Help Evaluate My New Lens - Tamron 28-75mm Xr Di

[triangle]

Ok, I got my new lens in yesterday and was shooting a track meet. I was anxious to try it out on some action sports shots, since this is what I primarily shoot. I wanted the 2.8 apeture to blur some background noise and really make the subject stand out. I have read posts such as the one below on "bad copies" of this lens. i would appreciate if some owners of this lens would look at my pics and tell me what they think. Personally I was disappointed, I felt that the background was way to crisp and in focus for shooting at 2.8 Apeture Mode. My Tamron 70-300mm at 4.0 was giving me more of the look I wanted throughout the day. Am I expecting to much or is it possible that I got a "bad copy"?

I voted for the Tamron 28-75mm Xr Di as a good, inexpensive, do everything starter lens. $325 for a contant aperture f/2.8 zoom lens that is as sharp as the 50/1.8 prime, not much drop in sharpness wide open on a good copy, compact and lightweight too. In my opinion it's the amateur's version of the Canon 24-70 f/2.8L. Build quality is definitely cheaper than the Canon, and there is a much better chance at getting a bad copy of the Tamron, but you are saving $800-900 and not giving up that much.
Phil Casciola
www.KidsSportsPics.com (http://www.kidssportspics.com/)

Several Pics are here to see what I mean. (http://www.trianglephotography.com/tamron28-75.php)


Please post replys of your opinions.



Thanks.

[pcasciola]

The lens looks good to me. To get the amount of background blur you are looking for, you either have to get closer to your subjects or get a longer lens. It's tough to get much background blur at 30mm and 40mm given the distances you shot at.

The last example of the high jumper has a different problem, which I don't think is lens related. The focus point may be on the athlete, but the actual focus is on the bus. I see you had it in AI Focus, so the camera must may have picked up the bus or the fence somewhere while you were tracking the runner. AI Focus/AI Servo is not a simple setting to master. I have plenty of AI Servo shots where I will see the focus point on the subject but the focus winds up on a spectator in the background.

Here's an example of a shallow DOF with the Tamron @50mm, f/2.8, but it's only because I am less than 2 feet away from the box:

http://www.casciola.com/pics/tamron_f28_box_full.jpg

And here's a shot I took last week with the 300mm. Even at f/5.6 I got a decent amount of background blur because of the longer focal length. I was probably about 60-80 feet away from this guy.

http://www.casciola.com/pics/seton_hall_8185.jpg

[triangle]

The lens looks good to me. To get the amount of background blur you are looking for, you either have to get closer to your subjects or get a longer lens.


Thanks Phil for the reply. If I am understanding you correctly, you are saying that I will have better results for the "look" that I want with my 75-300mm correct? And if that is the case can you tell me where you prefer to use the 24-75mm lens at when shooting kids sports? How well does it preform in low-lighting conditions, such as gyms? Or do you prefer your 50mm for gym use?


The last example of the high jumper has a different problem, which I don't think is lens related. The focus point may be on the athlete, but the actual focus is on the bus. I see you had it in AI Focus, so the camera must may have picked up the bus or the fence somewhere while you were tracking the runner. AI Focus/AI Servo is not a simple setting to master. I have plenty of AI Servo shots where I will see the focus point on the subject but the focus winds up on a spectator in the background.

I was tracking the runner in that paticular shot, and you must have nailed that one on the head. I noticed another shot of the high jumpers that came out great, the focus was on the bar.
http://www.trianglephotography.com/tests/Feb17-325.jpg

If I focus on the bar, will it bring the athelete in to focus once he steps into that plain that is focused on (bar)? Or is it best to keep practicing on AI Focus/AI Servo? You mentioned that you have plenty of these type of AI Servo shots, do you just weed through the pics and shoot as many as possible? Also, I have seen posted here that AI Servo is a problem with the DRebel but I notice that you are using the 20D, is it still hard even with that camera?

P.S.: Nice basketball shot! ;)

[dhbailey]

Yes, if focusing on a stationary (sp?) object, anything else that comes into that same plane will also be in focus. The problem with AIservoFocus is that it is for objects which are coming straight at you, if I understand what I have read concerning it correctly. So the camera has to first get a good focus lock on the subject and then it has to come straight at you, not sideways at all. And I believe the camera needs to stay stationary as well, for the proper focus to work. If the camera is moving, it can't really tell what your main subject is supposed to be because then the subject isn't moving relative to the background, the entire background is moving as well, so if the subject then comes closer at an angle, as a high-jumper would do while approaching the bar, the camera can't really get a focus lock.

On the other hand, I may be totally off-base with this, and if so I would appreciate clarification so I can understand this AIservo business better.

[pcasciola]

Thanks Phil for the reply. If I am understanding you correctly, you are saying that I will have better results for the "look" that I want with my 75-300mm correct? And if that is the case can you tell me where you prefer to use the 24-75mm lens at when shooting kids sports? How well does it preform in low-lighting conditions, such as gyms? Or do you prefer your 50mm for gym use?

The 75-300mm might give you more of the look you mentioned, but at 300mm at wide open, it is going to be on the soft side most likely.

I don't think I ever said I use the 28-75mm for sports though. I primarily use primes. Right now I use the 300 f/4L for outdoor sports and the 85 f/1.8 for indoor basketball. Where I would consider using the Tamron for indoor sports is if I were shooting in a well lit arena like where I shot the basketball pic I just posted, but only if I were postioned right on the floor in front of the players. For outdoor sports, I might put it on a second body for some close up shots. That is, if I had a second body ;)

AI Servo is not perfect. It's trying to predict the subject's movements, so it is not always going to be dead on correct. I wish I knew more about the algorithm it was using, because then I would know exactly how to use it best. I've had it track subjects fine while moving the camera against the background though, and I find I get the best results if I start with the subject in the center focus point, press and hold the shutter halfway, and then keep the subject in the center focus point while tracking him. I'm no AI Servo expert, but that seems to work best for me. The manual claims that it can track the subject even if it moves to another focus point, but on the shots where I lose focus, that's typically when it happens, when the camera tries to figure out what focus point the subject has moved to.

I would guess when using AI Servo I get about 10-15% OOF shots indoors, and maybe 5-10% outdoors.

My 2 cents of advice, and take it for what it's worth, practice more with AI Servo/AI Focus so you know better how it might behave in different situations, tighten your crop on the athletes, and in the case of the high jumper shots, get down a little lower, and try to get their face in the shot. The timing and focus on the last shot you posted look good, but you could probably set that up so you do not even have the water tower or tanks in the frame at all, and mostly just the jumper, blue sky and part of the bar.

[triangle]

I don't think I ever said I use the 28-75mm for sports though. I primarily use primes.

Sorry must have been a presumption on my part. I had read your post from the following thread. Since your main subjects seem to be kids sports I assumed :oops: that is what you used this lens for. After several reads on this forum, I bought the 28-75mm f/2.8 hoping to be able to use it in my sports photography. Anyhow, I do not regret getting the lens, I sold my "kit lens" and needed a somewhat wide angle lens to replace it with. This morning I shot individual and team pics with this lens and they came out great. Overall I am happy with my purchase, it may just serve me in different ways than I had imagined. My goal is to get some "L" glass, especially the big zoom lenses for sports as I am able. Got to save some $$$. Thanks for your insights Phil, I like your pics and I am attempting to offer quality pics like yours for my customers. Below is another pic from the 28-75mm.

From Thread: Tamaron,tokina,sigma which is best/worst

I don't think there is any one "best" of those three, but they all produce some really good lenses, like these to name a few:

Tamron 28-75 Xr Di
Sigma 120-300 f/2.8
Sigma 50-500 (Bigma)
Sigma 18-50 f/2.8
Tokina 17mm f/3.5

With the exception of the long zooms, they are all under $500 lenses, with the Tamron being the least expensive at around $300 and arguably as good optically as some of the more expensive Canon L lenses.

You are probably getting blurry pics because your shutter speeds are too slow. f/2.8 should be fast enough, so you may have to use a higher ISO, like 1600 or 3200, and shoot in Av mode with the aperture fixed at f/2.8. Another option is to get a faster prime, like the Canon 85mm f/1.8 which a lot of people use for indoor basketball. You will get over double the shutter speed as an f/2.8 and have lightning fast focus for around $350.

Here is a pic from today's photo shoot: I think they came out very crisp and sharp. This lens made me some $$$ today. If I keep this up, maybe I can order an "L". ;)


http://www.trianglephotography.com/tests/Feb19-025.jpg

[tim]

I can't see anything wrong with the lens, but you'll have to post links to larger pictures for us to be able to tell for sure. Use a tripod if you can, and take photos of stationary objects, not sports. The reason the photos above didn't come out how you expected is more likely to be the way you took the photos - if you want some tips just shout.

[triangle]

I can't see anything wrong with the lens, but you'll have to post links to larger pictures for us to be able to tell for sure.

That was in the first part of this thread the link is here. (http://www.trianglephotography.com/tamron28-75.php)



Use a tripod if you can, and take photos of stationary objects, not sports.

I took the picture of the brother and sister earlier today (stationary), however I had to use my monopod because my cheapy tripod broke right at the beginning of the day when I was setting it up. Can anyone suggest a good, strong, preferably Bogen tripod. I need a very heavy duty one that would be good for set-up around small kids. Price range $300 or less.


Also, I just got back from a night of taking our youth group out bowling. I wanted to use my 28-75mm lens and leave my flash off for the night. I must say, I am completely satisfied with this lens. It has preformed superb both this morning and tonight. Sharp, crisp images. As I use it more, I am getting the feel of this lens. I am going to post some of the bowling pics in the sports gallery section.

[tim]

I don't like your right click protection on the photos. If I want to copy them I will whatever you do, if I can't right click and open them in a new tab I generally won't bother looking.

IMHO the problem is with the way you're taking the photos, not the camera or lens.

[Persian-Rice]

Focal length will have an effect on the DOF, eitherway, your DOF does seem quite deep for this lens at 2.8. But I bet there are some other factors involved here which you are not considering.

Best bet is to take a shot like pcasciola took. If you are getting a sharp background, then I would say you have an issue(have something visible in the backround about 4-5 feet behing the box to you can properly judge).

The reason you see lots of blur in most action shots is because those guys are using long glass. The last thing I would consider the 28-75 to be is "sports glass". Focal length and AF speed are both issues. May I suggest using a DOF calculator?

[J.A.F. Doorhof]

Hi,
When using AI or Servo I only use centerpoint focus. To be honest the only time I SOMETIMES use the 9 point focus is when I have a bird in flight on a blue sky.
On ALL other occassions I alway's opt for center focus point, somehow I never get in focus what I want if I don't do that.

Greetings,
Frank

[triangle]

May I suggest using a DOF calculator?

I am going to do a search for this and learn more, thanks.


Hi, When using AI or Servo I only use centerpoint focus
.

Frank, I learned that early on while shooting and that is just about all I use is cp focus. That is why I was wondering about the above pic of the jumper. The background was in focus and the jumper was not (that is where the focal points indicated as illustrated). I had tracked his movement, after focusing on him with the shutter pressed half way and took the shot when he jumped.


To be honest with you, I had just got this lens in from B&H that day when I used it. I had read many posts about good and bad lenses of this type from Tamron. I just wanted to get others opinions about my pics in case I needed to send back a "bad" copy before waiting months down the road. I have a Canon 50/ f 1.8 and the dof is awesome. I just thought that was a bit much dof in the above shots for 2.8 and wanted some feedback. I have taken quite a few very good and sharp pics with the Tamron lens since first posting and have taken in some good advice. I am going to read up on the dof calc. as suggested and as Phil originally posted, I believe that a longer lens is what I will have to use for the sports I take. I was about as close as I could get to the shots I took at the track meet. I really thought that closer to the action was better, but for the "look" that I am after I may need to back off a bit and use the longer lenses. Thanks again for everyones suggestions. This forum has helped me tremendously. :cool: