.0Fair
4.0Fair
Wildlife
3.0Limited
1.0Limited
Macro & Close-up
2.0Limited
2.0Limited

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose the 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

  • Weather sealing

    Only 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD supports it

Reasons to choose the 20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD

  • Weight

    365 g vs 420 g — lower is better

  • Length

    101 mm vs 109 mm — lower is better

Shared specifications

Max aperture (Wide)

Both f/2.8

Max aperture (Tele)

Both f/2.8

Min focus distance

Both 38 cm

Max magnification

Both 0.25 ×

Internal focus

Both support internal focus

Diameter

Both 86 mm

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Pros

  • Versatile zoom range covers multiple focal lengths in one lens
  • Weather-sealed construction for outdoor shooting
  • Native Sony E mount compatibility

Cons

  • Third-party or older alternatives may offer better value

20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD

Pros

  • Versatile zoom range covers multiple focal lengths in one lens
  • Lightweight design easy to carry all day
  • Native Sony E mount compatibility

Cons

  • Third-party or older alternatives may offer better value

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD and 20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD at major authorized retailers.

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Tamron 20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Cameraegg earns from qualifying purchases. Cameraegg may also earn commission from B&H links, at no extra cost to you.

Full specifications

= category winner

17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD
20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD
Focal length (Min)
17 mm
20 mm
Focal length (Max)
28 mm
40 mm
Max aperture (Wide)
f/2.8
f/2.8
Max aperture (Tele)
f/2.8
f/2.8
Elements
16
16
Groups
12
12
Special elements
Aspherical
Aspherical
17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD
20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD
Min focus distance
38 cm
38 cm
Max magnification
0.25 ×
0.25 ×
Autofocus motor
Linear / Stepping Motor
Linear / Stepping Motor
Internal focus
Yes
Yes
17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD
20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD
Optical stabilization
No
No
OIS effectiveness
0 stops
0 stops
17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD
20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD
Weight
420 g
365 g−55 g less
Length
109 mm
101 mm−8 mm less
Diameter
86 mm
86 mm
Filter thread size
82 mm
82 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
No
Diaphragm blades
9
9
17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD
20-40mm F2.8 Di III VXD
Lens mount
Sony E
Sony E
Format coverage
Full Frame
Full Frame

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.