It looks like Sigma’s not the only one making their relationship with Canon public today. Tamron has also revealed that they’re making autofocus lenses for Canon RF mount cameras, too. And they’re kicking things off with an ultra-wide zoom.
It’s the Tamron 11-20mm F/2.8 Di III-A RXD (Model B060) (buy here), a lens that’s currently available for Sony E and Fuji X mounts. Like Sigma, it’s not a launch announcement today, though, just a development announcement.
Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 for Canon RF – Coming Soon!
As mentioned, this is just the development announcement. The lens already exists, and it’s been available for Sony E and Fuji X mounts for a while now. It launched in April 2021 as a Sony E mount lens, and development of the Fuji X mount version was announced last February.
Fuji shooters didn’t have to wait too long for the lens to be released. By June, we were already starting to see reviews being posted online. Four months might feel like a lifetime sometimes, but it’s not that long to wait.
Maybe we’ll see a similar release schedule this time, too? One of Sigma’s new lenses is coming out in July, although the rest aren’t slated until near the end of the year. So, when Tamron actually releases this is anybody’s guess at this point.
But not for Nikon Z (yet?)
I do find it quite interesting that this lens is coming to Canon RF before it comes to Nikon Z mount, though. Nikon seemed to open up their mount much earlier than Canon, even if they were a little strict. And Tamron does have other Z mount autofocus lenses in their lineup.
Will this come to Nikon Z at all? Will the existing Nikon Z Tamron lenses be ported over to Canon RF? Maybe. But, also, maybe not. Mount licensing seems to have become much more tricky than it was in the primitive DSLR days.
There have been no hints from Tamron either way, but I expect we’ll hear a development announcement the instant it becomes official.
Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD Specs
| Focal Length | 11-20mm |
| Lens Mount | Sony E, Fuji X, Canon RF |
| Format Compatibility | APS-C |
| Focus Type | Autofocus |
| Optics | 12 elements in 10 groups |
| Minimum focus distance | 15cm (wide) / 24cm (Tele) |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/16 |
| Angle of view | 105° 20′ to 71° 35′ |
| Aperture blades | 7, rounded |
| Stabilisation | None |
| Filter Size | 67mm |
| Dimensions | 73 x 86.2mm |
| Weight | 335g |
Price and Availability
As this is just a development announcement, no pricing for the Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD for Canon RF mount has been released. The Sony E and Fuji X mount versions of the lens, however, sell for $829 (although the Sony version is currently discounted to $699). So, I expect it will be of a similar price point.
A release date, as we have established, is anybody’s guess. Tamron does say, however, that it will launch at some point during 2024. So, it is happening this year, and it’ll be within the next 8 months. So, there’s your maximum wait time.
