Best Tamron zoom lens for Nikon Z6 II wildlife shooting?

Question

What is the absolute best Tamron zoom lens I can get for my Nikon Z6 II for shooting wildlife?

I am so incredibly excited because I finally booked a dream trip to Yellowstone this coming September and I really want to capture some amazing shots of grizzly bears and bison. I currently shoot with the Z6 II and I love it but my longest lens is only a 70-200mm which is definitely not gonna cut it for distance.

I did some digging online and saw a lot of people talking about the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD which is native for Z mount now, but then I also read some older threads recommending adapting the Tamron 150-600mm G2 F-mount using the FTZ adapter.

Im super torn because the 150-500 is native and compact which is great for hiking, but some reviews say the F-mount G2 actually has better reach and is cheaper used, though I worry about the autofocus speed with the adapter especially for fast moving animals. My budget is capped at around $1200 and I need to buy it in the next few weeks so I have time to practice.

Does the autofocus on the adapted G2 hold up well on the Z6 II for active wildlife or should I just shell out for the native 150-500mm even with the shorter focal length?

CipherCyclone · Accepted Answer

Yellowstone is gonna be absolutely amazing! You definitely want the native Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD for this trip. Heres why the native lens wins out on technical details:Autofocus drive: The native lens uses Tamrons VXD linear motor which is incredibly fast. The older G2 uses a USD ring-type motor that struggles to keep up with the Z6 II mirrorless autofocus tracking.Optical stabilization: The VC system on the native Z mount lens communicates directly with the Z6 II body, giving you much steadier hand-held shots at 500mm.Alternative option: If you want maximum reach on a budget, look for a used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR with the FTZ. It adapts way better than the third-party Tamron F-mount and has a constant f/5.6 aperture which is fantastic!

EchoByteX · Answer

I took my Z6 II to Glacier last year and tried adapting the older G2. The autofocus was too sluggish for moving bears, and the setup felt way too front-heavy. Definitely suggest going native instead.

The autofocus on the native Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD is much faster and more reliable.

You might want to consider the weight because carrying adapted glass gets exhausting.

Make sure to prioritize autofocus speed over that extra 100mm reach.