Tamron Cameras

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Review Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras From Here Now!
Tamron's new SP AF 17-50mm F/ 2.8 acts RDI II VC covers the heavily used 17-50 MM focal distance range (angle of view equivalent of 26-78 MM when converted to the full frame format) making it an extremely versatile, high performance zoom lens. Achieving sharpness and striking contrast, the lens produces beautiful images that are enhanced by the shallow depth of field afforded by the maximum aperture F/2.8 and enriches the user’s range of photographic expression. The new lenses equipped with Tamron’s proprietary vibration compensation (VC) image stabilization mechanism, which provides more opportunities for handheld photography, such as low light conditions like evening, night scenes and indoors, leading to dramatically enhanced level of photographic freedom. Technical specifications: focal length 17 - 50 MM: format size APS – C: maximum aperture F/2.8; minimum aperture F/ 32; diagonal angle of view 78 degree and 45 minute - 31 degree and 11 minute; lens construction 19 elements, 14 groups; minimum focusing distance 11.4-Inch (0.29m); maximum magnification ratio 1:4 0.8; filter diameter 72 mm; overall length 3.7 inches maximum diameter 3.13 inches; weight 20.15oz. 570g; diaphragm blades-seven; standard accessory flower shaped lens hood; Canon mount.
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Technical Details

- Compact Fast Zoom with VC (Vibration Compensation).
- Fast Constant F/2.8 Aperture.
- For use on APS-C size DSLR cameras.
- 11.4-Inch minimum focusing distance / 1: 4.8 Maximum magnification ratio.
- Internal Focusing.
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Customer Buzz

"This is a night owl lens" 2010-02-11
By KamikazeAce
If you like low light photography this is the one lens you can get away with 1/2 shutter speeds and ISO 400 wide open. Before this I had the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 and I can tell you that to get such low shutter speeds I had to increase the ISO 1600 and wide open which produce unflattering grain on the pictures. I wish I had this lens for those situations. One note of caution tho and that is the recommended shutter speed to freeze people is 1/60. They have to stand very still for you to get any lower but this creates also some creativity. I have gone to car shows and taken pictures of cars at low shutter speeds and you can see people streaking by like in those magazine pictures. What I didn't like about the lens was a shown vignetting wide open which shows in bright day light when shooting the sky. I thought it was my lens but upon some further research on the internet I am not alone. It is a short coming of the lens but corrects itself by f4. I usually use vignetting correcting software. Nevertheless, this is a night owl's lens and I like shooting in low light so I am happy with it besides who is selling an f2.8 constant with some vibration control. In regards to the reach, well, I thought about it, 17-50mm is not much but then again if you go longer you will need to increase the shutter speed further. They probably thought of this. I will now put it to use in museums, car shows, festivals, the works. Happy shooting!

Customer Buzz

"I am not impressed at all with this lens" 2010-02-09
By Tayaran
OK, first I am not a professional photographer, but photography is my hobby and I have been doing for a while. My ratings are in line with my expectations from the lens, so please when deciding if you want to purchase this item take this into consideration. What did I need this lens for: basically just to take shots of my kids inside my house, lit with incandescent lamps. the 50mm f1.8 did not do it for me since my rooms are small and I am only able to take pictures of half the body shot. After looking around I wanted a lens that gives me a wide range and will work without flash in my environment. I used an XSI with this lens and I had to crank the ISO to 800. The first surprise was that the lens rotates in an opposite way to the Canon lenses I had, so this was awkward for a while. The lens is not very heavy which is good. I took about 150 pictures in the environment I described above and I was very very very disappointed. The pictures were very soft, no contrast and noisy (granted the noise is generated from my high ISO). At best I was able to get 1/30 from this lens which honestly I thought it would be a little bit faster. Again, I did not try it in broad daylight or outside because I already have my canon lenses for that. I ended up returning it.

Customer Buzz

"great lens" 2010-02-05
By Theodore Post
I've had this lens for three months and it is sharp. The lens is well made and the zoom works smoothly and quietly. I would highly recommend it

Customer Buzz

"Great upgrade over non-VC version, best bang for the buck!" 2009-12-28
By A. Malske (WI, United States)
I've been using Tamron 17-50mm non-VC version for about a 1.5 years and while I was upgrading XTi on 7D I decided to pull the trigger on VC version of the lens and placed a pre-order. Some reviewers, including the-digital-picture.com which opinion I highly respect mentioned that the lens isn't sharp wide open and generally quality is not as good as non-VC. I was extremely happy with non-VC and expected nothing less than amazing results from VC version. I had both of them for about a week and had a chance to compare side-by-side and do some tests.

So my tests revealed that my copy of VC is as good or in some instances better than my old non-VC (which was extremely sharp!). It's absolutely fantastic at 2.8 and there is a slight improvement stepping down. My guess is that people who commented on bad quality just got a bad copy.

It's not a Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM since it's doesn't have USM motor, but on VC version motor is much better, quieter and if VC is Off it's reasonably fast. Image quality wise I think this lens is very much on par with Canon so if you want to save a bit, have a 6 year warranty and have similar quality - go with Tamron!

Customer Buzz

"You will not be disappointed" 2009-12-22
By HDYjr.
I purchased this lens when it became available in late November and have had a few weeks to shoot with it. This lens is used in conjunction with a Canon Rebel T1i. I originally purchased the non-VC version of this lens but returned it after a week or so simply because I was not "WOWED" with its performance (relatively slow auto focus, somewhat soft wide open, color and contrast seemed a bit lacking and it seemed to produce more noise than other lenses I've used on this camera).

This lens has none of those problems. I really can't get over how well it performs in low-light situations. I get a lot of keepers at 1/5 of a second. It's really sharp also. I have a 5D Mark II and a few L lenses and I find myself picking up my Rebel and this lens more and more often. If you are considering this lens I recommend it 100%.

Images Product

Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

Review Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras From Here Now!
Tamron now offers a lightweight, compact, high-image-quality telephoto zoom lens with macro capability of 1: 2 that can be used with digital cameras. This new lens is a Di type lens using an optical system with improved multi-coating designed to function with digital SLR cameras as well as film cameras.With this 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens, flipping a macro switch in the focal length range of 180mm to 300mm obtains a maximum magnification ratio of 1: 2 at a minimum focus distance as short as 37.4", enabling close-up shots of flowers, insects, and other objects that normally require the use of a specially designed macro lens. Moreover, this is a zoom lens that casually offers the distant capture and foreshortening effect pleasures of the 300mm ultra-telephoto world.
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Technical Details

- 70-300mm macro lens with f/4-5.6 maximum aperture for digital or 35mm cameras
- Easy-to-use macro switch lets you alternate between 180mm and 300mm focal lengths
- Minimum focus distance of 59 inches from subject (normal) or 37.4 inches (macro)
- 9-blade circular diaphragm provides beautiful soft-focus imagery; 62mm filter diameter
- Measures 3 inches in diameter and 4.6 inches long; weighs 15.3 ounces
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Customer Buzz

"Tamron AF 70-300mm Impresses!" 2010-03-02
By S. Wagner (Frederick, MD)
I purchased this lens approx. 2 months ago for my Sony 200 DSLR. I researched several lenses from different manufacturers, as well as read many reviews for each. I decided to go with the Tamron because I wanted to have the ability to take close ups, as well as distance shots without having to constantly change my lenses. I still rely on my extra lenses for specific shots, but so far I have been very impressed with the capabilities of this lens. When you manually zoom there is a bit of tension but haven't been too bothered by it. The switch on the lens itself which allows you to switch over to macro setting is also a nice option. I didn't see it when I first used the camera until I attempted a macro shot and couldn't get the look I wanted. Once I switched it over I was very happy with the closeups I was able to get. Like I said, I haven't had it for very long and tend to use this much more once the weather improves. I have also taken photos of people with this lens and am very happy with the coloring I get in my pictures too! The photos have been very clear and even when fully extended the lens has not been nearly as blurry or distorted as I was fearing. The Tamron was a good choice for me because I am on a budget and not able to put out a lot of money for the higher end models. So far...very happy.

Customer Buzz

"THIS ZOOM ROCKS! I LOVE IT!" 2009-11-24
By Larry D. Nail (St. Louis, MO)
As a former Minolta Xi owner, I use a Sony Alpha 200 DSLR. The old Minolta D lenses work on it, and I always had good luck with Minolta equipment. The A200 came with the 18-70mm kit lens and needless to say that is ok but not even great. It is a light/plastic build with not near the reach for an everyday lens. I fixed that with a Minolta AF 24-105mm f3.5 D that is soooo nice. Still, that doesn't reach out like I needed to shoot pictures of our grand kids at play. The answer was this Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras. I found one for $139. I was skeptical because I just bought, tried, and sold a Tamron 28-200mm zoom. That lense was well built, but the autofocus would just hunt and hunt, it drove me crazy in one outing. Still the reviews for this other Tamron beckoned, and I thought what the heck, I'll try it. The worst that could happen is I'll hate it like the other Tamron, and sell it. BUT I LOVED IT INSTEAD. It is solidly built. It is light weight for it's zoom range. It weighs less than my Minolta 70-210 f3.5 zoom. I took the Tamron 70-300 and went out and shot the kids on a dark overcast day on the trampoline at full 300mm opening and wowzers the pictures were awesome. I set the camera to "Sports" and fired away. I shot 30 pictures or there abouts. The lens stopped my grand daughter's pony tail in mid flight. It was so sweet. Only had 2 blurry pictures, and they weren't bad, in fact sometimes it's cool to show motion. At 70-300mm that comparable 35mm reach is 105-450mm. There's no lens creep, it is all solid and the balance with my dslr is really nice. This baby will reach out and touch when the kids are on the playground. We're grandparents raising an autistic 5 year old. He is really active, and my former digital camera didn't stand a chance. I'd have to get too close and by then the great picture was gone and the snapshot was all that was left. This is the best buy in a long zoom I ever made. I don't do reviews, but I just had to say Thanks Tamron, this zoom ROCKS!

Customer Buzz

"I like this lens" 2009-09-26
By Timothy M. Headley
With the rotating front lens when you focus the use of a polarizing filter is a 3 step process. I like this lens.

Customer Buzz

"Great telephoto lens for the money" 2009-09-14
By B. Bernardo (Chicago.IL)
I have used this telephoto lens with filters, with teleconverters and it works seamlessly with my Sony SLR. No problems noted. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to supplement their kit lens. It also definitely makes a difference that the stabilization for the Sony is on the body of the camera and not dependent on the lens like Canon or Nikon.

Customer Buzz

"Nice for a telephoto (as a secondary lens)" 2009-08-06
By John R. Middleton (Concord, NC)
This is a nice telephoto lens. You will need a wide angle lens for general photography. The macro function is a bit ackward since you must be 10' away from anything you are trying to shoot. Overall, I would buy this lens again for my Minolta Maxxum 5D. I put a skylight filter on it for protection.

Images Product

Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Review Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras From Here Now!
The new lightweight and compact SP AF10-24mm Di II, the first-ever 2.4X ultra wide-angle lens for digital SLR cameras, features an unprecedented focal length range equivalent to 16mm ultra wide-angle to 37mm semi-wide-angle. With this versatile ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, photographers can capture magnificent vistas and extraordinary close-ups, bold compositions and unique perspectives, creating imagery impossible with standard wide-angle lenses. This lens comes with Tamrons 6 year limited warranty. Maximum Aperture F/3.5-4.5; Diagonal Angle of View 108 degrees 44 — 60 degrees 20 (APS-C equiv); Lens Construction 12 elements in 13 groups; Minimum Focus Distance 9.4 inches (over the entire range); Maximum Mag. Ratio 1:5.1 (at f=24mm); Filter Diameter 77mm; Overall Length 3.4 inches; Maximum Diameter 83.2mm; Weight 14.3oz; 7 Diaphragm Blades; Standard Accessory Flower-shaped Lens Hood and Case Included.
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Technical Details

- The world's first 2.4X zoom with an equivalent 16-37mm (when converted to full frame)
- The best magnification ratio in this class of 1:51
- Extremely compact and light
- Flower-shaped Lens Hood and Case Included
- 77mm Filter size
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Customer Buzz

"Useful focal range but it's not very sharp" 2009-11-14
By Pedro G. Grance (Asuncion, Paraguay)
I bought whis lens to give it a try to Tamron after reading several reviews and comparing against the Sigma and Tokina. I use it with a Rebel XTI (400D) and a complementation of a 24-105L. I like it, construction is good, distortion very well controlled, cromatic aberrations is just ok, sharpness is just ok on the center but regular to bad on the corners, even at f5.6, f8 or f16. I did some home test with some friends that own Canon 10-22 and Sigma 10-20. I believe that Canon is the best choice between these three options. Second place to Sigma (sharp a little better)I don't mention tokina because a have not try it.

Conclusion: It's ok but it is not impressive to say "WOW!!!!".

Customer Buzz

"NOT SURE" 2009-09-03
By hurricane survivor (jacksonville FL)
I have been wanting a super wide angle lens for my cannon EOS 30D, and this was a great price, and I have another Tamron lens! BUt not sure if they are not truly compatible?

Takes GREAT pictures outdoors and in good light, depth of field, range, ...... no fish eye, ... BUT in doors ( where I really wanted it) I take a picture, look at it in the view finder, looks good. Get to a computer, pictures are all dark? NOT at all the light values when pictures was viewed earlier? Canon dealer, said, "should have bought a canon lens" (what a stupid response!), and just to busy to figure out what is wrong? So for now, I really haven't used it?

Customer Buzz

"Quality build, more distortion than expected" 2009-08-25
By J. Koppell (Connecticut, United States)
Using this lens with a 40D, I was underwhelmed with the results and will return it and try with the Sigma. The build quality and feel of the lens was very good. I use the excellent Tamron 18-270 so the company has satisfied me in the past.

As with any wide angle lens, the principal concern is going to be distortion and my expectations were realistic. Some barreling is normal. What surprised me is how often the aberrations crept out of the corners to the heart of the images. Not always, mind you. The problem is most severe when you've got the lens wide open -- but then isn't that part of the point of this lens? Also you do get different results depending on stop but i didn't find a consistent solution. Moreover, I'd rather not have to factor that in for every shot.

A couple of other points. Focusing was really good in the center of the image but pretty soft at the corners. Again, there was variation. Color representation was good and consistent.

This lens may turn out to be better than the competitors and I may end up having to re-purchase it but first I'll check out the Sigma and, if necessary, the Canon.

Customer Buzz

"A Good Performer especially in this zoom range" 2009-07-30
By E. Martin (Miami, FL USA)
I acquired this lens to provide me with an ultra-wide zoom for landscapes and indoors uses. I do not routinely shoot in this focal length range, so I was hesitant about spending so much on the Canon 10-22mm, although the Canon 10-22mm is by all accounts, fantastic. I have had very positive experiences with Tamron in the past, and decided to give this lens a try over the Sigma equivalent. Cosmetically, the lens is very lightweight but feels solid in the hands, and the zoom ring takes some getting used to as it rotates in the opposite direction as Canon brand lenses. The finish on the lens is very nice and the included lens hood fits nicely, but provides only minimal protection to the front element. This is understandable since this lens is an ultra-wide zoom, and larger lens hoods would cause vignetting and shadowing problems. The lens hood does a nice job of protecting from lens flare issues. The lens extends only a small amount when zooming. Performance wise, the lens is quite soft wide open, which is somewhat disappointing but not a major issue for my own uses. It is something to be acutely aware of nonetheless. However, stopped down to f/8 or narrower fixes this problem, and at f/8 and narrower, the lens is very sharp with very nice color contrast and saturation. Sharpness falls off again at f/16 due to diffraction, but between f/8 and f/16, the lens is excellent. CA is nicely controlled as is barrel distortion, both of which are common big problems for many lenses in this focal range. I was pleasantly surprised with this lens's control of CA as I was expecting it to be much worse than it is. I borrowed a friend's Tamron 11-18mm lens, and my 10-24 was VASTLY superior with regards to problems with CA and barrel distortion and adds a complete stop of speed. The upgrades that Tamron has made with this lens are very noticeable and worth the extra cost over the previous generation Tamron ultra-wide zoom lens. The autofocusing is very quiet, accurate, and fast. Overall, this is a very nice alternative to the vastly more expensive camera-branded lenses like the Canon 10-22mm or the extremely expensive Nikon super-wide angle lenses and provides very good quality in this zoom range.

UPDATE: Recently, this lens took a serious tumble from about 3 feet off the ground onto a hard tile floor. The only damage was a ding on the lens cap! I'm impressed.

Customer Buzz

"Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 for Canon. Biggest bang for the buck" 2009-03-25
By Michael J. Schnepf (Solana Beach, CA United States)
As a professional photographer since 1969, I've worn out more equipment than I care to admit. Carrying Nikon, Canon and Maymiya cameras all over the world sometimes becomes a burden. I decided to give this lens a try after reading the specs on Tamron's website. I use a Canon 50D for my daily point & shoot. It's light and with a vertical grip fits my hand better than my D700. I'm just beginning to use the Tokina. On the surface it appears well made (6 year warranty.) It focuses quickly albeit a little noisy compared to Canon 10-22. The range of the lense (10-24mm) is an asset to a non-full frame sensor camera. Team this lens up with 28-135mm & 75-300 zooms and you have a bag that you can actually carry for most circumstances encountered. So far so good. Next thing to do is run it through my battery of tests. I'll update this review as soon as tests are done. Initial perspective. Good focal length range, appears shape with low vignetting. Very low distortion with no fisheye effect. Small size. Great lense cap.

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Saturday, February 27, 2010

Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras

Review Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras From Here Now!
With the advent of the latest 15X zoom lens from Tamron, the pioneer of high power zoom lenses, the high power zoom lens has steadily evolved from a 7.1X to a 10.7X to a 13.9X and now to the worlds largest zoom ratio of 15X by combining advanced high power zoom design technologies accumulated by Tamron since 1992. The lens covers an angle of view equivalent to that of a 28mm wideangle to a 419mm ultra telephoto with just one lens, letting the user capture once-in-the-lifetime images of panoramic landscape images or close-up pictures of children smiling, without having to get too close to the subject and without having to change lenses.
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Technical Details

- AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Tamron zoom lens
- Built-in vibration compensation for blur-free photos
- Low-dispersion glass and hybrid aspherical glass elements for superior image quality
- optical zoom ratio: 15X (approximately)
- Minimum focus distance: 19.3"
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Customer Buzz

"WOW" 2010-02-13
By David (Mountain Home ID.)
Got the lens and could not wait to use it. The zoom ring rotates oposite what I was use to. Somewhat heavy but the pictures were great. At full zoom the focus was a little slow but I can live with it. Great lens.

Customer Buzz

"Tamron 18-270 Lens - Very Good But Not Great" 2010-02-12
By P. Olivier (Tampa Bay, FL USA)
The many reviews I read about the new Tamron 18-270mm Lens were mostly very good so I took a chance on it, sight unseen. The reviews said it beats its competition in most every way. after using it for a while, it is a very good all around, consumer lens for amateur photographers that allowed me to take several lenses out of my camera bag due to it's wide range of focal lengths. I take landscape and close up nature photos and this lens serves me about 75 percent of the time. It focuses surprisingly close at all lengths. For macro photography I use a Canon 500D close focus filter and an extension tube. Photos are very sharp and are true macros, however, the lens is a bit slow with the extension tube attached. I always use a tripod and set ISO 800. I did my own test of lens sharpness by photographing a newpaper page taped to my garage door. I later examined the RAW files in Adobe Camera Raw at 200 percent magnification. At the very wide and very long settings I found the lens very sharp using aperture settings of f8 to f16. I did have one bad experience that I have yet to explain. I pointed the camera and lens at the sky and zoomed out from 18mm to 270mm. As I looked through the viewfinder I noticed what appears to be serious vignetteing at settings from about 180mm to 270mm. However, I took several photos of the blue sky at a series of different lens settings and did not find any vignetting in the photos.

I have only one complaint about this lens and its a big one: if you point the lens up or down there is serious lens creep in the zoom mechanism. There is no provision for adjusting the tension on the zoom control. So, if you point the lens up or down you need to hold it in place while you compose and take you photos. This becomes a really big issue for achieving maximum sharpness and when you are taking timed exposures. Since I do not regularly point the lens up or down at rather sharp angles this is not a major issue, but I expect better from Tamron quality.

Customer Buzz

"NewToDigital" 2010-02-08
By NewToDigital
Although I am new to digital photograph, I have been involved as an amature to semipro in film photography for more than 40 years. My camera platform of choice is Nikon. I pruchased the Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens for use on my Nikon D5000 body. I love the D5000's articulating LCD display.

My kids are competitive swimmers and divers so I shoot mostly indoors, at a pool, fast action, hand held, in low light. I shot about 1000 action shots with this lens; then it started to stick when pointed down and zooming from 270 mm back toward 18 mm. However, eventhough I was shooting in low light, at ISO 3200, shutter speed 125th of a second, with the lens wide open. Through the entire zoom range, the lens was great until it started sticking during zoom. Pictures were amazingly sharp for the slow shutter speed and high ISO.

But alas, a sticky zoom was unacceptable, so I exchanged the Tamron for a Nikon 18-200 VRII zoom and I am happy, accept I miss the extra 70mm of zoom. Picture clarity seems about the same, but I think the VC (vibration compensation) feature on the Tamron stabilizes the lens slightly better than the Nikon's VRII stabilization does. I could tell the difference in the viewfinder on action photos. How, by observing the camera shake reduction of the subject. I would guess the Tamron subtracted an extra F stop over the Nikon 18-200. This, to me, seemed significant at maximum zoom when filming 10 meter tower diving. I need all of the stability I can get.

I wish the Tamron's zoom feature didn't start sticking, I liked this lens, a lot, and, it was nearly $300 less expensive than the Nikon glass. By the way, auto focus seemed about as fast as the Nikon, at least when filming swimming and diving.

I would recommend this product with some reservation.

Customer Buzz

"I'm torn about this lens" 2010-01-25
By Jennifer Highfield (KC, MO)
I bought and use this lens for my Canon 40d DSLR. I've had the lens for about 6 months and its my walk around lens and rarely leaves my camera. I'm not an expert, but I do shoot about every day. With that said, I'll tell you my opinion.

At first the reverse zoom took a bit of time to get used to but with muscle memory, I got that down. Whenever I use the camera inside and need to use the flash on the camera, I get a half moon shadow on the bottom of the picture. At first I didn't know what was causing this but after looking at the size of the lens when in zoom I figured out that the light from the flash is hitting the top of the lens and throwing the shadow. If I install my external flash in the hot shoe (which sits higher than the pop up) I don't get this problem, but I don't always have time for that when I'm just trying to grab a quick shot of my son.

We just got back from a vacation where I used the camera/lens quite a bit and I noticed another tick with it. Sometimes when I press the shutter button halfway down to get the focus ready, I notice that the front lens will seem to slip or drift down. Almost like its about to break completely. It doesn't happen all the time, maybe one out of 50, and so far it is seeming to hold together. Maybe its nothing but its making me nervous and I'm already starting to research another walk around lens.

Would I recommend this to a friend? No. The picture quality is great and if I would have reviewed it right after I bought it I would have gave it 5 stars. But it just doesn't seem to be holding up.

Customer Buzz

"Decent photos but not great build quality" 2010-01-25
By J. Chatterjee (Columbus, USA)
I am using the lens for about 3 months now. I like the excellent zoom range it offers. It takes decently sharp photo. Image stabilization is OKish, not great though (compared to Sigma and Canon EF lens). The main problems I have with the lens are:

1. Zooming is not smooth. Till about 100mm its OK, but then it takes good jerk/strength to go further.

2. Lens hood is very cheap and "plastic" build and is not smooth to attach and detach.

3. The switch to lock lens creeping is not smooth either.

4. It does not come with a lens pouch or storage box. This is a bit problematic to store the lens when not in use.

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Friday, February 26, 2010

Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR

Review Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR

Buy Cheap Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR From Here Now!
The popular Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 Di LD Macro now features a built in motor to ensure fast accurate focusing with the latest Nikon digital cameras. This telephoto zoom will crop in tight or bring distant subjects in close. There is also an incredible macro mode for photographing small objects up close giving a magnification ratio of 1:2. This phenomenal lens also comes with a 6 year warranty and a flower shaped lens hood for maximum glare protection with no vignetting.
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Technical Details

- Built in motor for use on the new Nikon Cameras
- Zoom lock
- Includes lens hood
- 6 year Tamron Warranty
- 62 mm filter size
See more technical details
Customer Buzz

"Works with Nikon D40 / D40x" 2010-01-25
By Gregory K Cusick
This Lens WILL Work with the Nikon D40 / D40x kit!

After searching all over and trying to figure out which lens would work with my Nikon D40x I finally found this lens reviewed saying that it would. (Even Tamron's website was so confusing). I took a chance. I received my lens from Amazon. The packaging is a little suspect. The box they ship it in is a little big with no peanuts or air filled bags (which I had read in another review) but I found no damage to the lens. I put it right on my Nikon D40x and it worked just as described. I am not a professional photographer by any means and just wanted something for my kids soccer games. By switching to this lens from the stock 18mm - 55mm I can now shoot from the far end of the field to the other with out having to continually be moving with the action. I have found a little softness at the 300mm range when you go to crop a photo but for the price and taking pictures from 100 yards away I think this is a steal.

Customer Buzz

"Cheap, but image quality poor" 2009-09-20
By Justin M. Bower (Houston, TX United States)
I bought this lens because there really aren't many choices in this range...you either spend >$200 and get this, a low version of your camera brand, or the sigma 70-300, or you get something better at a DRASTIC jump in price. (note to lens makers, how about an intermediate option???)

The lens IS cheap. I paid less than the 200, and got a nice usable 70-300mm lens. It definitely gave me some reach. HOWEVER, be aware of the following drawbacks:

1) You will get purple fringing. It will be annoying. You can desaturate it, and it won't be as purple, but a grey area will remain.

2) It IS soft. beyond 200mm, you can get some shots, but they will all be gauzy. Even with tripod.

3) The AF is pretty poor in lower light.

4) the f/8 sweet spot is less a sweet spot than a "minimum usable" spot. The bokeh is quite nice at larger apertures, but the picture will be more bokeh than you intended, including the subject:)

5) The macro is pretty nice...I mean hey, 2:1 in a cheap lens, that actually works fairly well. But the working distance is still decently long, and (like other zoom macros) you have to be at 200-300mm to utilize it which makes large apertures necessary, and which makes less shallow depth of field hard. It also dramatically increases shake since you're taking a very small thing, magnifying it, and then shooting at a fairly long focal length. You'll need a tripod, period.

It's a very nice starter lens for those (like me) who couldn't afford better. And it will be more than serviceable for very casual shooters, but the cost is reflected in the quality. It does bother me that I bought a 70-300, and can only really use up to the 200mm mark.

The grip on my zoom ring has become loose from a year of normal use. Other than that the build is solid, just of poor quality.

Customer Buzz

"Great Lense for the Money" 2009-09-17
By J. Lambert
This is great lens for the money. Actually, an incredible deal. It is worth the price just for the macro mode. The pictures I have been taking of flowers are excellent.

Comparing this lens to it's competition - the Nikon 70-300 & Sigma 70-300:

The 3 lenses are comparable in length (4.6"), diameter (3"), & weight (1#). They each have 9 bladed apertures. They are all about the same price. None have VR - you have to spend 400 more bucks to get this for a Nikon.

The Sigma and Tamron are superior to the Nikon, because

- they have LD glass,

- they are Digital Integrated,

- they have focus motors,

- they have Macro modes (1:2),

The Tamron is superior to the Sigma, because

- it is a newer design (introduced 1/08 as opposed to 10/03),

- it has a 6 year Warranty, as opposed to only a 1yr for the Sigma.

Notes: The Tamron and Nikon use 62mm filters, the Sigma uses 58mm.

Buy a monopod [ASIN:B0002YE6EU Canon Monopod 100 for SLR Cameras & Lenses]]

Customer Buzz

"Great for the price." 2009-09-13
By Mike
For the price, this a pretty good lens. You have to have steady hands in order to catch fast moving objects (like motorcycles). At full zoom, I think the pictures aren't extremely sharp but still passable.

The picture of the green motorcycle racer is one of the pics I submitted.

I use this lens when I need more reach than the kit lens but don't necessarily want to pull out the big 500mm Sigma.

Customer Buzz

"Great Lens" 2009-09-09
By L. Sparkman (Florida)
This is a high quality lens at an affordable price. Shipping was fast and priced fairely

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Thursday, February 25, 2010

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Review Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras From Here Now!
Lenses are designed for exclusive use on digital cameras with smaller-size imagers and inherit all of the benefits of the Di products. These lenses are not designed for 35mm film cameras and digital cameras with image sensors larger than 24mm x 16mm.At Tamron, quest has always been to make the ideal zoom lens. As a result of this ongoing challenge, Tamron has introduced the concept of the high-power zoom lens in the new AF18-200mm XR Di II for exclusive use with digital SLRs. Tamron's original development of proprietary core technologies such as Aspherical element production, Multiple Cam Mechanism and Integrated Focus Cam design lend to the creation of the world's lightest, most compact 11.1X zoom lens made for digital SLR cameras.The 18-200mm (28-300 when converted to 35mm) provides the digital photographer with the versatility of a true wide to ultra tele-zoom in an amazingly easy to use design.
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Technical Details

- Since the lens is designed exclusively for digital SLR photography, it provides high image quality in terms of resolution
- It employs a new optical system designed to confine the changing angles of incidences of light rays reaching the imager over the entire image field.
- Peripheral light fall-off is minimized when compared with that of conventional lenses
- Complicated mechanisms are built in the compact body thanks to new mechanical artifices. The lens is a multi-purpose zoom lens,excellent portability
- The Zoom Lock prevents unwanted barrel extension when carrying the lens/camera combination
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Customer Buzz

"S-L-O-W focus lens" 2010-02-24
By S. Condray (2nd star to the right)
took this on a recent trip to Cuba (yes, Cuba... I went there legally to do "religious encouragement"... at least that's what I told the State department... I actually wanted to do some taste tests of local rum)

This is a decent walk-around lens, and paired with my Canon T1i produced lots of usable photos, but on the whole it just isn't that great. The vignetting is quite noticeable, the distortion and chromatic aberration was bearable but also noticeable, and the colors weren't as saturated as I would have liked.

BUT!!! It's cheap and it covers a HUGE range, meaning it really does do quite a bit for significantly lower cost than one of the astronomically overpriced canon lenses.

I could live with everything else given the price (truly a steal for this price) except the slow focusing. Especially in medium-low light this thing would just sit and spin (and I never liked those even when I was a kid... I used to get dizzy and throw up... maybe this just brings that to mind and makes me want to vomit). About a dozen really great shots were flubbed because this lens simply didn't focus quickly enough.

If you take pictures of landscapes and people that pose for the picture and don't move and want the versatility in a single reasonably priced lens, then this lens would be great for you. It's light and not too big and takes reasonably decent photos (especially for the price).

I decided I couldn't deal with the slow focus and upgraded to the canon L series (at 4 times the cost I get less range but better sharpness and faster focus).

Customer Buzz

"Excellent All Round Lens" 2010-02-21
By Puneet Kohli
Extremely well rounded lens. Does away with the need of changing lenses. Only the AF is a bit noisy compared to SIGMA or Canon lenses.

Customer Buzz

"Tamron Superzoom" 2010-02-05
By James P. Malone
Great lens for full time use. IQ isn't 'L' quality but who can afford lenses like that? The Vibration Control enables me, at 75, to take photos at long end of lens, something I couldn't do on the 18-200 lens I had before this one. Service and delivery were great also.

Customer Buzz

"Good price, good value" 2010-02-04
By A. STURZA (Somewhere in Texas)
A litlle PO by the fact that a week after I bought this lens they came out with an even better one.

None the less GREAT LENS, Great Price.

Customer Buzz

"Great all-purpose lens" 2010-01-09
By J. Bruning (Lindon, UT USA)
Great all-purpose lens. Not an expert photog, but the lens is very versatile and functions well. Good in moderate light as well. Would recommend the lens.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD SP ZL Aspherical (IF) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Review Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD SP ZL Aspherical (IF) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Buy Cheap Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD SP ZL Aspherical (IF) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras From Here Now!
The SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 is a lightweight, compact, fast standard zoom lens designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras, expanding the product concept of the popular SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 zoom lens. In addition, portrait shots are made beautiful with the natural out-of-focus effect characteristic provided by the fast F/2.8 aperture. Additionally, a broader photographic expression through the use of faster shutter speeds as a result of the maximum aperture offers enhanced photographic pleasure. The lens boasts one of the best close-up shooting performances in the class of fast standard zoom lenses designed exclusively for digital cameras and featuring an F/2.8 maximum aperture throughout the entire zoom range, to ensure stress-free photographic shots at all focal lengths and distances.
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Technical Details

- 17-50mm aspherical zoom lens with f/2.8 maximum aperture for Canon DSLR cameras
- Delivers fast shutter speeds and natural soft-focus effect to produce sophisticated results
- 3 elements of XR glass, 2 hybrid aspherical lens elements, and 1 element of LD glass
- Minimum focus distance of 10.6 inches; internal coatings eliminate ghosting and flare
- Measures 2.9 inches in diameter and 3.3 inches long; weighs 15.2 ounces; 6-year warranty
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Customer Buzz

"I'm not a Tamron fan but this lens is changing my opinion" 2010-02-23
By Keith M. Anderson (Moss Beach, CA United States)
This is not my first Tamron lens, I've had others that I've returned or re-sold after using for a while. Needless to say I'm not much of a fan. I don't know what prompted me to try them again, but I'm glad I did. I was previously using a Sigma 28-70 on an APS-C sensor dSLR. For routine shooting of family events, the Sigma was a bit too long of a focal length. I purchased this after considering other lenses made by Canon, Sigma, and Tokina. I read up on users' opinions of the lenses and decided that the Tamron was so widely loved and seemed to be such good value for the money, I'd give them one last shot.

The lens is now the one I shoot with for just about everything. I have an ultra-wide, a macro, and a tele with IS. I use each of those ones about 5% each, and this one about 85% of the time.

Why did this one change my mind?

The build quality is very good. The image quality is outstanding, with very crisp images even at f/2.8. Bokeh is lovely. It's perfect for travel if you can only take one lens. Its perfect for snaps of family indoors or out since the aperture is f/2.8 throughout the whole zoom range. Unlike the Tamron lenses like their 28-300 (for example), this lens isn't soft and doesn't have a beige cast to the photos, its contrasty and has good color rendition.

Nice job Tamron!

Customer Buzz

"I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could..." 2010-02-14
By S.S. (Lexington, VA)
I'm not sure I can add much to the very comprehensive reviews already submitted for this lens. Because there is already so much written about this lens, I'll try to keep this brief. By and large, I agree with others: this is a solidly built lens, it covers a very convenient "walk-around" focal range for a 1.6x APS-C DSLR, it has most of the features I was looking for, and it has very good optics.

Like many others, I was unwilling to shell out the dough for the comparable Canon model (17-55 IS), which would have cost me about two-and-a-half times more money. I also decided not to pay extra for the Vibration Controlled (VC) model, based on reports that the optical quality of the VC version was inferior. I opted for better sharpness and a lower price-point over the extra 3-stops or so of hand-held shooting that the VC offers (plus, I've heard that the VC is a bit loud in operation, but I've not tried one).

I've had the lens for only a few days, but my initial impressions are very positive. I did a quick comparison between this lens (at 50mm) and the Canon 50mm f/1.8. Wide open, the prime lens was much sharper in the corners, but the Tamron held its own in center sharpness. When the Canon was stopped-down to 2.8 (to equal the Tamron wide-open), the disparity was much more glaring; the Tamron wide-open at 50mm just cannot compete with the sharpness of the prime at f/2.8. But I think the Tamron's corner sharpness tends to fall off as you move outward in the zoom range, so corner softness seems less of an issue at the wider focal lengths. Stopped down to f/4, the Tamron starts closing the gap, and by f/5.6 or so, I would say the advantage is negligible (though still noticeable if viewed at 100%). My conclusion from this unscientific comparison? This Tamron is excellent glass. For an inexpensive zoom to compete with (even if not surpassing) the sharpness of a notoriously sharp prime lens is impressive (the 50mm 1.8 is pretty sharp, and it is exceptionally so for its price). Yes, corner sharpness lags a bit, but that is to be expected from a zoom that isn't priced at four digits or above. All things considered, including price, this lens performs very well in the area of sharpness, in my opinion. One other note about this comparison: the Tamron at 50mm was slightly wider than the Canon 50mm. This is neither good nor bad, just noteworthy.

Some other notes: build quality is sturdy. The lens mount is metal, and the barrel is plastic, but the plastic could be mistaken for metal. The lens does not feel cheap or chintzy--you can tell there is plenty of glass in there--but it is reasonably light-weight. It zooms fluidly but not sloppily: there is a good level of resistance in the zoom ring. I was pleasantly surprised with the focusing speed--pretty quick--and accuracy seems very good, too. But, focusing is a bit noisy, with a high-pitch buzz coming from the motor. Definitely not on par, sound wise, with the USM lens I replaced with this (but probably not quite as loud as the Canon 50mm f/1.8). Not a big deal for me, but if you wanted to shoot events with this lens (such as weddings), the focus motor will make it harder to remain inconspicuous.

Some other very minor nits: There is no full-time manual focus, and the focus ring turns during auto-focusing. This is not really a big deal, but I have to be careful not to interfere with the focus ring with my support hand during shooting. The lens is fairly compact, so if you have big hands you may need to train yourself to stay off the focus ring. I really with it featured full-time manual focusing. Also, while the lens is quite compact, it does grow 30-40% or so as it zooms out. There is a zoom lock switch to lock the lens at 17mm during storage. The included hood is a nice touch, but feels a bit cheap.

All in all, bravo to Tamron. I don't think this is a perfect lens (hence the 4.5 stars), but it is a very practical lens. For its price and its type, it is very sharp. I can't fault it for the lack of full-time manual focusing, because I knew it lacked that feature when I bought it. This lens is a fantastic and inexpensive alternative is the DSLR "walk-around" zoom class.

Customer Buzz

"expectations?" 2010-01-20
By RGR (USA)
Not a big "reviewer", but I have to comment on this piece of equipment. This was my first non-Canon lens purchase. MAN, did I have my expectations "set too low". This is a very high quality lens, every bit as high quality as any Canon lenses I have shot.

Customer Buzz

"there is a new version of this lens, with VC" 2009-12-16
By J. Wilkinson (Baltimore, MD USA)
FYI, Tamron has released a new version of this lens, with VC (vibration compensation, aka image stabilization)

This has always been an excellent lens, well regarded by most photographers, so it will be interesting to see how the version with VC does.

See it listed here on Amazon as:

Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Customer Buzz

"Decent lens but some quirks..." 2009-12-15
By Douglas D. Love (CA USA)
OK, I wanted a 17-55 mm zoom to complement my Sigma 35-300 zoom for my Canon Rebel XSi. After trying both the Sigma 18-55 mm f2.8 and this lens I chose the Tamron. While it is not quite as sharp as I like (Sigma has soft focus issues too) I could not justify the price of a Canon L series lens. This lens has met my expectations. It is reasonably fast. The autofocus is a bit noisy but not overly so and it allows me to have a lens that is an effective 28-88 mm zoom when factoring in the 1.6 crop factor for the APS-C sensor in the Rebel. There seems to be a bit of distortion when shooting at 17 mm at f2.8 but it is not extreme. Is it as fast and as tack sharp as a Canon L? No, but for the price it is a very good lens. The only complaint that I have with it is that it zooms in the opposite direction from Canon and Sigma lenses. For the price, I am happy and now I have a lens that allows me to shoot in low light without a flash in most conditions.

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Tamron Cameras

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Technical Details

Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

Technical Details

Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Technical Details

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras

Technical Details

Friday, February 26, 2010

Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR

Technical Details

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Technical Details

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD SP ZL Aspherical (IF) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Technical Details

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