Review: Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro lens (Z-Mount)

By Anthony McKee | 30 October 2024

Many years ago I went looking to buy a prime lens for my new Nikon FE2 film camera. My options were a genuine Nikon lens or a similar (but more affordable) aftermarket lens.

I went to a camera store, made photos with both lenses, had the film processed and immediately made the decision to buy the Nikon lens. Even in a 5” x 7” print the difference in performance was very obvious.

Over recent years though, lens design and manufacturing processes have improved dramatically, and nowadays it can often be difficult to see any real difference in performance between the name brand lenses and their aftermarket rivals.

Case in point is the new Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro lens for the Nikon Z-mount, which many nature photographers will be comparing to Nikon’s 105mm Micro lens for the Z-mount.

While I do not normally compare one lens against another, these two lenses are your only real choice if you are keen on macro photography with a Nikon Z camera, and so I think it is worth discussing the differences.

The Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro lens mounted on a Nikon Z8. While the lens lacks the function ring and LCD display that you will find on the Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 Macro, the overall design is still very simple and function to use.

The build

The first thing you notice about the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro is that, like the Nikon lens, it uses an internal focusing design. This does make the lens slightly longer than previous macro lenses, but it also offers some advantages.

With no expansion or contraction of the lens as it focuses the chance of dust and moisture being pulled into the already weather sealed lens is dramatically reduced.

Knowing the front element is not moving out towards your subject as you focus is also rather comforting, particularly when working in close to a subject.

The big advantage with this design though, is that there almost no focus breathing, making it easy to use “focus stacking” to create images that have more depth-of-field than you would typically get from a single capture.

In this process, a camera is mounted on a tripod and then multiple images are created while focusing from the nearest part of a subject through to the furthest part.

The photos are then imported into Photoshop, added into a stack and then blended so that the only the sharpest parts of each image are combined to create an overall sharp looking image.

Aside from the focussing ring, the two other controls that you will find on the Tamron 90mm Macro lens are the function button (in default mode this locks the autofocus) and the three position focus range limiting switch.

Where you do notice a difference between the Tamron and the Nikon lenses is in the control layout. Both lenses have a large focusing ring, but the Nikon also has a function ring that can be used to control the aperture, ISO or exposure compensation. Both lenses also have a function button that can control various focussing functions.

The advantage with the Nikon lens though, is that the functionality of both the function ring and the function button can easily be changed using the camera’s menu system.

The lens hood for the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro features a small, 3cm x 3cm sliding cover that makes it easy to adjust any filters that you might have on the lens.

To alter the Tamron lens settings you need to download the Tamron Lens Utility app to a Mac or PC computer (or Android phone), connect a USB-C cable to the lens and then adjust the settings.

That being said, most photographers will probably find they don’t need to adjust the function button on the Tamron lens, which by default acts as a focus lock.

The other key difference between the two lenses is that Nikon lens also has an LCD display that lets you see the focusing distance, macro ratio, or the aperture setting; you can swap between the display options by pushing the Display button on the side of the lens.

This option is very useful, particularly if you want to pre-focus the lens before approaching a subject. Sadly the Tamron has no focus distance reference marks on the lens.

Both lenses also have a focus limiting switch, but this is where I really prefer the Tamron design.

While the Nikon only offers the choice of focusing in the full range or the macro range, the Tamron gives you three options - full range, infinity to 0.7 metres, and 0.7 metres down to “MOD” (minimum object distance).

This does reduce the chance of focus hunting, particularly when you are working in the mid range distances.

Optically the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro uses 15 elements in 12 groups, including four Low dispersion lens elements the helps to minimise flaring and ghosting within the lens. The front element also has a fluorine coating that is both water and oil repellent.

This USB-C connection lets you connect the lens to a computer so that you can change various settings on the lens, including the role of the function button. My only wish is that Tamron would provide a cover for this port, although a piece of gaffer tape over it will work too.

The other glorious feature with the Tamron is that it has a 12-bladed aperture (a first for Tamron), as opposed to the Nikon’s nine blades. This does add to the softness of the bokeh, particularly when you start to work with the aperture closed down at the shorter focusing distances.

Autofocus

Focussing on the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro lens is rather snappy, thanks in part to Tamron’s VXD linear motor focusing system. When used with a Nikon Z6III or a Z8, the focus will move from infinity down to the 1:1 focussing distance in just over a second, which is good for such a broad focusing range.

What is remarkable about this lens is that amount of detail it captures, particularly once you start exploring an image in Photoshop. This fern blade was captured hand-held using available light. The exposure was f5.6 at 1/800th, ISO 400.

Focus hunting can be a problem with some discrete subjects, but this can easily be resolved by using the focus limiter or helping the lens with a touch of manual focus override.

On the whole though, focusing with the Tamron was very easy.

Another fern shot, although this time from further back. The exposure was f8 at 1/500th, ISO 400.

Image quality

I did most of my testing with this lens while on a kayaking trip down the Glenelg River and rather than risk drowning a Z8 (I have form), I used my Z6 with the lens.

The lens does not have built-in image stabilisation but instead relies on the camera’s built-in stabilisation in handheld situations; still, sharp shots were almost guaranteed at the slower shutter speeds so long as the wind is not blowing your subject about.

A dead bush was a reasonable test was useful in revealing how soft backgrounds can appear with this lens. Exposure was f3.2 at 1/1000th, ISO 400.

What impressed me straight away when using the lens was simply how much detail was being revealed in each capture. Having used Nikon’s 105mm for well over 20 years I know how much detail these lenses can capture, and the Tamron 90mm feels on parr with its Nikon rival, even in the challenging light conditions.

The back of a gum leaf was another good opportunity to test the lens at the macro setting 1:1. In case you had not noticed, I do like to shoot these type of shot in the 1:1 (square) ration too. Exposure was f5.6 at 1/500th, ISO 400.

The Tamron 90mm is also supplied with a dedicated lens hood, although being about 8cm deep, this was not really that practical for close-up work; at its closest focusing distance the hood is literally encompassing the subject which does restrict any frontal lighting you might be trying to use.

Macro lenses might be typecast for capturing closeups but they can also be used for portrait and landscape photography. This cliff along the banks of the Glenelg was an interesting subject in some late afternoon light. Exposure was f5.6 at 1/250th, ISO 100.

On the plus side, the hood does have a small 3cm x 3cm sliding door that you can use to access and rotate any 67mm polarising or variable ND filters that you might be using on the lens.

This small daisy was photographed at the 1:1 magnification ratio using the lens’s minimum focusing distance. Although the aperture was wide open, the effective aperture was f5.6. The shutter speed was 1/1600th at ISO 400.

The wrap-up

While it might not have all the bells and whistles that the Nikon 105mm lens has, the Tamron is still an impressive lens to use. Macro lenses are often considered to be a specialist tool but this lens is actually affordable enough to give any photographer the chance to explore the joys of close up photography.

The 90mm focal length and the moderately fast f2.8 aperture also makes this lens a great portrait lens, although some subject might find the overwhelming sharpness of this glass a little too confronting for some older egos.

Nonetheless, the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro is definitely an exceptional lens, and is definitely worthy of consideration the next time you are looking for a new lens for your Nikon.

The results

Handling ★ ★ ★ ★

At 690-grams (with the hood), the 90mm f2.8 Di III VXD is slightly larger than previous macro lenses but it is very comfortable to shoot with. Internal focus makes setting up images very predictable as you know where the front of the lens is all the time.

Features ★ ★ ★ ★

The VXD focusing motor provides fast and accurate focus, while the three position focus preset switch is also very useful. A small door on the side of the hood is handy for adjusting filters.

Image Quality ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The lens nails the detail and it delivers professional results in almost any situation. The 12-bladed aperture also delivers beautiful bokeh at the wider aperture settings.

Value for money ★ ★ ★ ★

With a recommended retail price of $1299, the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro is actually well priced given the level of image quality it delivers. Yes, it would be nice to see a focus scale on this lens, and a cover over the USB port, but this lens is still a winner.

Final Word

While it lacks some of the nicer features you find on the Nikon 105MM Macro lens, the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Di III Macro lens still delivers incredibly sharp images and is a safe investment for anyone looking for a great close-up lens, or even a versatile wedding and portrait lens.

More info: Tamron.com.au