2024 has been the year where Canon has finally, grudgingly, let a third party lens makers creep in to their RF mount, though with one huge caveat. There are still (absolutely!) no full frame lenses from third parties allowed, but Canon is opening up the RF/RF-S mount to APS-C lenses. Earlier this year I reviewed a few of the first Sigma lenses to come in an RF mount, and the Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 RXD becomes the first Tamron lens to arrive on the platform. This is great, as it provides another high quality wide angle option for Canon shooters to consider. But is there enough here to bypass the equally interesting Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DN lens that is also now available on RF? Find out in either the video review below or the text review linked here…or just enjoy the photos in the gallery below.

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Thanks to Tamron USA for sending me a loaner of this lens.   As always, this is a completely independent review.  All opinions and conclusions are my own. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the APS-C mode on my 45MP Canon EOS R5, which I reviewed here.

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Tamron loves its initials in their lens names, so let’s sort out that alphabet soup.  Di III is their designation for a mirrorless lens design, and, in this case, the addition of -A at the (Di III-A) refers to their development for APS-C mirrorless.  RXD refers to the focus motor, and means Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive.

As with the Sigma lenses I’ve reviewed before, Canon is explicitly keeping you out of the full frame protocols. I don’t own a Canon APS-C camera, so I’m doing this review on the APS-C mode of my full frame Canon EOS R5. Typically I can evaluate full frame coverage on Sony or Nikon, but here all options but the 1.6x APS-C crop are greyed out. Canon is making SURE you don’t enter that sacred full frame space under any circumstance!

Canon is unique amongst other brands in that their APS-C crop is tighter than other brands. It is 1.6x rather than 1.5x, meaning that the effective focal length of the lens changes a bit in this application. Whereas it will be 16-30mm frame equivalent on 1.5x, it will be 17.6-32mm on Canon. That’s unfortunate with a wide angle lens, as typically your priority will be to have as wide of framing as possible.

The 11-20RF covers a very useful range nonetheless, giving you a variety of framing options at 11, 14, 16, 18, and 20mm (the marked positions on the zoom ring):

The 11-20RF is priced at $659 USD, which is identical to where the Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DN is priced (my review here) and considerably more expensive than the roughly $300 budget Canon RF-S 10-18mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM lens. It it worth the price premium over the Canon, and should it be considered instead of the Sigma? Check out my reviews if you have questions.

Photos of the Tamron RF 11-20mm F2.8 RXD

Photos taken with the Tamron RF 11-20mm F2.8 RXD

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GEAR USED:

Purchase the Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 RF @ B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany

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Purchase the Canon EOS R50 @ Camera Canada | B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany

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Purchase a Canon EOS R7 @ B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

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