Gary Wolstenholme reviews the 18.8x super zoom lens from Tamron, the 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro lens for APS-C cameras.

Very good sharpness in the centre; Extreme 18.8x zoom range; Effective VC system; Good build and splash proof construction; Compact and lightweight; Focuses very close for a lens that covers 300mm

CA levels towards edges of the frame are high at 300mm; Performance towards the edges of the frame falls behind at 18mm and 300mm

The Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD is the World's first 18.8X zoom lens for APS-C sized digital SLR cameras with an impressive 16-300mm zoom range, this gives the equivalent of 24.8mm wide-angle zooming to 465mm.

There was a time when bridge cameras were all the rage. This was the time when digital SLRs were a massive price, and digital compacts were not quite up to the job. It was also when the term ‘bridge camera' was invented, because these all-in-one, multi-purpose zoom-lens cameras were literally a...

Tamron's 16-300MM F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD, a recent addition to their AIO line of APS-C lenses, further increases the ability and versatility of what a single lens is capable of. Bringing you an optical zoom range of 18.8x, a range that was previously only available on point-n-shoot cameras, Tamron...

Compact lens with an incredible zoom range; Rubber rings make focus and zoom easy to control; Touch AF and VC switches don't changed by accident; Easy to read numbers on the lens; Very good image quality

Not as sharp as some available all-in-one lenses; VC still left some of our handheld image soft/blurry

The Tamron AF 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD exceeded our expectations, which weren't particuarly high given the massive focal range that's on offer. Its sharpness, while not on a par with the best lenses we have reviewed, is actually pretty good considering what the lens is trying to achieve.

The Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD MACRO , ( buy from Amazon ) is the world's first 18.8x zoom for APS -C sensor cameras. On a Canon DSLR it gives the full frame equivalent field of view of a 25.6-480mm zoom (on a Nikon or Sony DSLR it's 24-450mm due to the smaller 1.5x crop factor).

Released in April 2014, Tamron's new 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro lens uses the same PZD (Piezo Drive) ultrasonic motor as the 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD lens we reviewed in March 2011.

Convenience is something we're all guilty of craving. And when it comes to photography, superzoom lenses offer a tantalisingly easy option for photographers. Superzooms are typically aimed at enthusiast-level photographers looking for an all-in-one solution.

After trying to switch my 35-80 lens to my 80-300 and forgetting to make setting changes. I decided this would be ideal for out travels, I could get the coverage I wanted without changing lens.

Great Range; sharp closeups; Sharp Focus

Not light weight

Convenience is something we're all guilty of craving. And when it comes to photography, superzoom lenses offer a tantalisingly easy option for photographers. Superzooms are typically aimed at enthusiast-level photographers looking for an all-in-one solution.