Pekka Buttler, 07/2026
Specifications
The table below summarises the lens’ key specifications (measurements based on pictured sample with Topcon Exakta adapter):
| Brand: | Tamron | Lens name | Zoom Macro 1:2.8~3.5 f=35~80mm BBAR Multi C. |
| Focal length(s) 1 | 35-70 mm | Angle-of-view 2 | 64°–30° |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8–3.5 | In Production | 1978–80 |
| Lens mounts (native) | Tamron Adaptall | Other lens mounts | See article on Adaptall |
| Length 3 | 80,7 mm (without adapter) 86,9 mm(with Topcon Exakta adapter) | Diameter 4 | 64,9 mm |
| Filter ring diameter | 62 mm | Weight | 522 grams (without adapter) 602 grams (with Topcon Exakta adapter) |
| Lens element count | 13 | Lens group count | 13 |
| Aperture blades 5 | 6 S | Focus throw | 80 ° |
| Minimum focusing distance (measured) | 134 cms (@35mm) 117 cms (@80mm) 20 cms (in macro mode) | Maximum magnification (measured) | 1:2,1 (@80mm in macro mode) |
| Has manual aperture ring | YES | Has manual focus ring | YES |
| Aperture mechanism type | Automatic | Aperture click stops (on preset ring) 6 | 2.8•4•5.6•8•11•16•22 |
Further notes:
• This lens was designed to use the Tamron Adaptall intermediate mount
• Tamron has always had its own coding scheme for lens designs. This coding scheme is extremely useful to discern between two (or more) lenses that have the same mainline specifications (focal length and maximum aperture). According to the Tamron coding scheme, this lens is “Model QZ-35M”.
• This lens was introduced in 1978 as the standard zoom to appeal to the demanding photographer. With its f/2.8 max aperture, its 13 element design and a macro mode that promised 1:2 maximum magnification it had all the bells and whistles.
• When the Adaptall system was replaced with the Adaptall-2 system, this lens was not carried over. Instead the Tamron SP 35–80/2.8–3.8 took its place in the lineup.
• This is a one-ring, push/pull zoom, with one ring controlling both focal length and focusing distance.
The zoom/focus ring is broad and grippy, and offers a very short focus throw.
• The lens changes length both while zooming as well as when focusing. The filter ring rotates when focusing. Zooming from 35 to 80 mm lengthens the lens by 17,2 mm.
Right: the lens at 80 mm and inifity.
• The lens has a macro mode that is implemented differently from most Tamron lenses
• The macro mode is engaged by pressing the macro lock button and twisting the macro mode ring (between aperture ring and zoom/focus ring)
•The macro mode can only be engaged/disengaged at 35 mm, but it becomes meaningful only once moving the zoom/focus ring forward to the 80 mm setting. The focus ring can still be used for fine-tuning focus.
Right: Lens at 80 mm and macro mode engaged
Versions
The Tamron Model QZ-35M was in production for only a short while and only one version seems to exists.
Adapting
Given that this lens uses an intermediate mount, there are several ways to go, depending on what your intention is
If you intend to adapt your Tamron Adaptall lens to a dSLR…
There are original Tamron Adaptall adapters to both Pentax K and Nikon F (Ai) available. These adapters allow you to use the tamron Adaptall lens as if it was a native (manual focus) lens (including aperture and aperture priority exposure automation). There are also modern adapters available from several adapter manufacturers, but – in general – these adapters are dumb adapters and do not allow aperture control.
If your dSLR is a Canon EF or Sony/Minolta A and Four thirds camera, you can get an aftermarket dumb adapter, but will have to manually control aperture.
To film SLRs?
You’re in luck, because there used to be Adaptall/Adaptall-2 adapters made for pretty much every mainstream SLR system available before the mid-70s, (including at least7: Canon FD*, Contax/Yashica*, Fujica X†, Konica AR*, M42 (several variants8), Mamiya Z°, Minolta SR*, Miranda°, Nikon F° (Pre-Ai and Ai), Olympus OM*, Pentax K (K° and A† versions), Praktica B†, Rollei QBM° and Topcon RE° (Exakta). What you need to do is head to your favourite online classifieds platform and procure an adapter (adapters for dSLR mounts are still available new).
Notes:
* Available both as Adaptall 1 and 2 (with different features)
° Available only as Adaptall 1
† Available only as Adaptall 2
To Mirrorless
If you already have a number of adapters from the typical SLR mounts to your mirrorless camera (e.g. Canon FD / M42 / Nikon F / Olympus OM / Pentax K …) your best choice is to either:
- get an original Tamron adapter from Adaptall to whatever your most favoured SLR era lens mount is or
- get a modern Tamron adapter to mirrorless adapter from one of the contemporary adapter manufacturers (K&F Concept seems to offer dumb adapters for Adaptall to most mirrorless mounts)
Of these, the earlier option is likely to be cheaper and the later less finicky.
History of Tamron
A short history of Tamron can be found as part of the Tamron company profile.
Footnotes
- Focal length is (unless stated otherwise) given in absolute terms, and not in Full-frame equivalent. For an understanding of whether the lens is wide/tele, see ‘Angle-of-view’. ↩︎
- Picture angle is given in degrees and concerns the diagonal picture angle. Rule of thumb:
> 90 ° ==> Ultra-wide-angle
70–90 ° ==> Wide-angle
50–70 ° ==> Moderate wide-angle
40–50 ° ==> ‘Standard’ or ‘normal’ lens
20–40 ° ==> Short tele lens
10-20 ° ==> Tele lens
5-10 ° ==> Long tele lens
< 5 ° ==> Ultra-tele lens ↩︎ - Length is given from the mount flange to the front of lens at infinity. ↩︎
- Diameter excludes protrusions such as rabbit ears or stop-down levers. ↩︎
- S=straight; R=rounded; C=(almost)circular at all apertures. ↩︎
- Numbers equal aperture values on aperture ring; • intermediate click; – no intermediate click. ↩︎
- This list will only contain adapters that we at JAPB have witnessed. ↩︎
- There were both adaptall adapters to vanilla M42 mounts as well as some of the M42 variants (such as Fujica M42, Mamiya M42, Praktica electronic M42). For details, see the JAPB article on the m42 mount.
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