Bummer... brand new 70-300VC Err01

OK, so here's the bummer.

I did battery focus tests on the brand new Tamron 70-300 VC that I literally received a couple hours ago. Everything was well. Mostly landscape orientation, but a few in portrait.

Then, after probably a few dozen different test shots, I take one in a portrait orientation and get Err 01 "clean lens contacts" message. After which it's Err1 galore. Moreover, it's pretty weird - I can take shots in Landscape, Inverted portrait (shutter button on the grip facing downwards), just not in Portrait (shutter button on the grip facing up).

Take the lens out, clean contacts, works. Take it out again, reinsert, get Err1. Take it out, reinsert, works.

I assume the lens needs to be returned / exchanged ? Or is there an easy / known explanation or fix for this ?

Sounds like it definitely needs to be exchanged, a new lens should NOT be doing this

Probubly something loose and when you orient it that way its coming disconnected, thus giving off Err01

Well, I got hold of the store. According to them it's a common problem with these lenses in Nikon mount but rather uncommon in Canon; there's an easy fix that may work and it's tightening the screws around lens mount, if this doesn't solve the issue they will take it back. I will report on the success tomorrow.

Sorry about your problems, I've only ever used mine in landscape orientation but I just tried a few shots in portrait orientation with no problems, I hope you get it sorted.

I'm with crofter. No problems ever with mine so hope you get it resolved.

Happened with my Tamron 70-200. It wasn't new enough to be exchanged, but it was still under warranty and Tamron fixed the problem. Good luck. Hope it gets taken care of quickly.

So far Photo Craft service was top notch, I hope they can find a replacement. I have a b'day party to shoot in a week, and was relying on having the tele to snap kids' faces from a distance without them acting for the camera. My 85 may not be long enough, it's a huge indoor arena type place.

I like this lens IQ. My family went to the movies so I went in a park and found a couple of birds to shoot. The first image is unprocessed and gives an idea of distance involved. This is straight out of camera, with no PP whatsoever (only reduced for posting).
The second one is processed with some USM and brightness / contrast adjustment.

Even though it looks as if the bird was close, it was atop of a tall tree. Shot at 300mm fully extended, 1/400 f/6.3 ISO 250.

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dbricks mentioned the warranty, be sure to register your lens on the Tamron website when you get sorted within 3 months to get your 5 year warranty.

I'm seriously considering a 70-300 VC and am sorry to hear about the OP's problem. Hope it's resolved quickly. The possible "quick fix" (tightening the lens mount screws) mentioned up topic is of some concern to me. Are (were) they not properly tightened to spec on some samples when they came off the production line, or are the screws loosening due to vibration (or use) and how will this affect long term reliability? I realize Tamron has warranty that's much longer than most, but a lens in the shop, no matter how great, isn't very useful.

I have had mine for over a year now and have not had a single problem with it. If this was a problem with this lens it would have been discussed all over the forums. Every lens model from every lens manufacture have isolated problems.

Unless the mount is seriously loose then tightening the mount screws seems like a bandaid. It would mean that the lens contacts are barely touching the camera contacts, The ones in the camera are spring loaded and designed to be compressed as the lens is mounted. I wouldn't be happy if tightening the mount screws fixed the problem. YMMV

The screws were tight so this was not a problem.

It's also very strange that this only happen when the lens is in a "proper" Portrait orientation (i.e. the AF and VC switches face the ground). In any other orientation - Landscape, inverted Portrait (shutter button on the bottom but AF / VC switches facing up), even upside down it works fine. To me, it almost looks like something is working itself loose in this particular position.

Waiting on PhotoCraft to let me know if they can get a replacement within a week. I would still like to give Tammy a chance, even though it's one huge and heavy beast compared to 55-250, I think there's some improvement in IQ and I would like to be able to exploit it.

Added: looks like they don't have another one.. so it's going back for a refund. I am not sure what to do next - the whole ordeal made me wary of this particular lens, so I may end up just getting another 55-250.