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November 6, 2012
Tamron Co., Ltd.
Tamron announces the redesign of their legendary 90mm Macro lens, equipped
with VC (Vibration Compensation)*1 and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)*2
SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD (Model F004)
November 6, 2012, Saitama, Japan-Tamron Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Morio Ono / Headquarters: Saitama City), a leading manufacturer of optical equipment, announced the release of a next generation 90mm Macro lens for full-size SLR cameras. The lens features completely redesigned optics, a proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation)*1, and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)*2.
The Canon mount will first be released in Japan, on November 22, 2012; sales dates outside of Japan are scheduled to follow subsequently. The sales dates of the Nikon and Sony*3 compatible mounts will be released at a later date.
SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD (Model F004)
Product Features
- Tamron has updated their legendary 90mm Macro lens with a new, state-of-the-art optical design. The lens, reborn for the age of digital photography, offers VC (Vibration Compensation)*1 and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)*2.
- Adopting a state-of-the-art optical design and a rounded diaphragm*4, this lens carries on the long tradition of Tamron's 90mm Macro lens in delivering spectacular blur effects. Two XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) *5 glass elements and one LD (Low Dispersion) element reduce chromatic aberrations, yielding sharp images and outstanding resolution.
- Tamron's newly developed eBAND (Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency) Coating*6 delivers a dramatic improvement in antireflection performance - significantly reducing flare and ghosting for clearer, crisper images.
- The VC (Vibration Compensation)*1 image stabilization mechanism reduces camera shake to deliver sharp images.*7
- Features USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)*2 to power a speedy AF drive together with a continuous manual focus mechanism.
- Incorporates IF (Internal Focus) system, which focuses by moving only the internal lens group, rather than the front lens elements. The overall length of the lens therefore does not change when focusing, thus ensuring a broad working distance.
- Moisture-resistant construction helps prevent moisture from penetrating the lens.
*1 VC (Vibration Compensation) is Tamron's proprietary image stabilization mechanism.
*2 USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) is Tamron's proprietary ultrasonic motor drive.
*3 The Sony mount does not include VC, as Sony digital SLR bodies include image stabilization functionality. The Sony lens is designated as "SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 USD".
*4 This rounded diaphragm retains a nearly circular shape even when taken two stops down from its fully open state.
*5 The XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) glass is made from specialized high-grade glass, which offers greater chromatic aberration correction properties than LD (Low Dispersion) elements.
*6 The eBAND (Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency) Coating is a new nanotechnology-based coating technique developed by Tamron to reduce unwanted reflection.
*7 From 3m, the benefits of VC (Vibration Compensation) gradually decrease as the focus distance becomes closer.
Specifications
| Model: | F004 |
| Focal length: | 90mm |
| Maximum aperture: | F/2.8 |
| Angle of view (diagonal): |
27゜02'(with full-size SLR cameras)
17
゜37'(with APS-C sized sensor digital SLR cameras)
|
| Lens construction: | 14 elements in 11 groups |
| Minimum focus distance: | 0.3m (11.8 in) |
| Maximum magnification ratio: | 1: 1 |
| Working distance: | 139mm (5.5 in) |
| Filter size: | Φ58mm |
| Length*1: | 114.5mm (4.5 in)* |
| Entire length*2: | 122.9mm (4.8 in)* |
| Diameter: | Φ76.4mm |
| Weight: | 550g (19.4 oz)* |
| No. of diaphragm blades: | 9 (rounded diaphragm) |
| Minimum aperture: | F/32 |
| Standard accessory: | Lens hood |
| Compatible mounts: | Canon, Nikon, Sony |
Specifications, appearance, functionality, etc. may be changed without prior notice.
*Length, entire length and weight values given are for the Nikon mount.
*1: Length is the distance between the mount face and the tip of the lens.
*2: Entire length is the distance between the tip of the lens and the tip of the protrusion.
This new lens will be sold alongside its predecessor, the SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 (Model 272E).
VC (Vibration Compensation)
VC (Vibration Compensation) is Tamron's proprietary image stabilization system. Tamron's VC is a three-coil system, whereby three driving coils activate the shake-compensating VC lens group electromagnetically via three ceramic balls. The VC lens elements are held in place only by contact with the ceramic balls, achieving smooth movement with little friction. This provides a stable viewfinder image with excellent tracking performance. And as the VC lens may be moved in parallel using only the motorized control, the mechanical structure has been simplified, enabling the creation of a more compact lens.
New VC System (moving coil method)
Tamron's original VC image stabilization mechanism utilized a moving magnet system whereby a heavy magnet was positioned near the moving VC lens element. In the new VC unit the positions of the magnet and the coil are reversed, because of this the VC optical lens element is attached to the coil. The new VC mechanism employs a moving coil mechanism with a lightweight coil, and the lighter coil reduces the load on the drive system. Thus, the lighter, more compact new VC unit contributes to the lens's overall light weight and compact size.
The Ultrasonic Motor
In the ultrasonic motor, a piezoelectric element arranged in a ring formation generates ultrasonic vibrations in a metallic ring stator, and the vibration energy is used to rotate a metallic ring rotor that is attached to the stator. The rotation energy is in turn transferred from the metallic ring rotor to operate the focus lens.
What is eBAND (Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency) Coating?
eBAND Coating, developed by Tamron, is a new coating technique that radically improves anti-reflection properties. A nano-structured layer (1nm = 1/1,000,000mm), with dimensions smaller than the wavelengths of visible rays of light, is deployed on top of multiple coating layers to maximize efficiency.
Reflections occur at the interface between the lens and the air because of the difference in refractive indices of the two substances. The nano-structure of the eBAND Coating renders an extremely low refractive index by minimizing the differential with that of air while actively inducing air to its own structure, thus significantly suppressing the extent and degree of reflections.
In addition, a total anti-reflection efficiency at the lens surface is further improved by means of integrating the conventional coating technique based on an active utilization of the "interference of light" principle, attenuating an amount of reflections by overlaying reflected light on the coating front surface and that of the back side with its phase shifted, thus increasing the net transmissivity.
As a hybrid technology between the newly developed nano-structured layer with an extremely low refractive index and conventional multiple-layer coatings, the eBAND Coating provides superb anti-reflection performance, delivering crisp, razor sharp images, and remarkably eliminating the flare and ghosting that can tangibly damage image quality.
Features of eBAND (Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency) Coating
Outstanding anti-reflection performance across nearly the entire range of visible rays can be obtained.
Particularly, the performance is highly evident for substantially angulated incident light, which has been a major challenge for conventional coating techniques.
"Extended Bandwidth" signifies anti-reflection properties ensured over a broader wavelength range, exceeding the current BBAR (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection) coating.
"Extended Angular Dependency" refers to superb anti-reflection properties relative to angulated rays of incident light rendered by improvement of coating characteristics to expand the receptive angles of the incident light.
Notice of Classification Code Change for Nikon Mounts
Since the introduction by Tamron of the first Nikon mount lens featuring an internal AF motor, the AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC (Model A20), all Nikon mount lenses with the internal AF motor had used the classification code "N II." Lenses using a coupler system* without an internal AF motor were designated as "N." Because future Nikon lenses will have the internal AF motor as a standard feature, Tamron has decided to simplify the designation and consolidate all Nikon mount lenses as "N," eliminating the "N II" designation for future models. This classification code change was made effective from the 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD (Model B008).
The "N" classification lenses with coupler systems are: SP AF200-500mm F/5-6.3 Di (Model A08); and SP AF180mm F/3.5 Di (Model B01).
* Coupler system refers to a system that uses a shaft to harness the AF motor built into the camera body to operate the lens.
