just got the tamron 28-75 f/2.8 lens and..

i love it to death but i'm not sure if it is going to be the best for my needs. i decided on it based on reviews but i should've asked you guys first. i have about a week left to decide rather or not to keep it because they have a 10 day return policy. i ordered my first lil studio set up but i'm not sure it will get here before the 10 days is up...anyway...

i plan on doing portraits inside and out...babies, kids, maternity, seniors etc

and i love love love the beautiful blurry background....but if i focus on the eyes the lips seem soft...the nose... the eyes and lips seem a bit soft...but it's very possible that i just need to learn how to shoot with it...and..it's kinda heavy..

so...my question is...does anyone use this lens for portraits? or just still life/product?

i did actually try it out with a faster shutter speed and it was better but...what would you suggest for that gorgeous bokeh and tack sharp faces?? can i do it with this one?

should i keep it and just also get that 50 mm f/1-8 canon lens that's like $80..know what i'm talking about?

What camera do you have? If you want sharp + bokeh you should try out a prime lens, and I don't think the nifty fifty will be good enough.

Don't leave it at 2.8. I had the same issue but have started shooting with it in Av and set my Aperature to something like f8 and have not had the issue since. I personally love the lens.

Not sure what settings your using but I would suggest stopping it down just a bit, most every lens is much better if stopped down even 1/3 of a stop. Then make sure you have enough light, light is really the key, without enough light even the best lenses will not give a good photo. Try to keep your ISO as low as possible but high enough to allow a decent shutter so 1/80 to 1/125 minimum assuming your at the 75mm end of the lens. Be careful with focus, at 2.8 and 75mm and depending on the subject distance there can be very little room for error, try to get it on the eyes.

EvilKittenProductions wrote in post #12332462
Don't leave it at 2.8. I had the same issue but have started shooting with it in Av and set my Aperature to something like f8 and have bit had the issue since. I personally love the lens.

why buy a f/2.8 zoom and use it at f/8? Just get something slower...

DiMAn0684 wrote in post #12332478
why buy a f/2.8 zoom and use it at f/8? Just get something slower...

Ive often wondered myself on this one.

i love it at 75 and 2.8 but yeah that's when it's so soft...was shooting manual 1/60 f2.8 iso 100 but have been playing around with other settings..it seems at f2.8 and 1/320 or 1/400 iso 200 it's a bit sharper or 1/80 f3.5 or f4.0

but yeah...maybe i just need to figure it out. i hope so because it's making me all kinds of happy haha

don't really have the money at this point to get several lenses tho and was hoping to get one that was very versatile for portraits...i'm afraid it won't be wide enough either...maybe i have to give up the gorgeous bokeh to get a wider angle for group portraits...damn...i don't wanna!

eta: oh right forgot to mention. i'm using an xsi body.

erinavery wrote in post #12332527
i love it at 75 and 2.8 but yeah that's when it's so soft...was shooting manual 1/60 f2.8 iso 100 but have been playing around with other settings..it seems at f2.8 and 1/320 or 1/400 iso 200 it's a bit sharper or 1/80 f3.5 or f4.0

but yeah...maybe i just need to figure it out. i hope so because it's making me all kinds of happy haha

don't really have the money at this point to get several lenses tho and was hoping to get one that was very versatile for portraits...i'm afraid it won't be wide enough either...maybe i have to give up the gorgeous bokeh to get a wider angle for group portraits...damn...i don't wanna!

eta: oh right forgot to mention. i'm using an xsi body.

you were shooting at 75mm @ f/2.8 with shutter speeds of 1/60s? you definitely need to bump up the shutter speed...

Well, if you have the 18-55IS kit lens that will work for group portraits for now. Then an 85mm f1.8 would be great and meet your bokeh needs, and is pretty darn nice wide open @ f1.8 (it's pretty long for indoors though)

f4 and smaller that lens should be tack sharp. F2.8 it will be blurry.

DiMAn0684 wrote in post #12332546
you were shooting at 75mm @ f/2.8 with shutter speeds of 1/60s? you definitely need to bump up the shutter speed...

ha...okay thanks...barbie doll heads look beautiful on that setting tho haha!
but yeah cool...so probably just need to learn to shoot with it then you think?

you think it may fit my needs for now? i'm waiting on my white lightning to arrive...i hope it does well with that...any experience with it in the studio?

DiMAn0684 wrote in post #12332478
why buy a f/2.8 zoom and use it at f/8? Just get something slower...

For portraits if you are not wanting to have selective focus like he is getting or a very shallow DOF but does not want it. I use it often at 2.8 when I want to blur my background or take a shot of someone laying down and I wanna blur the body. For better portraits I stop it down though.

Shockey wrote in post #12332561
f4 and smaller that lens should be tack sharp. F2.8 it will be blurry.

awesome okay thanks...so it should at least be as sharp as my kit lens when i use the right settings?

The 28-75 tend to be a bit soft wide open, you might consider send it to Tamron for calibration as it might help, but don be discouraged, use it at 3.2, 3.5 and the pics are very usable as they get noticeably sharper, even the Canon 24-70 can be soft too wide open depending on the copy (not to mention is 1000$ more expensive).
I use mine at 3.5 even3.2 when I want shallow DOF, and you will notice an improvement in sharpness
Dont obsess on pixels, make sure you are using a fast enough speed (at 70mm look for speeds faster than 1/80 or use a tripod) , make sure you are focusing correctly and that DOF is adequate to focus your subject (this is important) many times the DOF is too narrow.
Primes are sharper at 2.8 because they will open up to 1.4 or 1.8, so at 2.8 they are already stopped down.
If you want super sharp go and use primes, and stop down to 2.8 and 3.2.
The Tamron 28-75 is a marvelous lens, and a great value if is the proper focal length for your use and camera.
I did not get what body you are using?

....as I said that lens will never be sharp at 2.8...no matter what you do.