May 18, 2011
Tamron Wins the first Camera GP 2011 Lens of The Year

Tamron 60th anniversary model

World's smallest and lightest*1 15x zoom lens for digital SLR cameras (APS-C size)

Optical equipment manufacturer Tamron Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Saitama City, Japan / President and CEO: Morio Ono) that is celebrating its 60th anniversary last year has won the first Camera GP 2011 Lens of The Year held by the Camera Journal Press Club (Japan). That award was won for Tamron's 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD*2 (Model B008), the world's smallest and lightest 15x zoom lens.

The following highly acclaimed aspects are the reasons for selection as Lens of the Year. The lens incorporates the new Piezo Drive (PZD) autofocus drive system. It has a more compact and light optical system, even while achieving high image quality. It is equipped with a vibration compensation (VC) image stabilization mechanism that is even more compact than before. And it is a lens symbolizing Tamron as a pioneer in all-in-one zoom lenses that is always striving for more.

• *1.For digital SLR all-in-one zoom lenses with a 15x zoom ratio surveyed by Tamron as of May 2011.
• *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. It also has an actuator that facilitates lens design and reduced size compared with ring type ultrasonic motors.

Reason for selection (excerpts)

• ・ Achieves compactness and light weight for excellent portability at 96.4 mm long and 450 g, even though it is a 15x all-in-one zoom lens.
• ・ Equipped with Tamron's first Piezo Drive (PZD) standing wave ultrasonic motor system with excellent quietness and quick focusing.
• ・ Improves optical performance by employing features such as high refractive index aspherical lenses and low dispersion glass that compensate well for various kinds of aberration.
• ・ Has a 13 group 16 element construction with two fewer lenses than previous models for compactness and lightness.
• ・ Equipped with the new vibration compensation (VC) image stabilization mechanism that achieves up to approximately four stop compensation effect converted to shutter speed.
• ・ Made to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Tamron's founding.

Camera GP 2011 Lens of The Year

The Camera GP held since 1984 is an extremely prestigious award where winners are selected through an open vote by a panel made up of Camera Journal Press Club members, top editorial staff of the member publications, academic experts, camera technical writers, professional photographers, and TIPA as a special member of CJPC. Lens of The Year added this year to Camera GP2011 was given to the best lens out of those released in Japan from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011 as selected by a 57-member panel.

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