Beautiful nature in Iriomote Islands by Yosuke Kashiwakura with TAMRON 50-300mm F4.5-6.3 VC (Model A069) for Sony E-mount

Hello. I’m Yosuke Kashiwakura, a nature photographer. I usually photograph landscapes, animals, and other general subjects related to nature. As nature photography involves a lot of moving around under your own power, I try to limit the number of lenses I bring and lighten my load as much as possible. Telephoto lenses have always been a problem for me, and I often struggle to decide whether to pack one. As I don’t want to compromise on the image quality in my photos, that ends up meaning having to carry a camera backpack that gets heavier and heavier. The first thing that struck me when I held the TAMRON 50-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (Model A069) in my hands before my shoot on Iriomote Island was how overwhelmingly light it was. In addition to covering a wide range of focal lengths from 50 to 300mm, it features a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2, comparable to that of a macro lens. Accordingly, I’d like to showcase the full range of this lens’s capabilities.

The first photo：　Focal length: 300mm　Exposure: F6.3　Shutter Speed: 1/100sec　ISO: 100　Camera: Sony α7R IV

These are the petals of a beautiful tropical hibiscus flower. I just expected to get in close to fill the image with the entire flower, but as a result I was able to get so close that the pistil of the flower is rendered in large detail. At the 50mm focal length, this lens has an astounding MOD (Minimum Object Distance) of 0.22m (8.7in). I was surprised by the stunningly beautiful bokeh in the petals behind the pistil, extending into the greenery further back.

This is a shot of a paper kite butterfly, one of the largest butterflies in Japan, taken at the 300mm telephoto end. I photographed this butterfly at such a close distance that I was even worried the lens might touch it. When I later zoomed in on the butterfly’s wing, I was amazed at the resolution of the lens, which captured even the microscopic world showing the regular arrangement of scales.

I came across a large water buffalo standing in the forest and quietly snapped an image so as not to surprise it. Thanks to the high-speed autofocus that homes in on the eyes even in dim conditions and the VC (Vibration Compensation) mechanism that works properly even at the 300mm telephoto end, I got a sense of the ease of shooting this lens enables.

Puddles forming at low tide are the perfect environment for reflecting the landscape on the surface. In this area dotted with mangroves, I focused on shooting at the standard 50mm focal length to produce a sense of being there. As 50mm conveys a sense of distance that is similar to what you see with your own eyes, it’s a very useful focal length. By using various focal lengths between 50mm and 300mm I was able to capture scenes with a rich variation.

Raindrops gathered on a highly water-repellent leaf. I became absorbed in shooting this scene with the droplets resembling shimmering jewels. I set the ISO sensitivity to 800 to create a soft and noiseless image. Even at the low shutter speed of 1/8 sec. there was no blurring, and I was able to immerse myself in the world of macro photography with peace of mind.

I boarded a pleasure cruise on the Urauchi River, the longest in Okinawa Prefecture, and headed upstream. Along the way, the view along the riverbanks was a jungle world. From atop the moving boat, I was able to freely compose many shots of the scenes that interested me. From the boast where my position was fixed, the zoom and its 50-300mm focal length range came in exceptionally handy.

A shot of the Ainslie macroclinidioides var. okinawensis flower, which blooms south of the Tokara Islands. I was very impressed with the water droplets on the tips of the petals. The closer you get to a subject, the larger the circular bokeh gets. This created a wonderful image that balances the delicate rendering of the small petals with abundant bokeh.

A large tree supported by buttress roots. The lens captures the rain-soaked bark and moss that envelops the surface with high resolving strength. Due to the dimness, I set wide-open aperture but there was no image quality degradation in the corners, and the textures of the wet tree were reproduced in exquisite detail. The VC mechanism also helped with this shot.

Several varieties of flying spider-monkey tree ferns grow in subtropical forests. These tree ferns grow particularly big on Iriomote Island, and there is something impressive about how the leaves and branches spread out. As I wanted to get the entire shot in focus from foreground to background, I set the f-stop to F8. The countless leaves that cover the entire sky are individually rendered with impressive resolution.

Touring Iriomote Island with a single lens, I was able to reach out and capture a world previously unavailable to me. This lens with its 50-300mm focal length range lets you enjoy outstanding resolution and rich bokeh throughout the entire zoom range, and its special performance in allowing you to get surprisingly close to subjects broadened the variation in the subjects I photographed more than expected. On top of that, the extremely light weight and compact size of the lens are also key points. This is an indispensable companion you can take with you to any shooting location.