Addicted to Tamron Adaptall-2

Andreas Thaler

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I confess that I am addicted to Tamron Adaptall-2.

Tamrons are beautiful, they are good, always a little brighter than the competition, even better as SP, and even when you open them you only see quality,

Click here for the shopping list

Tamron Adaptall-2 lenses | Adaptall-2.com

A web resource providing information about vintage Tamron non-AF lenses.
www.adaptall-2.com

Are there any other addicts here?
 

xkaes

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Thanks for providing that link -- even though the website still is under-construction.

Anyone know of any similar sites for Sigma, Tokina, etc. lens makers????

The only Tamron photo lenses I see missing on the website (excluding scopes and other optics that Tamron also made) are the full series of large format lenses from Tamron -- but I'm not surprised. Very few people even know about them:

http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/colortamron.htm
 
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BMbikerider

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I tend to agree with you, but you have to be careful. There were a number of versions of their well respected 80/210 zoom and one was better than the others and cannot remember which it was. Then there were two versions of the 24mm F2.5 and the better version, again I don't know how to tell them apart but it was VERY good.
I have 35/135 F4 constant aperture which I use on my Nikon F2a as a go anywhere walk-about lens and that is also very good. 12x16 prints just demand to be made from the negatives. I also have a 90mm macro which is also very good, not quite up to the standard of my current 90mm/F2.8AF but at a fraction of the price who's complaining?
I also remember the 28/80 being very sharp too,but with dreadful curvature at the short end - almost like a fisheye lens.

Their big failing for Tamron AD11 against todays lenses has to be the actual weight. That 35/135 is exceptionally well made but is heavier than my 24/110S Nikon lens although the aperture on that lens is the same for both lenses. and the new lens is physically bigger.
 
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Andreas Thaler

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xkaes said:
The only Tamron photo lenses I see missing on the website (excluding scopes and other optics that Tamron also made) are the full series of large format lenses from Tamron
Click to expand...
That's no surprise, because the page I linked is all about Adaptall-2.
 

xkaes

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Andreas Thaler said:
That's no surprise, because the page I linked is all about Adaptall-2.
Click to expand...

That website lists Tamron's T-mount lenses, their Adapt-a-matic lenses, and even their F-seriies (fixed mount) lenses -- not just the Adaptall-2 lenses.
 

miha

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This is the Tamron I always lusted for

 

xkaes

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If you're looking for upper-body exercise, get a gym membership. With the money you save, you can buy a 300mm f4.0 and a 400mm f5.6.
 

Chuck1

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Adaptall is a dangerous stepping stone, it's just an enabler fos GAS.
You've committed to nikon...
Then you're looking at an LX, or an om3, or an XK or an F1....or a contax S2
The glass is good don't get me wrong, and they are generally reasonably priced
I have the 17,24,28,90,70-210 3.5, 80-200 2.8, 35-105 2.8
The only hoods I absolutely had to have were for the 17 (I have both versions)
Novoflex is equally dangerous, I ended up with a Canon eos mount in that system, an occasionally think about one of those...
I need to have a yard sale....
 

benjiboy

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I have all the original Canon hoods for my fourteen FD lenses, I also have the original rubber hood for my Tamron SP 17mm F 3.5 lens, it's taken a long time to get them together.
 

dynachrome

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I have a fair number of Adaptall II lenses and adapters. The ones I don't have yet and will eventually get are the 90/2.8 SP Macro, the 80-200/2.8, the 400/4 and the 180/2.5. I don't think I will be interested in the 300/2.8. The 17 would also be nice, for the mounts where I don't already have a lens that wide. The Tamrons I use most often are the 35-135 (both versions), the 90/2.5 (52B) and the 35-80. The 300/5.6 is handy for close-ups when getting close is difficult. I don't think I will ever find the 70-150/2.8. I've only seen pictures of it.
 

KinoGrafx

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I had that 300/2.8 and a couple other adaptalls when they were new, and the mounts (nikon) all wiggled-they were never solid or tight. But the 300 was good glass!
 
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Andreas Thaler

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The Adaptall-2 adapters are high-quality precision mechanical pieces. It's worth taking a look inside.

Here I was able to quickly repair an adapter for Minolta MD whose panel lever was stuck:

Tamron Adaptall-2 adapter for Minolta MD: Aperture lever released

The aperture lever on the adapter for Minolta MD is stuck. So I open the beautiful and valuable piece of precision engineering. This retaining ring had become loose. After tightening, the aperture lever works again. +++ All information provided without guarantee and use at your own...
www.photrio.com
 

kl122002

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Tamron's lenses are actually GREAT, especially the Adpt-2-all SP series. My most favorite is the 17, 90, 500 and the most frequent used is 28-80. They all really have good glass and I don't understand why they are so underrated today.

My old pals never know I was using Tamron instead of Canon in these areas.

And for the adapters I have m42, Canon FD, Olympus and C/Y . Interesting fact is the older model of Adpt-2-all mount has popped up a housing for a wheel with different naming (e.g, "Canon FD" vs "for Canon FTb ")
 

xkaes

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That's an important note that you made -- that there are different versions of the Adaptall 2 mounts. I'm only familiar with the Minolta versions -- there were two, one for the later cameras with Shutter-priority and Programmed exposure modes. They are not marked as different, so you have to look closely. I assume this is true for other camera brands as well.

I've been updating the Independent Lens Maker list for Minolta cameras -- over at MINMAN -- as I find time, and making some other improvements. It's a pretty long list -- and growing:

http://www.subclub.org/minman/lenstable.htm
 

dynachrome

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Another Tamron I used quite a bit was the 80-210 f/3.8. I have copies of both versions. The lens is slow but with the bright finder of a Minolta X-700, it's pleasant enough to use. The lenses also worked well with the Minolta 2X-300S teleconverter. This was only suitable in very good light or with a tripod.
 

Chuck1

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For nikon anyway the adaptall 2 had two protruding tabs, that engaged in slots on the lens, I once got the SP200-500/3.8-5.6(?) that looked like the most modern version but had only one reciever, my mounts didn't sit right, so I returned it.
Not sure if this is the pre shutter priority/Program version of the lens.
 

xkaes

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That's my guess. Exactly the same as with the Minolta versions.
 
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