HD DA★ 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WRvs Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Pentax HD DA★ 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR Pentax HD DA★ 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR (2013) Starting from £699 new Best for Travel, landscape & documentary photography View HD DA★ 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR
VS
Tamron Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD Tamron Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD (2019) Starting from £649 new Best for Landscape, architecture & astrophotography View Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD

GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?

Travel, Landscape & Documentary Photography — HD DA★ 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR (2013): The natural travel zoom for Pentax K-3 owners — weather-sealed, DA★ quality, and covers wide to short-telephoto in one versatile barrel.

Landscape, Architecture & Astrophotography — Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD (2019): The compact f/2.8 ultra-wide for Sony FE — lightweight, weather-sealed, and optically excellent at a fraction of Sony's own G-Master price.

↓ Full specifications below

Who should buy what

Quick take: The tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 di iii rxd is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification HD DA★ 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR (2013)Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD (2019)
Price £699 £649
Sensor f/3.5-5.6 (variable max aperture) f/2.8 (constant max aperture)
Video 35cm minimum focus distance 19cm minimum focus distance
Autofocus DC (Direct Clutch) motor — smooth and quiet RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) linear motor
Stabilisation None (relies on body SR/IBIS) None (relies on body IBIS)
Burst Rate N/A —
Battery Life N/A —
Weight 488g 420g
Dimensions 74mm diameter × 93.5mm length 75.0 × 99.6mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes
Viewfinder N/A —
Screen N/A —
Mount Pentax KF-mount Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards N/A —
Connectivity N/A —

Suitability by genre

Genre HD DA★ 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WRTamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
Travel
9.0
—
Landscape
9.0
9.0
Portrait
7.0
4.0
Architecture —
9.0
Astrophotography —
9.0
Vlogging & Video —
9.0
Street —
7.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side HD DA★ 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR prices → Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD prices →

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