Bookmark and Share




User Lens Reviews

Tamron SP AF17-50mm F2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF]
Show:  Order:

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

UPDATED - You want silence??? Go elsewhere... Qu, Thursday, 20 March 2008


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I ended up returning this lens and getting some Canon glass. I still believe that the final output can be great per my first review below, my problem came with the focusing of the lens. Maybe my copy is poor, but this lens just misses too many critical shots. Speed is ok, but is appears to be front focusing on subjects, even with center focus and fairly close range.


If you look at most of the 2 star reviews, people complain of noise. I am guessing they are tracking deer in moccassins and trying to focus and shoot completely silently... as for any other application this lens is great. I have the Canon 70-200 "L" and this lens in my bag(sold my 28-135). If final output is your primary goal, this is it. I almost bought the canon "L" equvalent, but decided to go with this to save a few $'s (and Amazon would take a return if I did not like it)... Couldn't be happier with the decision. Saturation, sharpness, bokeh...they all live up to the reviews you see from others. Little more I can say! If you want the ultimate lens across all categories, buy a Canon "L"...I love my 70-200, but if you are looking for great final output in a value priced lens, look no further.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Fast & compact, good general purpose lens, Monday, 10 March 2008


Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
Depending on how you plan to use your camera (mine is a Canon EOS 40D) and lens, this product from Tamron can make for a great general purpose lens.

I typically travel with a fair bit of digital equipment while on business trip: notebook, cell phone, blackberry, Creative Visiom:M, camera and if my wife happens to come along, a Panasonic MiniDV camcorder and tripod too. With a relatively large amount of electronic to lug around, the 28-135mm kit lens that comes with the EOS 40D was simply too large and heavy.

Our experience also tell us that a large number of our photo shooting takes place in indoor conditions and we like to take shots of the food we order (makes for great memories). The Tamron's constant f2.8 comes in really handy, especially when flash photography isn't allowed.

Some reviewers complained about the noise of the lens focusing, quite frankly, unless you're hiding in some closet trying to take a clandestine photo of someone, you won't notice it. Ambient outdoor/indoor noise cancels it to the extend that you won't notice it at all.

What I like:
1. Light weight, compact (important for frequently travelers!)

2. Constant f2.8, useful indoors and when flash isn't allowed or you want to avoid spooking otherwise friendly animals (eg. domestic dogs, horses etc.)

3. Price/capability ratio really good.

4. 17mm wide angle, useful in cities (where most of my business trips are).

5. Comes with a lens hood.

6. Well thought out design, lens cap easily clipped on even with lens hood attached.

7. Made in Japan.


What I would like to see:
1. Longer zoom while retaining image quality and weight/size.

2. OR: A companion glass in the 50-200mm (or there about) range with the same compact/light weight form factor and constant f2.8 performance.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Great lens but can't beat Canon, Wednesday, 27 February 2008


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I have this lens because, like many people, I can't afford such a fast lens with the Canon name on the barrel. The lens is great, lives up to all the other reviews, and I have only two complaints: 1) contrast and color are not as great as the results you get from Canon lenses. A small price to pay for a low-light, wide angle lens but I thought it was worth mentioning. 2) Build quality is not as solid as comparably price (but admittedly less loaded) Canon lens. I thought it wouldn't bother me because when I originally bought this lens I had an XTi, but when I upgraded to a 40D it seemed very light and provides some imbalance. I can live with it though. What they say about the noise when focusing is right. It's very loud but under most circumstances it doesn't bother me. The only time it really did was when I was photographing a one-on-one interview and the noise really distracted my subjects. All in all, I would recommend this lens.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

My Default lens!, Monday, 25 February 2008


Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I bought this lens because it was cheaper than Canon lenses, and it has a 67mm. This lens have a great zoom range (17-50) and an f2.8 maximum aperture size. This make it ideal for wide angle portraits as long as close up portrait. It gives a cool background blur and can be a good in taking landscape as well.

I bought my Canon 30D without the default lens and bought this one instead. I use this as my default lens, and not yet thinking about buying another lens. Maybe I will buy Canon 85mm/f1.8 because I mostly shoot portrait, and the Sigma 10-20 for ultra-wide shots. But I don't have the money now, besides, my Tamron takes great portraits as well as landscapes .
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Excellent sharp lens, Wednesday, 20 February 2008


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
This lens lived up to the reviews, very sharp. Much sharper than the Canon 17-85 IS which I also own (and have now sold). I also have the 50mm 1.8 prime, and the Tamron is every bit as sharp.

In fact, colors are much more saturated and there is a bit more contrast on the Tamron compared to the 50mm 1.8. If the 50mm wasn't so dirt cheap to begin with I'd be selling that too, since most of the time it's easier to shoot at 50mm with the Tamron than go through the hassle of changing lenses - especially since I don't have to sacrifice any image quality with the Tamron. I read the good reviews on this lens before buying but was still surprised just how good it is.

AF will startle you at first, especially if you're used to quiet USM, but it's really no big deal after a few minutes.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Thank GOODNESS for TAMRON!!!, Monday, 11 February 2008


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
I have to keep myself in check on this subject because Canon's Rebel XT/XTi kit lens (EF-S 18-55mm) was so insulting that the thought of it brings out the Don Rickles in me ... 'Canon, you hockey-pucks, you shmucks...', etc. I did not expect a professional lens, but I did not expect Canon to put what amounts to wooden wagon wheels on a Lexus, either. Eeek!

The difference over Canon's Kit Caper is incomparable. The color, clarity, sharpness, contrast and depth of this Tamron lens will bring out the true capabilities of your Canon D-SLR. The lens is designed exclusively for digital APS-C sensors, including bodies other than Canon. It will NOT migrate to a full frame sensor Canon ... beware.

The fixed f/2.8 aperture will get you arrested on the streets at night while looking for low-light photo-ops without flash. Odds are HIGH you will be ecstatic with any f/2.8 shot, which only gets BETTER with an extra stop or two. You will hardly care it's not a true macro upon discovering it can focus an object that is nearly touching the lens.

One comparison would be against Canon's 17-40mm f/4.0 'L' professional lens streeting around $650. Here is what you would 'lose' buying Tamron:

* the silence of USM (I like the Tamron 'whir'... money in my pocket)
* A narrower f/4 aperture (you will love Tamron's f/2.8 in low light)
* Some auto-focus speed (the Tamron isn't shabby... fast enough)
* 1-year warranty (Tamron's is SIX YEARS USA!!!)
* Some build quality (The Tamron is still quite durable)
* The need to buy a pricey $Canon$ flare hood (INCLUDED by Tamron)
* A less friendly lens cap (Tamron's go on/off with flare hood ON)
* If there is anything else, it must be really insignificant

An even more comparable model is Canon's EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. It is a high quality prosumer lens with very good glass that can beat Tamron performance with image stabilization and silent USM. It will also cost you $1300 to get these extra features and it will not migrate to a full frame sensor Canon, either. It's a great lens, but way overpriced compared to the value of a Tamron 17-50mm ... in my humble view.

An Important Point
* The Tamron sells used for amazingly high prices, often close to new street. I have seen two copies sell used for MORE than new street. I can't say why, but it speaks to the value this lens offers.

Make your final decision after comparing models at Photozone, with excellent details on barrel distortion, vignetting, image quality and chromatic abberation. You'll discover this Tamron more than holds its own notwithstanding the price difference. For the average bear wanting really nice photo results with a lens that can handle wide shooting environments, this one goes high on your list.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Sharp, One of the Best, Saturday, 12 January 2008


Overall rating (weighted)
4.3
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
I own this lens and am very pleased with it. I shoot with L glass most of the time, but the exposures from this lens rates up there in similar quality. I purchased this lens for my XTi. I am amazed at the excellent quality exposures from this lens: very sharp, good contrast, color, etc. I compared it with my Canon 24-70 L f/2.8 that I use quite a bit. Though the 24-70 produces better exposures, the Tamron 17-50 is very close to it, which simply surprised me. The build quality and the actual exposures from the Canon 24-70 are not surprisingly better, but I am very pleased with this Tamron lens, especially on the XTi. I think this Tamron lens is built well, operates and functions great and I am amazed at the great quality exposures it produces. I leave it on my XTi most of the time. I've even mounted it on my 40D and I would be happy using this lens on that camera as well. If I didn't have the L glass and wanted a very good lens at a much less price, I would be happy using this lens as my primary lens. It would be nice to have image stabilization on it. I can't help myself desiring IS. I know you shouldn't need it for this range (17-50), but I just really like IS (substitute Tamron's IS equivalent). I use IS on my Canon 70-200 L glass and it is wonderful. It would be nice if this lens had Tamron's IS on it, but even without it, I really like this lens. This is an excellent lens.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Sharp! Quick! Great walk-around with professional, Thursday, 27 December 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
For weeks I have researched an alternative lens for my 20D Canon. I wanted the 24-70mm f/2.8L, but dropping that kind of money wasn't an option for a husband and father with a single income home. I was willing to wait, but really wanted to move into a nice lens rather than using my fixed 50mm or my kit 18-55mm. I ordered the Tamron and prayed for the "Made in Japan" on the box, seems that more people have had trouble with the Chinese made lens. Well I got my wish! Upon using the 2.8 in a low light close setting I got a soft picture in the AF, but when I pulled in the shot using MF, I got rid of the softness and was impressed with the sharpness. During the Christmas holiday I took about 500 shots from landscapes to macro, the results were amazing. I have a tendency to use my 20D in full manual mode. ISO, Aperture and Shutter settings are important at this level. I also take "jpg" and "raw" at the same time. I use the "jpg" to identify the photo and then I bring in the RAW image into PhotoShop Elements 5.0.
The Lens was very sharp, focus is quick, and saturation I found to be excellent. I feel I took a chance on getting this lens. Straying away from a Canon Lens was uncomfortable, but the reviews and physical tests suggested a great quality lens, durable, dependable and most of all affordable. I am glad I took the chance and purchased this lens, Christmas will live on forever with the Pics I have preserved.
This lens is a great buy for anyone needing a wide-angle walk-around. In my research, I found a couple of photographers using this lens for weddings. I also purchased a Tiffin UV filter and circle polarizing filter for outside shots.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Very sharp and fast!, Saturday, 22 December 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
This is a lens that is gaining a lot of popularity, and for good reason. The strengths of this lens are price, sharpness, speed, and good overall performance. Its drawbacks are lack of image stabilization and USM. Strengths and weaknesses are easy to determine. In every lens you have to make some compromises. How those compromises intersect with your frequent use cases of the lens is harder to figure out.

First the price: it is less than half the price of Canon 17-55mm f2.8. With the excess cash you can buy a good quality bounce flash to deal with some low light conditions or buy a fast prime or buy a good telephoto lens. So this lens clearly scores higher by its lower price.

I found this lens to be very sharp. Here are three examples. I tested some pictures of still life by mounting the camera on a tripod (iso100, f2.8 or f4) and they were very very sharp. Portraits that I took handheld at iso200 are so sharp that individual strands of hair are very clearly visible against a light background. The ISO12233 charts also show that the Tamron is sharper than Canon 17-55 or Canon 17-85. If you want tack sharp, you will be very happy with this lens. Be sure to focus properly and avoid camera shake.

The lens has a good speed of f/2.8 which gives soft bokeh and 1-2 additional f-stops of light in comparison to canon 17-85mm f4-5.6. The f/2.8 across the whole zoom range is also very useful. For example, on Rebel Xti, it allows one to decrease the metering area of partial metering by zooming in and make partial metering approximate spot metering.

Overall build quality is very nice. It has a metal mount and feels well put together. It is compact and light enough for a walkabout lens. The lock button is useful to lock the zoom barrel movement when walking around or hiking with your camera. The free hood is a nice touch, not to forget the six year warranty.

The main absent feature is image stabilization. I used to miss IS a lot because for indoor low light shots, I was often stuck at iso1600, f2.8, and 1/15s. But once I added a bounce flash (speedlite 430ex in my case), I do not miss IS for indoor photography. I can get natural shots by bouncing properly, plus I do not have subject movement. I think Canon 17-55 IS will shine in outdoor lowlight photography and with the Tamron you will have to pull out the tripod sooner than the Canon 17-55mm. This may be a big drawback for some, but not yet for me.

The second absent feature is USM. Tamron's focus is fine and sure. But it noiser and slower when compared to Ring USM. But do realize that this is relative to USM.

All in all, this is an excellent lens that will not impede a photographer's quest for capturing the moment.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Excellent walk-around lens, Tuesday, 11 December 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
3.5
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
3.0
The Good:
You get a fast (f/2.8) and SHARP lens at a focal length that makes this just about perfect for leaving on the camera full-time. Some reviews make mention of field curvature, which results in blurred corners. I've seen no evidence of this. Center sharpness is excellent, borders are very good, and corners are good. Contrast and color are very good.

The Bad:
Focus speed is average. Focus accuracy will depend largely on the camera body, but on a 350d it is good (low light) to very good (bright light).

The Ugly:
Focus noise is LOUD; it emits a high pitched whine that can detract from shooting. This brings the score down to 4 points.

Summary:
You'll not find a sharper lens at this price. Live with the focus noise and enjoy amazingly sharp photos with nice contrast and color. Construction quality is average, but that's to be expected at this price.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Great Lens, Friday, 07 December 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
Let me start out by saying that I am not a pro, nor try to be one. I got the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 as substitute for the standard Canon EOS XTi (bought body only). I have had my XTi for about 5 months and was short on cash when I initially bought it so I only had the Canon 50mm f1.8 II (which is a great glass as well!). I wanted to get a more versatile lens that I could use as a replacement for the kit lens which I never got (because of poor reviews and recommendations). I couldn't afford the similar Canon L lens that about double the Tammy and many people recommended it over the similarly priced Sigma.

I really love this lens! Its so great to have a f2.8 throughout the range, especially for indoor shooting and low light conditions. Also, its not very heavy and seems to be built of the same solid plastic material as my XTi. It has a metal base for solid connection to the camera (which the 50mm f1.8 did not, so that fired me up). I was actually surprised at how fast it focus' and how 'quiet' it is. I guess I don't have much to compare the focus speed too, but its more than satisfactory. A lot of reviews said that the focus motor is extremely loud, and I was expecting it to be much more noisy than it actually is so that was great! Also, the lens hood it comes with is just an extra bonus that adds to the already great product.

About the quality of the glass is fantastic. I mean I'm not an expert, but it definitely equals (if not exceeds) the 50mm f1.8 II in sharpness. I was nervous that some people had complained that they had received a 'lemon'; but it seems my copy is spot on!

This lens fit my price, produces great quality photos, works in low light conditions, accounts for a versatile zoom range, and looks sharp! Hope that helps. Enjoy your new lens, I am.

Please see link for any sample pictures: http://dannymiranda.smugmug.com/gallery/3857190/2/229403387
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

The only lens I've used in the past year, Sunday, 02 December 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
4.3
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
I highly recommend this lens to anyone who can't afford an L series lens. If you can afford the L series then there's no reason to buy this.
For the rest of us, this lens is as good as its gets for the price. I have had no problems with this lens, it works great with the Rebel Xti, and takes amazingly sharp pictures even wide open. In fact, I usually use it wide open because I take a lot of available light pictures indoors.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Average at best, Wednesday, 28 November 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
2.3
Sharpness
1.0
Build Quality
2.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
3.0
The autofocus noise is intolerable. I thought I wouldn't mind, but it was very annoying.

The image quality was mixed. It was able to resolve quite a bit of detail, but I found the focal plane to be odd shaped and the focus accuracy with my DR was much lower than any of my other lenses. Often the images it produced had far different quality from side to side. I couldn't figure out whether this was due to focus issues or a lens abnormality.

People who like this lens either are very forgiving or got a much better copy. I don't have time to sift through multiple copies to find one that is acceptable.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Best quality at that price, Wednesday, 14 November 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
I spent 2 days reviewing all possible lens in that range for my Canon Rebel.
The Canon 17-85 IS looks great and has good reviews also... but why pay for a f/4 lens with Image Stabilization when you can have a f/2.8 by Tamron for half the price?
Optical performance is just great and compares to the Canon consumer lenses (class L are better for sure). Auto focus may just be a bit noisy. But it is fast at that range and is really not a problem.
Good stuff, best price, and shipping by Amazon is reliable
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

so so ...no, sucks., Saturday, 03 November 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
3.3
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
3.0
Wide open performance is oK. The build quality sucks, or should I say, is on par with the same mid-level junk that most companies are feeding us these days. Comparable build to the nikon 18-70. ( I like my wide tokina better but it's af noise is almost unusable in some situations.) On the tamron, without being mishandled or dropped the filter ring really loose after 3 months of use. It doesn't appear that it can be tightend down with the screws easily either. Also severe dust problems with back element after 4 months. If you're a pro or can afford it go with the nikon 17-55. You always get what you pay for and I think this is my last 3rd party lens.
Was this review helpful to you? yes     no
Results 91 - 105 of 137

News | Forum | Lens Reviews | Teleconverter Reviews | About Us | Contact Us | Glossary | How To
Lens News | Lens List | © 2008 Lens-reviews.com