When I bought my very first camera — a Nikon D5100 — my first lens purchase was a Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. I used that lens daily, capturing daily life, events, food … whatever I could find.

Fast-forward 10 years and I’m still using a Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, but this time, paired with my Sony a7 IV and a1 cameras. With the G2 version of the lens, I’ve come full circle, knowing that I can rely on that Tamron lens to capture what I need it to. It’s fast, sharp and does great in low light. It’s one of my most reliable lenses to get the job done, even in the trickiest of situations.

Every photographer needs a fast, sharp and reliable lens. And if you shoot corporate photos, events, portraits … having a standard zoom like the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 is a key part of your camera bag.

You can shoot wide … and close-up

What’s great about a lens like the 28-75mm is how versatile it is. I’ve used the lens for events, capturing landscapes and nature, portraits, food … you name it. It does everything I need it to do and gives me a field of view that’s great in many situations.

Great in low light

Because of its f/2.8 aperture, the Tamron 28-75mm lets me capture dark scenes without having to crank up the ISO to extreme levels. But it also is great at focusing at night, meaning I can rely on it when shooting things like outdoor concerts.

Autofocus is not only reliable — it’s fast, sharp and locks on to your subject with ease. Plus, because it’s a constant f/2.8 across the zoom range, I don’t have to constantly worry about adjusting my settings when zooming in or out.

Perfect for when you need some background separation

Having a maximum aperture of f/2.8 lets you easily separate your subject from the background more than an f/4 or f/5.6 lens would.

While zoom lenses aren’t exactly known for being bokeh kings, they can hold their own and offer an attractive depth of field throughout your frame. Because of this, it’s a great lens for things like corporate headshots, weddings, family photos and more.

It’s lightweight

Prior to using the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 lens, I relied on the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 Art lens. A great lens in its own right that screams character. But for my needs — being able to throw lenses in a backpack that I have on for eight hours at a time — having a lighter, more compact lens was super important.

So I switched to the Tamron. And I’ve never been happier.