Review/Impressions of Tamron 24-70mm G2 (2nd edition)

I agree with 05xrunner. Now if Canon comes out with a 24-70 2.8is I would buy it in a heartbeat.

05Xrunner wrote in post #18478574
you must have bionic eyes because at non zoomed in images I see ZERO difference except for the fact the Tamron vignettes less. Maybe I dont care as much and enjoy just taking photos instead of zooming in on every photo to make sure its perfect. I use to be that way but now I can careless. if it looks great looking at the image on screen or print and not at 100%+ than I am perfectly happy and can careless about some microcontrast BS or some other minuscule difference.

If that is your way of saying that we have different standards and tastes, sure.

And don't be misled by the "micro" in "microcontrast". It does not mean the effect is miniscule or only apparent at pixel-peeping level. You can see it right off the screen at most resolutions if you know what to look for. But I get that it might not be important to you. That's good news for Tamron, for sure.

cseybert wrote in post #18478594
Now if Canon comes out with a 24-70 2.8is I would buy it in a heartbeat.

http://www.canonrumors​.com …-is-still-in-testing-cr2/

I'm hoping it's video friendly and within two years, otherwise I'll likely succumb to GAS by then

I am sooo confused! Canon is superior because...?

Canon excels:
-wide open 2.8 on a tripod with IS off it MAY have better IQ (Your mother-in-law will never be able to decipher).

Tamron excels:
- superior pro quality build over the Canon (metal vs. plastic barrel)
- superior light transmission
- 5 stop IS proves superior IQ in day-to-day use
- at least equivalent flare, weather proofing, and chromatic aberration control
- TapIn console allows for numerous refinements and firmware updates
- 6 year warranty
- at least $500 LESS than Canon

Sorry...what did I miss with the Canon?

As the person who lent Dustin the Canon 24-70L II that he used to compare to the G2 and the Sigma, and as a person who shoots handheld events, my opinion is pretty close to Dustin's - and that is, if you are going to handhold a 24-70 at shutter speeds less than or equal to your camera's flash sync speed, the Tamron is on average going to be the sharper lens - unless you place that lens on a Sony A7Rii with built in IBIS.

I find reading the comments here about Canon's $2000 lens interesting because I guess I didn't appreciate how many non event shooters actually owned this lens by the nature of the comments because using this lens for landscapes and or on a tripod is something I have never done.

If I didn't own a Sony A7Rii, I would in fact sell the Canon and exchange it for the Tamron G2 as it would allow me another lens that I could use on my 5DSR in addition to my 1Dxii which is were I use it currently.

I find my self now, in the process of making a much bigger decision, and that is if I am going to purchase a Nikon D850 (would be my first Nikon). If that happens, I will be purchasing the Nikon version of the Tamron G2 to use for events.

Dustin mentioned it a bunch of times in his comparison videos, and I don't see it getting any mention here as being important, but the G2 has basically a 1/2 stop better light transmission than the Canon and it looks like 2/3rds of a stop better than the Sigma (that alone would be a deal killer for me if I was considering the Sigma) - that is not a small amount if you are use to dark events and being at the uncomfortable edge of your shooting parameters. The funny thing about the Sigma w.r.t. this issue, is that I own the Sigma 24-105 F4 OS, that I use exclusively on my 5DSR, and that lens has nearly a full stop better light transmission than the Gen 1 Canon 24-105 F4 - so this is really a miss on Sigma's part, or a real positive for Tamron in my opinion.

The only check left for me about the Tamron G2, is to go into a dark event type room, with a hotshoe mounted flash for focus assist, and then compare the Tamron to both the OE Canon and the Nikon versions, at 50-70mm F2.8 for speed of focus acquisition on a 1DXii and D850 - if it is 93% as good, the G2 is a complete home run.

05Xrunner wrote in post #18478560
the way I look at it. Is if you are a Pixel peeper and all you care about is looking at details at 100-200% get the canon. If you dont care about absolute pixel peeping and just want great images you could never tell with prints side by side get the tamron and another lens as well with the savings....

I just shot a performance with the "pre-G2" Tamron 24-70 and 70-200mm (mostly 70-200mm) in low performance lighting with the 5D4. I had zero AF issues, and the results positively demolish what I used to get with my old Canon set up (24-70 f/2.8L v1 and 70-200mm f/2.8L IS)

Most of the improvement is down the the modern sensor in the 5D4 vs. my old 1D2/1D3 set up,. but at this IQ,. I would need a 4K monitor @ >100% to see any IQ loss due to glass.

I shot wide open for most shots.

Are the Canon's better? Probably.

Will I ever see the difference? Not sure.

Will the IS on the Tamron (yes even the older pre-G2) make more of a difference to me on a daily basis than the extra .5% IQ improvement that a modern Canon will offer @ 100+% crop?

Oh yes. Every day of the week. This I am sure.

I love my 70-200 G2. The 24-70 G2 is front focusing IMO.

I'm going to PhotoPlus Expo tomorrow and visit the Tamron booth and ask a bunch of questions. Maybe they'll help MFA it.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #18482238
I just shot a performance with the "pre-G2" Tamron 24-70 and 70-200mm (mostly 70-200mm) in low performance lighting with the 5D4. I had zero AF issues, and the results positively demolish what I used to get with my old Canon set up (24-70 f/2.8L v1 and 70-200mm f/2.8L IS)

Most of the improvement is down the the modern sensor in the 5D4 vs. my old 1D2/1D3 set up,. but at this IQ,. I would need a 4K monitor @ >100% to see any IQ loss due to glass.

I shot wide open for most shots.

Are the Canon's better? Probably.

Will I ever see the difference? Not sure.

Will the IS on the Tamron (yes even the older pre-G2) make more of a difference to me on a daily basis than the extra .5% IQ improvement that a modern Canon will offer @ 100+% crop?

Oh yes. Every day of the week. This I am sure.

Thanks for your input, Jake. I had the first version of the Tamron and its inconsistent AF was its biggest problem. Nice to know they've fixed that.

gossamer88 wrote in post #18482406
I love my 70-200 G2. The 24-70 G2 is front focusing IMO.

I'm going to PhotoPlus Expo tomorrow and visit the Tamron booth and ask a bunch of questions. Maybe they'll help MFA it.

Do you have the TAP-IN console? Tried it? Curious why you'd want Tamron to help with MFA.

Bassat wrote in post #18482512
Thanks for your input, Jake. I had the first version of the Tamron and its inconsistent AF was its biggest problem. Nice to know they've fixed that.

Do you have the TAP-IN console? Tried it? Curious why you'd want Tamron to help with MFA.

Yes I have but find it a bit daunting. I plan to bring it with me as well...lol...