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Tamron

70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD

Sony E Mount

70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD — 70–180mm f/2.8 for Sony E, a popular choice in the tamron lineup.

$1,199

Launch price

Released May 2020

vs

Tamron

90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO

Sony E Mount

90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO — 90mm f/2.8 for Sony E, a popular choice in the tamron lineup.

$649

Launch price

Released Feb 2022

90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO is 1.8 years newer.

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Wins

0categories

70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD

PortraitSports & Action

Wins

4categories

90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO

Macro & Close-upSports & Action

4 categories tied

TL;DR — Key differences

70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD wins 0 categories·90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO wins 4 categories
  • B90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO has higher Max magnification (1 × vs 0.25 ×)
  • B90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO has lower Weight (500 g vs 815 g)
  • B90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO has lower Length (120 mm vs 164 mm)
  • B90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO has lower Min focus distance (28 cm vs 38 cm)

Key specs at a glance

70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO
Focal Length70-180 mm90 mm
Max Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
MountSony ESony E
CoverageFull FrameFull Frame
StabilizationNoNo
Weight815 g500 g
Min Focus38 cm28 cm
Filter Size77 mm77 mm

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use case70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO
Portrait
7.5Good
4.5Fair
Sports & Action
6.5Good
6.5Good
Video & Hybrid
5.0Fair
2.0Limited
Landscape
3.0Limited
1.0Limited
Travel
2.0Limited
4.0Fair
Wildlife
3.0Limited
1.0Limited
Macro & Close-up
2.0Limited
7.5Good

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose the 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD

  • Weather sealing

    Only 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD supports it

  • Control ring

    Only 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD supports it

Reasons to choose the 90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO

  • Max magnification

    1 × vs 0.25 × — higher is better

  • Weight

    500 g vs 815 g — lower is better

  • Length

    120 mm vs 164 mm — lower is better

  • Min focus distance

    28 cm vs 38 cm — lower is better

Shared specifications

Max aperture (Wide)

Both f/2.8

Max aperture (Tele)

Both f/2.8

Internal focus

Both support internal focus

Diameter

Both 81 mm

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD

Pros

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

Cons

  • No optical stabilization — relies on body IBIS
  • Third-party or older alternatives may offer better value

90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO

Pros

  • Solid optical performance for the price tier
  • 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 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD and 90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO at major authorized retailers.

Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD

Tamron 90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO

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Full specifications

= category winner

70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO
Focal length (Min)
70 mm
90 mm
Focal length (Max)
180 mm
90 mm
Max aperture (Wide)
f/2.8
f/2.8
Max aperture (Tele)
f/2.8
f/2.8
Elements
23
14
Groups
17
11
Special elements
Aspherical
Aspherical
70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO
Min focus distance
38 cm
28 cm−10 cm less
Max magnification
0.25 ×
1 ×4× more
Autofocus motor
Linear / Stepping Motor
Linear / Stepping Motor
Internal focus
Yes
Yes
70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO
Optical stabilization
No
No
OIS effectiveness
0 stops
0 stops
70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO
Weight
815 g
500 g−315 g less
Length
164 mm
120 mm−44 mm less
Diameter
81 mm
81 mm
Filter thread size
77 mm
77 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
No
Diaphragm blades
9
9
70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
90mm F2.8 Di III MACRO
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.