Tamron Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:7740), a leading manufacturer of optical equipment, announced the release of yet another groundbreaking lens: the world’s most compact, lightweight lens with a 15x zoom ratio*1, featuring a 62 mm filter diameter, VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization and Tamron’s first standing wave ultrasonic motor system for SLR lenses, the PZD (Piezo Drive)*2. The 18-270 mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD (Model B008) (referred to below as the 18-270 mm Di II VC PZD) DSLR lens for Canon and Nikon mounts will be released in Japan on December 20, 2010, and a Sony compatible mount*3 is planned for a later date.

Product Features

* The 18-270mm Di II VC PZD boasts the world’s highest zoom range at 15x magnification for a lens with its compact size and light weight*1, with the added value of Tamron’s proprietary VC image stabilization. At 450g, measuring 88mm in length (from mount face to the tip of the lens), and 74.4mm in diameter with a filter diameter of 62mm, it’s a compact and easy-to-carry lens.
* Silent, high-speed autofocus in a compact lens due to the incorporation of Tamron’s new PZD (Piezo Drive) *2 autofocus technology.
* This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 0.49m throughout the zoom range and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.8.

*1 For SLR camera high-zoom-ratio lenses with 15x magnification capability. Current as of December 2010. (Source: Tamron).

*2 PZD (Piezo Drive) is a standing wave ultrasonic motor system developed by Tamron. The motor is faster and quieter than DC motors when the AF drive is operated, and compared with ring type ultrasonic motors, it has an actuator that facilitates lens design and reduced size.

*3 The Sony mount is not equipped with the VC image stabilization mechanism, as the body of Sony’s digital SLR cameras has a built-in image stabilization function. Consequently, the lens with a Sony mount is referred to as the 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II PZD and does not include the VC description.