Tamron 19-35mm AF

[Mike Kennedy]

Anyone using this lens? Thoughts please.

 

[Ian Grant]

Do you mean the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 AF lens, mines the analog/digital model ie covers full frame.

I've had one for about 3 years and it's superb, I bought it to shoot rock concerts after my Canon lens died 2 days out of warranty. I did notice it flares if the suns in the image, my 75mm f8 Super Angulon didnt

Very sharp lens with good contrast, two or three shoots paid for the lens.

Ian

 

[Mike Kennedy]

Hi Ian,
How can you identify the analog/digital model?

 

[Ian Grant]

Mine's the analog/digital model a Di, the purely Digital (APS) models are Di-II

I have the 17-35mm and the 28-75mm f2.8 Di's, it's the second lens that gets the heaviest use. Unusual for me as I much prefer WA lenses but I really hammer my Canon (gets used and abused) at rock concerts and other music shoots and these lenses have shot 30 or 40 thousand images in the time I've owned them.

My Tamron zooms are superb lenses and I have to rely on them, I have a couple more Tamron's a 28mm & 17mm Sp, both adaptall's which get very occasional use used on my Spotmatics or K mount cameras, but my wife uses them all the time.

Tamron make excellent lenses, the SP series is superb.

Ian

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have the Tamron f/3.8 -f/5.6 28mm-300mm AF zoom lens which I am very happy with. I also have the Nikon f/2.8 20mm - 35mm AF zoom lens.

Steve

 

[Ian Grant]

Yes, Steve but f5.6 is out of the frame, the lens is far too slow, no good for cutting edge work. I also use my f2.5 Tamron SP 135mm with a manual adaptor at full aperture . . . . . I'd love to own faster lenses and was about to buy an IS f2.8 80-200 Canon. . . . . . . . . $2,600, then just walked way again . . . . . . . .

Ian

 

[Russ - SVP]

Mine's the analog/digital model a Di, the purely Digital (APS) models are Di-II


My Tamron zooms are superb lenses and I have to rely on them, I have a couple more Tamron's a 28mm & 17mm Sp, both adaptall's which get very occasional use used on my Spotmatics or K mount cameras, but my wife uses them all the time.

Tamron make excellent lenses, the SP series is superb.

Ian

I have and use the Tamron SP 17mm, SP 20-40 & the Tamron SP 24-135, and I agree with Ian, the SP line delivers superb performance.

Kiron Kid

 

[Russ - SVP]

Anyone using this lens? Thoughts please.

I haven't used it, but I've heard quite a few favoreable reviews on it.

KK

 

[Sirius Glass]

Yes, Steve but f5.6 is out of the frame, the lens is far too slow, no good for cutting edge work. I also use my f2.5 Tamron SP 135mm with a manual adaptor at full aperture . . . . . I'd love to own faster lenses and was about to buy an IS f2.8 80-200 Canon. . . . . . . . . $2,600, then just walked way again . . . . . . . .

Ian

This is not a pissing contest to see who can throw around the most money. The OP wanted to know about experience with the Tamron AF zoom lens.

Report to behind the back of the barn for a spankin'.

Steve

 

[Ian Grant]

Steve, one of the unfortunate facts of 35mm (& digital) SLR cameras has been the dumbing down of the lenses offered with the cameras.

Back in the 70's all SLR's came with usually an f1.8/1.7 standard lens, an f1.4 was a little more, or you could have an f2 budget lens but all excellent performers. With the shift to auto-focus cameras and improvements in zoom lenses manufacturers started shipping SLR's with budget zooms, but the downside was far slower lenses usually with a maximum aperture of F3.5-5.6.

If you use an SLR for serious use slow lenses are a huge handicap, the difference of that extra stop or more in speed is essential. I use my Tamron's to shoot rock concerts (amongst other things) and almost always at close to full aperture and using 100/3200 ISO, with a max aperture of f5.6 I would have major problems at some venues.

Ian

 

[Mike Kennedy]

Well I lost the auction,BUT, gained more knowledge.

Mike