Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 XR Di

[msvadi]

I received that XR Di LD Aspherical IF Macro thing today (did I forget anything? ;) ). I've heard some issues with it being soft wide open, so I started with testing.

On all pictures below, I focused on R in the green square.

I took that picture below with Tamron at 50mm f/2.8:
http://pantheon.yale.edu/~vm49/tamron1.jpg

My intention was to compare it with Canon 50mm prime. However, typical shots with my Canon 50mm 1.8 (at f/2.8 too) turned out like this:
http://pantheon.yale.edu/~vm49/canon1.jpg

I guess, finally I have confirmation that my Canon 50mm 1.8 suffers from front focusing issues. I've been suspecting it for quite long time. Now I know that it's there. And my DRebel focusing is okay.

here's another couple of shots:

Tamron:
http://pantheon.yale.edu/~vm49/tamron2.jpg

Canon:
http://pantheon.yale.edu/~vm49/canon2.jpg

I think that my 135mm f/2.8 suffers from the same problem. Both lens are gray copies from B&H. I guess, I have to take them to B&H now for service.

One more thing. I have to admit that I don't like UPS very much. The box with the lens that I received today looked very crushed. I have no idea what UPS was doing to it, but it got very rough treatment. The lens seems to be okay. There is only one little thing. I'm almost sure that it's normal. After I switch from MF to AF, and press the shutter release button, the lens does a click. It does not sound bad at all, but I have not seen it before on any other lens. Should I worry?

[drisley]

Msvadi,
Thanks for the comparison! I've been waiting for something like this for a while! The tamron sure looks sharp to me!

That's too bad about the lens problems. Interesting out of 3 lenses you have focus problems on 2 of them, and it just so happens they are the Canon lenses while the 3rd party lens is fine! Rather ironic

[Cadwell]

I received that XR Di LD Aspherical IF Macro thing today (did I forget anything? ;) ). I've heard some issues with it being soft wide open, so I started with testing.

Yes you did! It's properly called a

"Tamron SP AF Aspherical XR Di LD (IF) 28-75mm 1:2.8 Macro"

;)

p.s. Doesn't look that soft to me.. but then neither does my one.

I can hear that "click" you mention... but not every time. I've just tried it 6 times and got two "clicks". I never noticed it before now... I suspect it's just a focus motor gear re-engaging after being disconnected for MF and I wouldn't worry about it.

[paul162brown]

msvadi

Thanks for this post. I am close to deciding on a new lens and this is on the short list. I have read good things about this lens, although I am also waiting to see and feel one of the new Sigma EX 24mm to 60mm with the new smaller design.

Hope your other lenses get sorted quickly.

:D

[minatophase3]

msvadi

Thanks for this post. I am close to deciding on a new lens and this is on the short list. I have read good things about this lens, although I am also waiting to see and feel one of the new Sigma EX 24mm to 60mm with the new smaller design.

Hope your other lenses get sorted quickly.

:D

I just ordered the Tamron and am extremely happy with it. I'm sure it isn't quite as good as the Canon 24-70 2.8L but for my needs it is more than sufficient and saved me a lot of money. I have taken many shots wide open and they are extremely clear.

I am very glad I got this lens.

[paul162brown]

msvadi

Thanks for this post. I am close to deciding on a new lens and this is on the short list. I have read good things about this lens, although I am also waiting to see and feel one of the new Sigma EX 24mm to 60mm with the new smaller design.

Hope your other lenses get sorted quickly.

:D

I just ordered the Tamron and am extremely happy with it. I'm sure it isn't quite as good as the Canon 24-70 2.8L but for my needs it is more than sufficient and saved me a lot of money. I have taken many shots wide open and they are extremely clear.

I am very glad I got this lens.

Cheers for that. I am pretty sure this is the one to go for, particularly given the price. I should get one for around £270 ($500 approx). No-one seems to be in stock with the new Sigma though?! Would like to see the Sigma as I think the 24mm end would be useful, although I could live with the 28mm of the Tamron. :D

[slejhamer]

Is this really a macro lens?

Nothing on Tamron's site describes it as such. If this is the same lens as in the following link, it has 1:3.9 magnification. That's better than the 50mm 1.8 which is more like 1:7, but still not macro.

http://www.tamron.com/lenses/prod/2875mm.asp

Is there another version?

Oh, NICE sample pics! Looks like a real winner.

[2new]

I purchased this lens on Cadwell's recommendation and love it. Mine is not soft, even wide open. When I consider the price I paid I am even more pleased.

Michael

[Brianbar]

Thanks for the interesting article on the Tamron lens.
I've been considering purchasing the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 XR Di, does anybody have any feedback on this lens?

Brian

[c0ntr0lz]

wow thanks for the info
great lens

[msvadi]

That's too bad about the lens problems. Interesting out of 3 lenses you have focus problems on 2 of them, and it just so happens they are the Canon lenses while the 3rd party lens is fine!

It seems that in the Canon line there are lenses that tend to have focusing problems more frequently. According to dpreview forums, 70-200 f/4L is one of them. Of course, we would never know what share of that can be attributed to user errors.

Regarding 50mm 1.8, there was a guy a couple of month ago on dpreview, who claimed that 50mm 1.8 almost always back/fron focuses on 10D/300D. Of course, I did not believe that. I still don't believe, but my personal exprience make me think that there might be something in his words.

I'm quite confused by the inconsistant performance of my copy of 50mm 1.8. A couple of weeks ago I took a larger number of on street portraits using that lens:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36187&highlight=

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36522&highlight=

The lens performed perfectly. May be problems begin when I'm too close to the subject? By the way, all pictures that I posted in the first message are 100% crops, taken with a tripod, self-timer and the MLU activated.

[msvadi]

I can hear that "click" you mention... but not every time. I've just tried it 6 times and got two "clicks". I never noticed it before now... I suspect it's just a focus motor gear re-engaging after being disconnected for MF and I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks, Cadwell. Exactly what I was hoping to hear.

[blinking8s]

im going to have to give a large portion of focusing problems to user error, its easy to screw it up...you really have to know your lens and camera before you are going to start taking crisp photos back to back...

[msvadi]

msvadi

Thanks for this post. I am close to deciding on a new lens and this is on the short list. I have read good things about this lens, although I am also waiting to see and feel one of the new Sigma EX 24mm to 60mm with the new smaller design.

Hope your other lenses get sorted quickly.

:D

Paul, regarding the Sigma vs. Tamron. I've read somewhere (I think it was on rec.photo.equipment.35mm) that Tamron has a license from Canon on EOS mount. Sigma, on the other hand, does reverse engineering. That's why there are compatibility issues with Sigma lenses on Canon bodies. Tamron is safer in this respect.

[msvadi]

Mitch: no, there is no another lens. that's the one. I did not buy it for macro. In my case, the main purpose is portraits. Constant f/2.8 and the focal length range are exactly what I need.

Is this really a macro lens?

Nothing on Tamron's site describes it as such. If this is the same lens as in the following link, it has 1:3.9 magnification. That's better than the 50mm 1.8 which is more like 1:7, but still not macro.

http://www.tamron.com/lenses/prod/2875mm.asp

Is there another version?

Oh, NICE sample pics! Looks like a real winner.

[slejhamer]

Mitch: no, there is no another lens. that's the one. I did not buy it for macro. In my case, the main purpose is portraits. Constant f/2.8 and the focal length range are exactly what I need.


Gotcha; thanks. I've seen it advertised with "macro" in the description but just wanted to clarify.

[ootsk]

Maybe a silly question, I have heard something about this lens (specifically the Di part) that I'm curious about.

Someone told me that the lens is made specifically for digital, meaning that it focuses the image on the sensor size of a DSLR, NOT the size of an actual 35mm negative.

This means no 1.6x factor on my D30, but it also means that if it's used with a film camera, the image size will be smaller on the negative.

It didn't sound right to me, as I'm sure sensor sizes will change in the future and I doubted that they would make a lens that is specific to just the 1.6 factor.

Has anybody heard this?

Mike

[CyberDyneSystems]

Thats not what the DI menas exactly.. no.. It just means it is "optimized" for digital sensors.. which may just be marketing...

But the 1.6 "X" factor will still be fully a 1.6 "X" factor :wink:

This lens has become the darling of many forums. Two days ago I counted about 9 active threads discussing various aspects of this lens on another forum.

If I didn't allready have my 28-70 L I would be getting this instead.

[msvadi]

Someone told me that the lens is made specifically for digital, meaning that it focuses the image on the sensor size of a DSLR, NOT the size of an actual 35mm negative.

This means no 1.6x factor on my D30, but it also means that if it's used with a film camera, the image size will be smaller on the negative.


no, this is incorrect.
"DI" means better quality images than non "DI". Before digital, one had make very large prints in order to see how good the lens is. Now, with digital, one simply checks 100% crops. Digital is more demanding in terms of lens quality, so producers now have to take it into account when they design new lenses.

[msvadi]

This lens has become the darling of many forums. Two days ago I counted about 9 active threads discussing various aspects of this lens on another forum.

If I didn't allready have my 28-70 L I would be getting this instead.

I wish Tamron had a 70-200 f/2.8 lens of the similar quality and price. By the way, they also make a 17-35 2.8-4 (?) lens in the XR DI series. However, its price makes it a not very good competitor to the Canon 17-40 f/4.

[RDKirk]

[quote="paul162brown"]msvadi

Paul, regarding the Sigma vs. Tamron. I've read somewhere (I think it was on rec.photo.equipment.35mm) that Tamron has a license from Canon on EOS mount. Sigma, on the other hand, does reverse engineering. That's why there are compatibility issues with Sigma lenses on Canon bodies. Tamron is safer in this respect.

Canon claims they don't license their mount to anyone. Tamron has had a few problems in the past--but far fewer than Sigma. Probably better reverse engineering from the start.

[msvadi]

thanks for the info, good to know.


Canon claims they don't license their mount to anyone. Tamron has had a few problems in the past--but far fewer than Sigma. Probably better reverse engineering from the start.