Patent: Tamron 85mm f/1.4 VC USD

[Canon Rumors]

The photography world is (im)patiently waiting for Sigma to release the 85mm f/1.4 Art series, but it looks like Tamron could beat them to it with an 85mm f/1.4 of their own, along with the added bonus of vibration control. <a href="http://egami.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2016-01-25" target="_blank">A patent for such an optical formula</a> from Tamron has appeared.</p>
<p>Patent Publication No. 2016-12082 (Google Translated)</p>
<ul>
<li>Published 2016.1.21</li>
<li>Filing date 2014.6.30</li>
<li>f = 87.5187</li>
<li>Fno = 1.4578</li>
<li>ω = 13.8585 °</li>
</ul>
<p>We haven’t heard anything about a 85mm f/1.4 Art series lens being announced by Sigma any time soon. We think such a lens would be perfect for introduction at Photokina in September 2016.</p>
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[addola]

I wouldn't be amazed if they did. Tamron made the 24-70 VC long before Nikon did their VR version.

 

[mclaren777]

I want Canon to make an 85mm f/1.4 with BR optics more than I can express.

Its new 35mm lens is outstanding and I want Canon to keep developing this technology!

 

[jebrady03]

If nothing changes in the market prior to this lens launching (assuming the patent turns into a marketable product), this'll be my first Tamron lens.

 

[9VIII]

I'm still not terribly impressed with their 45mm lens, especially the CA.
It will be interesting to see if they can make an 85f1.4 that's compelling for more than just the addition of stabilisation.
On the other hand, Zeiss is the only one with a modern 85mm on the market, if Tamron beats Sigma to the punch they could benefit.

 

[TeT]

If nothing changes in the market prior to this lens launching (assuming the patent turns into a marketable product), this'll be my first Tamron lens.

Based on the recent 35mm & 45mm offerings by Tamron you will not be disappointed...

regarding the CA on the 45mm... have not noticed it as much as I thought I would but 85mm could potentially evidence some as well

 

[douglaurent]

This is what I've been waiting for for years. Stabilized primes are the way to go. As good as the new fast primes of the past years have been from Sigma etc, they are all not the perfect solution for eternity because of missing stabilization.

Of course it's also highly welcome for video. And if you look at a Batis 85/1.8 that has stabilization coming from a Sony body and from inside the lens, each huge bulky DSLR 85mm without any stabilization looks like a less useful tool from an old era.

As good as the Otus 85 and equally good Milvus 85 are, in the end I tend to use them only for tripod landscape work. No stabilization and no autofocus is very limiting, and the handheld the advantages of the great optics are eliminated fast because of that.

I also don't think anybody needs to wait for a Sigma Art 85. The recent Sigma 85/1.4 beats all Canon and Nikon 85mm lenses and seemed to be the first lens that was designed by the new engineers behind the Art label, that Sigma just started a bit later than the release of their 85mm. I am sure Sigma will come out with an update of that lens soon, but more because the buyers need the signal "now it's Art branded", and not because the quality step from the old lens model will be as huge as in the case of their older 20, 35, 50 etc models which really had designs that where not done by the engineers behind Art.

 

[CarlMillerPhoto]

I'm still not terribly impressed with their 45mm lens, especially the CA.
It will be interesting to see if they can make an 85f1.4 that's compelling for more than just the addition of stabilisation.
On the other hand, Zeiss is the only one with a modern 85mm on the market, if Tamron beats Sigma to the punch they could benefit.

Well, Tamron's 45mm is sharper than every 50mm apart from the Otus. I bet their 85 VC will perform well. AF consistency & speed is the real question.

 

[douglaurent]

The Tamron 45/1.8 VC for some reason feels like the best stabilized lens on one of the Sony A7II bodies (although it's combined with a Metabones adapter). The Tamron superzooms also show better stabilization on a GH4 (with Metabones adapter) than all the micro four thirds-zooms by Panasonic.

So it seems Tamron knows how to handle this. On the other hand also the stabilization of the new Nikon 24-70/2.8 VR and 200-500/5.6 is probably the best stabilization that Nikon lenses ever had. The conclusion is that, as in optics, there has also been some good step forward in stabilization technology, independent of any certain company.

It also seems all brands do optimize their lens stabilization more for video use. I can see that at some point in the next decade nobody wants to buy a body or a lens anymore that doesn't offer stabilization. It's stupid not to have that option, unless you are working with tripod only.

 

[mackguyver]

This is certainly exciting news given what I've heard about their newest VC lenses. I am still waiting for a 135 f/2 IS someday, so any step in that direction from any vendor is great. Besides, that would be a 135 VC on a crop body

 

[drob]

I want Canon to make an 85mm f/1.4 with BR optics more than I can express.

Its new 35mm lens is outstanding and I want Canon to keep developing this technology!

The problem with Canon doing it is that they'll charge you an arm, a leg, maybe a kidney...I'm not a pro so anything over 1K for a prime lens is outside my budget. If I can get a quality prime with VC for <$1K, especially at f/1.4, I'd be golden. I'm really surprised that Sigma hasn't come forth with their 85mm offering yet. It will be interesting to see what comes out of this rumor.

 

[Maximilian]

To me this patent fits 100% well into Tamrons new prime lens strategy.
I am quite sure that this will become reality and I'd be pleased to see Tamron and Sigma putting pressure in another focal length where Canon seemed to be resting on their decades old lenses.

I want Canon to make an 85mm f/1.4 with BR optics more than I can express.

I suppose that the BR tech will be a feature only for the L lenses for some time.
I don't know if people would like to see a 85/1.2L II to be replaced by a 85/1.4L even if it has BR.

I am longing for a much better corrected successor of the 85/1.8.
But if this becomes reality, I wouldn't expect it to have IS and/or BR.
But even without these features I want to see a 85/1.8 II - soon!

 

[Simen1]

I hope they make a version without VC to reduce the cost, and fit it with K-mount.

I already paid for stabilization once, why would I pay for a redundant one?

 

[wockawocka]

I'd be happy with a set of L series 1.8's ( 35, 50, 85 )

Why Canon haven't made them yet is something I wonder about.

 

[jebrady03]

I also don't think anybody needs to wait for a Sigma Art 85. The recent Sigma 85/1.4 beats all Canon and Nikon 85mm lenses and seemed to be the first lens that was designed by the new engineers behind the Art label, that Sigma just started a bit later than the release of their 85mm. I am sure Sigma will come out with an update of that lens soon, but more because the buyers need the signal "now it's Art branded", and not because the quality step from the old lens model will be as huge as in the case of their older 20, 35, 50 etc models which really had designs that where not done by the engineers behind Art.

I'm hesitant to buy the Sigma 85 because it's not compatible with the dock, especially after not having the dock for the 35A and I ended up selling it and then I did have the dock for the 50A and it turned it from a lens I was going to send back into a lens I love. Also, I haven't seen one on the used market and that's typically where I buy mine to avoid depreciation as much as possible, especially in 3rd party lenses where there's a REALLY good chance I'll be replacing it with a Canon lens ASAP.

 

[et31]

Tamron has created a great 24-70mm and 70-200mm set with VR, along with their new 15-30mm (which has potential compared to the Nikkor or Canon versions).

Honestly, my Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens has done wonders already.
On the other hand, Tamron creating this lens will also give photographers a bigger market (hopefully with respectable optics). You never know!

 

[zim]

Just wondering, do Tamron focus and zoom rings work in the same direction as Canon?

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

The good side of this news is that Canon will feel compelled to take the rabbit out of the hat ... We will probably see a Canon 50mm F1.4 Image Stabilizer. Not a hypothetical F2 Image Stabilizer, but F1.4.

So I would have to separate me from my beloved Sigma 50 Art.

 

[axtstern]

Recently Tamron kicked out 4 Canon lenses out of my camera bags.

On the cheapo front that is their 18-200 for the M. The first one was a disgrace which was awfull to use and probably killed my first Generation M. But I ordered it again when I got my M3 and for this camera it is acceptable at least more acceptable than the 17-55 and 55-200 combination from Canon I used before.

On the more expensive side the Tamron 24-70 VCD and the 15-30 VCD kicked out the first generation 24-70 L 2.8 and my old 17-35 L.

Tamron has really stepped up the game. The new Tamron lenses all seem to be no brainers: Do not overdue on the Price, step up the Quality, Offer what the Amateurs want...

I'm happy with Sigmas new lenses but raising the optical formula from better than I Need to out of this world is not as attractive as making a decent optical formula twice as usefull by either adding Stabilisation or making the lens twice as fast.

Now i would love to see the old TAMRON 28-105 2.8 Dinosaur to apear in the new design with VCD
Followed by the 85mm VCD
And finally attacking the Lord of the Rings with a 135mm 2.0 VCD or a even bolder move to attack the older sister of this lens with a 200mm 2.8 VCD

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

I knew this was coming, but I'm happy to hear the announcement go public. I was a little down after my first (own, non review) copy of the 45 VC didn't focus very well in my recent shootout. I sent it back to Tamron, and they agreed that the focus was off, so I got a second copy sent to me. It took me a little more work than usual on one of my bodies to find the right AFMA value, but I now have it dialed in and it is incredibly accurate on all three bodies that require AFMA - even in demanding event work. I'm back to being encouraged about the SP primes and will look long and hard at this 85 when it comes out. In the meantime the Milvus 85 is on its way to me for review, and I'm already prepared to be very tempted by it.

I do think the 85 VC needs to focus a little faster than the 45 VC. There are a few moments in fast paced action (indoors) that I'm wishing for faster AF.