“The most significant shift across the entire imaging landscape has undoubtedly been the mainstream adoption of AI-generated imagery,” says Kei Nagai, the section manager of Tamron’s Overseas Sales Department, when asked about the most important trend in imaging of the past year.
Out of all the companies we interviewed at the CP+ trade show this year, Tamron is one of the few to bring up that particular elephant in the room. But the company thinks the newfound popularity of computer-generated images could make real-world photography more relevant, not less.
“While it has become much easier to create an image that matches one’s specific intent, we believe this will change what people demand from photography,” Nagai says. “While the importance of expressiveness and authenticity remains fundamental, we anticipate that the intrinsic value of the experience of taking a photograph – the act of capturing a moment yourself – will become even more significant than before.”
It wasn’t the only time AI came up in the interview, which covered a range of topics from the health of the overall market to how Tamron comes up with which focal ranges its zooms should cover.
An opportunity to grow
Asked to describe the overall health of the camera industry, Nagai says that the mirrorless camera and lens ecosystem has matured significantly, making it easier for people to find gear that matches their goals. Despite that maturation, Tamron still thinks it has room to grow.
“While CIPA forecasts suggest the overall market remains relatively flat, we see this as an opportunity to grow our share by continuing to introduce truly compelling and innovative products,” says Nagai. He cites lenses like the 35-150mm F2-2.8 as options that give Tamron the opportunity to win in a certain niche.
Nagai says that taking on the risk of developing those kinds of lenses with non-traditional focal length ranges is at the heart of what the company does. “We believe that these challenges are our ‘Significance of existence’ – our very reason for being,” he says.
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| Tamron’s latest lens, the 35-100mm F2.8, is relatively small and lightweight for a fast zoom with its zoom range. Photo: Mitchell Clark |
“By listening closely to user feedback and challenging ourselves with unique focal ranges, perhaps by slightly shifting a standard range or offering a faster aperture, we aim to provide lenses that strike a perfect balance between performance, size, and price in ways that traditional zoom ranges cannot.”
While Tamron has seen a lot of success with its strategy of making “unique focal ranges,” it’ll be interesting to see if it’ll face more competition in that field in the mid-term. As companies flesh out their mirrorless lineups and start branching out into more obscure or ambitious focal ranges (see: Sony’s 50-150mm F2, which is a similar concept to Tamron’s 35-150mm F2-2.8, though much more expensive), their lenses may seem less out there and more mainstream.
As for deciding whether to come out with new lenses that fill the gaps left by camera manufacturers’ first-party lineups or bring existing designs to new mounts, Nagai says Tamron tries to do both.
“We are moving toward simultaneous multi-mount launches”
“In the past, we often expanded to other systems after launching the Sony E-mount. However, with recent releases like the 16-30mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 and the upcoming 35-100mm F/2.8 Di III VXD, we are moving toward simultaneous multi-mount launches.” He says the company believes “it is essential to take a holistic view of the entire market and existing lineups to carefully determine which spec and mounts to prioritize.”
One potential area of growth that we didn’t hear about was the possibility of adding new mounts to its repertoire. We asked if the success the company had seen with its APS-C lenses for Canon’s RF system meant there was any possibility that we might see some of its full-frame options make it to the system, but Nagai says he can’t offer any comment on that matter.
Balancing innovation and value
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| Tamron’s 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 may miss out on 20mm compared to a traditional 70-200mm F2.8, but it’s less than half the price of Sony, Nikon and Canon’s flagship offerings. Photo: Mitchell Clark |
As we’ve seen manufacturers start to release second-generation iterations of their mirrorless lenses, it hasn’t been uncommon to see them come with higher price tags than their predecessors. While some of Tamron’s G2 lenses have been slightly more expensive than the originals, they’re still usually substantially cheaper than many of their peers. Nagai says the company “sets a target cost based on a comprehensive analysis of market conditions” for each lens.
“To achieve these targets, our optical design, mechanical design, and electronic R&D teams collaborate closely with our procurement department from the earliest stages,” he says, which lets the company hit the price points it does.
Our improved AF performance is a direct result of our ability to control our VXD linear motors
Despite the focus on an “accessible” price tag, Nagai says the company has been able to find ways to improve autofocus and stabilization performance, including utilizing new types of autofocus motors. “Our improved AF performance is a direct result of our ability to control our VXD linear motors at a much higher level,” he says, citing improved speed when running calculations and the ability to stop the motors faster.
He also says the company has continued to use AI, along with a variety of other methods and devices, to improve its stabilization systems. He says the 28-300mm F/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD has the latest iteration of the tech, adding: “We hope our users look forward to what we have in the pipeline.” He also says the company will “continue to develop ‘smart’ features that allow users to customize their gear,” as it did with the Tamron Lens Utility app and Link connector, which let you do things like execute focus pulls and adjust the response curves of your focus rings.
This article is based on an interview with Tamron at CP+ 2026, which was expanded via email to include more comprehensive detail. It has been edited for clarity and flow.