New Tamron compatibility with EOS film cameras?

[L_E_Miller]

Was disappointed to find out my new Tamron 35mm 1.8 VC doesn't work on my EOS 55.

Has anyone had any luck with newer Tamron gear on EOS cameras?

Rather just get another cheap film body then replace the lens, if maybe a newer body might work.

 

[Oren Grad]

FWIW:

https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/tamron-vc-lenses-on-film.5512683/#post-5722450

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4600327

 

[pentaxuser]

Oren, your first link seemed to be centred on Nikons only and the second link as asks the question on an EOS 3 which is a Canon EOsS model but that question does not appear to have any answers so I am puzzled as to how either link helps the OP with answers to his question on EOS cameras?

pentaxuser

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Your best bet would be the last Canon film cameras since they overlapped digital. No idea though if they would work. I think the last EOS camera made besides the 1v was the Elan 7ne. Don't hold your breath though. IIRC Tamron lenses are reversed engineered so they don't account for the differences in Canon over the years. Don't quote me on that though.

 

[film_man]

Of the latest VC lenses I have experience with:
the 90/2.8 VC (but not the latest model, the one before with the square pattern on the focus ring) which worked fine on a EOS 1N and EOS 300
the 45/1.8 VC which worked fine on the 1N but on the 300 it would occassionaly give an error. I don't know if this was because of compatibility (the 1N is older though which worked...?) or that new lenses assume more powerful batteries are available...

What is the issue? Does it just lock up, does it lock up after the shot is taken, does it power up at all? Have you tried with a fresh battery?

Sadly I don't expect any of the new Sigma/Tamron lenses to work at all with film cameras nowadays...if they do it is by accident rather than by design.

 

[grat]

Since Canon hasn't licensed the EF protocol to anyone, they're all making it up as they go along. Usually works pretty well, but you do get incompatibility with lenses that differ significantly in age.

You might try contact the lens manufacturer-- Many lenses can have their firmware upgraded, and they might have a firmware package for the older EOS bodies.

Note: I seem to recall a few older "L" lenses needed updates for newer camera bodies like the EOS 90D, so it isn't JUST the 3rd parties that have issues.

 

[L_E_Miller]

I got some good news. The lens DOES work on my Canon A2E!

The bad news is my A2E is converted for MF focusing screen...

What is the issue? Does it just lock up, does it lock up after the shot is taken, does it power up at all? Have you tried with a fresh battery?

It powers on and seems like it wants to work for a second, meters and AF, then it freaks out and everything stops and it flashes the "battery dead" icon.

Also it won't read f/1.8 it only comes up as f/2.0

It is very weird!

 

[ericB&W]

I have Tamron 70-300 VC and works perfect on Canon eos 600
and eos 5, on eos 650 af works but there in not lens stabilization ,
but EOS 650 was the first Canon AF to be built, eos 600 came some months later .

 

[ColdEye]

Is the firmware on the lens updated?

 

[ericB&W]

No , but i bought the Tamron some years ago , i read somewhere , i don't remember , that now
newest lenses could be non more compaible with oldest Canon models

 

[benjaminlee]

So, with my Canon EOS 300X, both my Tamron 24-70mm 2.8 SP VC lens (G1) and Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 VC (G2) works as per usual. However, with my EOS 3000n which is a beginner's model, only my 24-70mm G1 works not the 70-200mm G2.

3000N was made is 2002 and 300X was made in 2004 and known to be the last EOS film camera made.

 

[halfaman]

I had camera error with a Sigma 50 mm f/1.4 EX in an EOS 3 that works perfectly in a 1V or 30V model. So I invented the rule that any Canon EOS camera before year 2000 could be problematic.

 

[koraks]

I had a problem with an old Sigma lens not working on newer EOS bodies - but that's the other way around, and I guess the underlying causes may be entirely different. I did end up fixing it with a workaround I found online, but this workaround is very specifically for fixing an aperture command incompatibility issue. I'm not sure if this applies in any way to the problems discussed here.

 

[halfaman]

I had a problem with an old Sigma lens not working on newer EOS bodies - but that's the other way around, and I guess the underlying causes may be entirely different. I did end up fixing it with a workaround I found online, but this workaround is very specifically for fixing an aperture command incompatibility issue. I'm not sure if this applies in any way to the problems discussed here.

Long time ago Sigma offered a chip change for some lenses to fix this issue if you send them to an official service center (like 400 mm f/5.6 APO HSM). There are very few lenses with the new chip nevertheless and Sigma is not doing it anymore.

 

[ericB&W]

I have Sigma superwide 24 mm that works on Canon 650 , 600, eos 5/A2 but doesn't
close the f stops on Canon 33 and can be used just wide open .

 

[loccdor]

I use the Canon EOS Elan 7E from the year 2000. The 45mm and 85mm VC Tamrons are my favorite lenses for it and everything on them works. The battery does drain about twice as fast with the VC it seems. I also tried Sigma's 105mm f/2.8 OS macro lens, stabilization also worked on that. And I have the Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS, stabilization works on that too.

I recommend just ordering these lenses from places with return policies if you have any doubt.

 

[koraks]

I have Sigma superwide 24 mm that works on Canon 650 , 600, eos 5/A2 but doesn't
close the f stops on Canon 33 and can be used just wide open .

Yeah, that's the exact issue I fixed on mine. Same lens, too.

 

[benjaminlee]

So, I recently acquired a Canon EOS 1N and was thrilled to discover that despite being manufactured in 1994, it's compatible with both my Tamron 24-70mm 2.8 SP VC G1 and Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 SP VC G2 lenses. However, to my dismay, it doesn't work with my first-generation Godox wireless trigger. After wasting seven exposures, I realized none of the strobes were firing. D'oh! The only EOS film camera in my collection that functions seamlessly with all Tamron lenses and the Godox wireless trigger is the Canon EOS 300X from 2004.

 

[Sirius Glass]

So, I recently acquired a Canon EOS 1N and was thrilled to discover that despite being manufactured in 1994, it's compatible with both my Tamron 24-70mm 2.8 SP VC G1 and Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 SP VC G2 lenses. However, to my dismay, it doesn't work with my first-generation Godox wireless trigger. After wasting seven exposures, I realized none of the strobes were firing. D'oh! The only EOS film camera in my collection that functions seamlessly with all Tamron lenses and the Godox wireless trigger is the Canon EOS 300X from 2004.

Welcome to Photrio!

The Tamron 150mm to 600mm AF VC lens is compatible with the Nikon AF lenses and auto focuses but with its Tamron 2X it will not focus automatically. I confirmed that with Tamron that the 2X extender will not auto focus with ANY Nikon AF film cameras, but are completely compatible with the Nikon Z mirrorless cameras. I just confirmed that with the Nikon Z7ii last week. This sounds like the compatibility problems you are experiencing with the Canon line.

 

[ericB&W]

Welcome to Photrio!

The Tamron 150mm to 600mm AF VC lens is compatible with the Nikon AF lenses and auto focuses but with its Tamron 2X it will not focus automatically. I confirmed that with Tamron that the 2X extender will not auto focus with ANY Nikon AF film cameras, but are completely compatible with the Nikon Z mirrorless cameras. I just confirmed that with the Nikon Z7ii last week. This sounds like the compatibility problems you are experiencing with the Canon line.

The same thing happens with old Sigma af 300mm f4 apo-macro, with his dedicated apo teleconverter 1.4 lose the autofocus on Nkons .

 

[benjaminlee]

Welcome to Photrio!

The Tamron 150mm to 600mm AF VC lens is compatible with the Nikon AF lenses and auto focuses but with its Tamron 2X it will not focus automatically. I confirmed that with Tamron that the 2X extender will not auto focus with ANY Nikon AF film cameras, but are completely compatible with the Nikon Z mirrorless cameras. I just confirmed that with the Nikon Z7ii last week. This sounds like the compatibility problems you are experiencing with the Canon line.

I am not sure why you are talking about Nikon Z mirrorless cameras here. Of course, all the third-party modern lenses will work with new mirrorless cameras.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I am not sure why you are talking about Nikon Z mirrorless cameras here. Of course, all the third-party modern lenses will work with new mirrorless cameras.

Welcome to Photrio.

The topic is the incomplete combatibility of Tamron lenses with film cameras.

 

[koraks]

The topic is the incomplete combatibility of Tamron lenses with film cameras.

Well, to be fair, the topic is the compatibility of these lenses with EOS film cameras. So not Nikon.

 

[MTGseattle]

I don't understand what that particular Tamron lens brings to the table vs the Canon EF 35mm f2 i.s.? Yes, the Tamron is f1.8, but 1.8 vs f2 for all of the complications?

 

[loccdor]

I don't understand what that particular Tamron lens brings to the table vs the Canon EF 35mm f2 i.s.? Yes, the Tamron is f1.8, but 1.8 vs f2 for all of the complications?

At least speaking for the Tamron 45mm f/1.8 (and probably also for its very similar 35mm cousin), it seems to have better image quality (bokeh, CA, sharpness), weather sealing, metal construction, an extra stop of image stabilization, and going for about $100 less on the used market for a good copy. The Tamron lens also has a significantly closer minimum focus distance. I haven't encountered any problems with it in my Canon EOS Elan 7E (made in 2000). I can get sharp shots with it at 1/6 half the time, or 1/10 reliably.

I also have the Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS, and I can handhold it at about the same speed as the 45mm Tamron. You would expect a little more since it is wider, but the stabilization isn't quite as good.

For the Tamron 85mm f/1.8, 1/15 is the slowest speed I like to handhold it.

For film, the Tamron 35mm through 85mm f/1.8 lenses all need a stop-down to f/2.8 to eliminate the vignetting. Though the 85mm is fine vignette-wise at f/2 for medium or high contrast subjects and that is the aperture I use most for portraits with it, which usually are good with a little vignette.

It's great, especially in harsh-weather climates, to be able to slap a UV filter on the Tamrons, use them with their hoods and not worry about rain or snow. My camera is not even rated as weather sealed but the combination hasn't let me down, must have shot it in bad weather a dozen times this winter.