Any owner of Tamron 200-500mm with comments to share?

[Redbird_xo]

Have done some research on this lens and am trying to find out what members of the Forums think. I understand that Tamron with long zoom just won't get too much noise around here. Just want to give it a shot. Thanks.

Below are two links to previously posted threads (that I found) regarding this lens, if you are interested.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32846&highlight=Tamron+200-500mm

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=48426&highlight=Tamron+200-500mm

[musthavemuzk]

have you held one yet?
if so what did you think?
last friday Mac and i got to play with alot of big glass while on our camera shop outing.
it was a light lens.
it seemed to take forever to zoom from 2-5.
it was light.
thread size is 86. man is that huge.

not much to say about it though.
i just expected a lens like that to have some weight to it.
there is a review at photo.net.

good luck

Monty

[timmyquest]

http://www.pbase.com/cameras/tamron/sp_af_200-500_5-63_di_ld_if

I'm not too impressed.

It's not shabby at all, but...it's not all that impressive either.

[Redbird_xo]

have you held one yet?

No, I don't have one yet. I am interested in the focal range but not sure if it is good idea to put down $900 for it. Thanks for the info anyway.

[Redbird_xo]

http://www.pbase.com/cameras/tamron/sp_af_200-500_5-63_di_ld_if

I'm not too impressed.

It's not shabby at all, but...it's not all that impressive either.

I checked out the photos at Pbase prior to starting this thread. For me, it is hard to judge quality from much reduced size pix.

[Mac]

I found it light. I have been looking for some more, solid reviews with comparison pics too. I think it was photo.net that has it with shots, pretty interesting. The reach was nice, but it did take forever to get from 200-500. I don't know...it is only a little more money and you are getting into Canon's lower cost prime L's, but if zoom is what you are looking for, this has a nice range. The lack of weight took me off guard.

Is there anywhere near you that has them, or you can rent from? Maybe some play time is in order...:D

[Redbird_xo]

I found it light. I have been looking for some more, solid reviews with comparison pics too. I think it was photo.net that has it with shots, pretty interesting. The reach was nice, but it did take forever to get from 200-500. I don't know...it is only a little more money and you are getting into Canon's lower cost prime L's, but if zoom is what you are looking for, this has a nice range. The lack of weight took me off guard.

Is there anywhere near you that has them, or you can rent from? Maybe some play time is in order...:D

Lens renting is not common here. I am quite sure the lens is available for sale somewhere near where I live, and I have a feeling that the price is pretty good as well. Just recently, I helped a relative's Aussie friend bought a new Tamron 28-300 at half the price comparing to the selling price in Australia. Recent models of Tamron lenses are kind of light comparing to the Canon's counterparts. I did read the review by Bob Atkins at photo.net; especially with the section that talks about using Tamron's teleconverter on such lens get me interested.

[musthavemuzk]

well if there is a place around you that sells them and may have one on hand then mayb they will want the sale enough to put it on a body for you to try out. evenif it is in store or mayb to step outside with it.
the range is nice, but that is about all i can say about it.
just did not like the long time to go from 2-5. mayb still objects it would be OK, but if you are trying to take pics of things on the move it might be a problem. plus the loss of stops as compared to other lens's got me concerned.
the 70-200/4 plus TC would be about the same price. might even be a better pic.

good luck

Monty