Di: Digitally Integrated Design, is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to meet the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras.
The most compact and lightest in the history of fast Zoom lenses. Thanks to the revolutionary downsizing "XR" technology employed by Tamron in the development of high-power zoom lenses such as the 28-200mm and 28-300mm, the dramatic compactness that makes this lens the world's smallest and lightest is achieved. Its compactness makes it look and feel like an ordinary standard zoom lens, yet the versatility that a fast constant maximum aperture offers will definitely reshape your photographic horizons.
Di: Digitally Integrated Design, is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to meet the performance characterisfeel like an ordinary standard zoom lens, yet the versatility that a fast constant maximum aperture offers will definitely reshape your photographic horizons.
The major downsides of this lens are it's ho-hum build quality and its lack of USM. Most people can probably live with the build quality given its excellent price but the lack of USM means slower, noisier autofocus which in discreet situations, can make all the difference. If you can look past these two disadvantages, it's really an excellent lens. It's fast, which means you will worry less about sufficient light, it's compact, which means you won't leave it at home and it's also optically very good.
Why should you care what I think?
My relationship with this item: I have borrowed a friends Where did you buy this item?: N/A Price paid: 0 When did you buy this item?: N/A
Conclusions at a glance
Would you recommend this Item: Yes Pros: Fast, Sharp, Good value Cons: Average build, no USM, Noisy
User Lens Reviews
Average user rating from: 146 user(s)
Overall rating (weighted)
4.4
Sharpness
4.4
Build Quality
4.4
AF Speed
4.3
Value for Money
4.4
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Good everyday lens, Monday, 30 August 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.3
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
I purchased this lens for use with my Canon 40D with the intention of it being my carry around everyday lens. I had a Tamron 18-50 in the past that was a terrific lens. Unfortunately, this lens does not live up to the past Tamron lens. Picture quality is a Bit on the soft side, and the focus is a bit slower and mis-focuses more than I'd like.
Overall - I feed the build quality is very good. The range is pretty good, I really like the 75mm at the long end, although wouldnt complain for a bit more on the wide angle side. The large aperature makes for a very shallow Depth of field for excellent portraits and low light shooting.
On the cons side - the focus is slower and misses more than other Tamron's i've used in the past - and is nowhere near as nice a good Canon lens with an ultrasonic motor. Pictures are a bit soft, which is fine for portraits but not as good for landscapes or archetectual shots.
Either way this is a solid lens and for the price I am very happy with it.
A Step Above The Canon Kit Lens., Friday, 13 August 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.0
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
I purchased this lens two weeks ago from a reputable online merchant for less than $400.00. I have a Canon T1i with the 18 - 55 mm kit lens and the Canon 55 - 250 mm lens.
I compared the Tamron to the above lenses and my friends Canon 24 - 70 mm 2.8 L lens. The L lens was a little sharper, focused instantly and was completely silent. The Tamron was sharper than my Canon 18 - 55 mm kit lens. From 55mm to 75mm I would say the Canon 55 - 250 mm is a little sharper than the Tamron. The Tamron focus speed seems fine to me and I can tell no difference is the focus speed or sound than that of my two Canon Lenses.
I have noticed that my pictures are slightly darker with the Tamron versus all three Canon lenses mentioned above when using the same camera and lens settings. In addition, my Canon 430exII flash does not do as good a job with this lens as with all the Canon Lenses. The pictures are a little too dark.
I'm happy with the Tamron and consider it an improvement over the 18-55 mm kit lens but it's not quite at the Canon L level. I've taken some really sharp pictures with the Tamron and it will be the lens I keep on my camera. However, if I'm shooting indoors and need to use a flash I will use my Kit lens.
Superb lens on my Canon XTi, Thursday, 12 August 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I've heard of a few instances where people have acquired a 'bad copy' of this lens. My copy was superb. For 3+ years this lens has produced the sharpest, most awesome images for me on my XTi. Mostly amateur but plenty of pro work as well.
I just upgraded to this lens from the kit lens that comes with the canon t1i. I'm quite happy with it. fixed 2.8 aperture no matter if you are on 28mm or 75mm is simply cool. You get to shoot photos in conditions where you'd normally need a flash (of course, 2.8 is not the best you can get...for example, get the 50mm 1.8 or 1.4 if you'll be shooting in low light conditions).
This thing is heavy, and kinda big compared to the normal kit lens, but it's very manageable and easy to work with. It's easy to focus as well.
I'm not an expert, and haven't used many lenses, but I like this one.
I picked up this lens about a year ago, and used it on my 5D ever since. The 28-75 range is great for a walk-around lens, but I am now looking for something to fill the void below 28mm for ultra-wide photos. On the full-frame camera, it works very well for street and landscape photography, as well as portrait photos. The build quality is ok - feels sturdy and I don't have much of an issue with it. Image quality is amazing - saturation and Resolution on par, if not above the Canon 24-70 f/2.8 L... which is 3x the price There are or course a few things that could have been improved: 1. Lens creep - its very annoying when pointing the camera down towards the ground - the lens slowly will entend!!! It only has a lock at the 28mm end 2. Vignetting - When paired with a full-frame body, it is quite evident below 50mm 3. Autofocus - could have been faster, but for a third of the price of the Canon version, I'm not one to complain
Overall, I recommend this lens unless you need the absolute fastest AF and lens creep may be an issue for you. The quality of the images won't dissapoint you!
The Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 delivers sharp pictures regardless of which focal length or aperture size you use.
Pros ---- - Sharp Closeup and Portrait Shots The lens is capable of capturing amazing details in closeup and portrait shots. I use an XSi with this lens and it unquestionably sharper (albeit only by a hair) than the kit lens (Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6) that comes with my XSi.
- Constant f/2.8 F-Stop I love the f/2.8 constant f-stop. It take most of my shots during my hikes. A wide open aperture is a definite plus because I take a lot of ny shots (i) handheld (which nessitates a fast shutter speed to reduce handheld motion Blur) and (ii) in lowlight conditions (which nessitates a wide opne aperture such as f/2.8)
- Solid Build The lens definitely has a good heft to it. It doesn't have the light and plasticky feel of the Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6.
Cons ---- - Zoom Creep The lens has pronounced zoom creep (which means the lens barrel extends under its own weight when the the camera is pointed downward). There is a zoom lock, but it's for locking the barrel at the 28mm position only.
- Slightly Slow Autofocus Like the kit lens of the XSi and T1i (Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6), the lens has a little trouble autofocusing in lowlight conditions.
- No IS (Image Stabilization) There is no image stabilization to counteract any potential handheld motion blur. You would have to compensate with a faster shutter speed. (The rule of thumb on shutter speeds is the shutter speed should be at least the reciprocal of the focal length. For example, if the focal length is set at 28mm, the shutter speed should be at least 1/28th of a second; if the focal length is set at 75mm, the shutter speed should be at least 1/75th of a second.)
The lack of IS is definitely a concern for handheld shots if you need greater depth of field (DOF means both the background and foreground are in relative focus), which is accomplished with a smaller aperture size (a smaller aperture translates into: less light to the sensor => the need for a slower shutter speed => potential handheld motion blur).
- Len Cap The lens cap is a little tricky to put on the lens (you have to squeeze the spring-loaded sides first as you put it on the lens. Once on the lens, it doesn't always stay on; mine sometimes pops off on its own while in the camera bag.
Zoom Range Considerations ------------------------- The 28-75mm is the focal length specification on a full frame camera, such as the 5D. But on a camera with a 1.6 crop sensor (e.g. the XSi, T1i, T2i, XT, XTi) the focal range is in effect 45-120mm (1.6 * 28 ~= 45 and 1.6 * 75 = 120). This lens would thus not be best suited for wide angle shots on a camera with a crop sensor -- that's an important consideration if you're getting this lens for a camera with a crop sensor. Still, it is quite useful as a walk-around lens, especially if you're primary taking closeup shots.
--- This lens is a good lowlight lens. The lack of image stabilization is compensated by its constant f/2.8 f-stop (which allows for a faster shutter speed to help reduce handheld motion blur). All in all, it's an impressive lens that delivers very good image quality.
The Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 delivers sharp pictures regardless of which focal length or aperture size you use.
Pros ---- - Sharp Closeup and Portrait Shots The lens is capable of capturing amazing details in closeup and portrait shots. I use an XSi with this lens and it unquestionably sharper (albeit only by a hair) than the kit lens (Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6) that comes with my XSi.
- Constant f/2.8 F-Stop I love the f/2.8 constant f-stop. It take most of my shots during my hikes. A wide open aperture is a definite plus because I take a lot of my shots (i) handheld (which necessitates a fast shutter speed to reduce handheld motion blur) and (ii) in lowlight conditions (which necessitates a wide open aperture such as f/2.8)
- Solid Build The lens definitely has a good heft to it. It doesn't have the light and plasticky feel of the Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6.
Cons ---- - Zoom Creep The lens has pronounced zoom creep (which means the lens barrel extends under its own weight when the the camera is pointed downward). There is a zoom lock, but it's for locking the barrel at the 28mm position only.
- Slightly Slow Autofocus Like the kit lens of the XSi and T1i (Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6), the lens has a little trouble autofocusing in lowlight conditions.
- No IS (Image Stabilization) There is no image stabilization to counteract any potential handheld motion blur. You would have to compensate with a faster shutter speed. (The rule of thumb on shutter speeds is the shutter speed should be at least the reciprocal of the focal length. For example, if the focal length is set at 28mm, the shutter speed should be at least 1/28th of a second; if the focal length is set at 75mm, the shutter speed should be at least 1/75th of a second.)
The lack of IS is definitely a concern for handheld shots if you need greater depth of field (DOF means both the background and foreground are in relative focus), which is accomplished with a smaller aperture size (a smaller aperture translates into: less light to the sensor => the need for a slower shutter speed => potential handheld motion blur).
- Len Cap The lens cap is a little tricky to put on the lens (you have to squeeze the spring-loaded sides first as you put it on the lens. Once on the lens, it doesn't always stay on; mine sometimes pops off on its own while in the camera bag.
Zoom Range Considerations ------------------------- The 28-75mm is the focal length specification on a full frame camera, such as the 5D. But on a camera with a 1.6 crop sensor (e.g. the XSi, T1i, T2i, XT, XTi) the focal range is in effect 45-120mm (1.6 * 28 ~= 45 and 1.6 * 75 = 120). This lens would thus not be best suited for wide angle shots on a camera with a crop sensor -- that's an important consideration if you're getting this lens for a camera with a crop sensor. Still, it is quite useful as a walk-around lens, especially if you're primarily taking closeup shots.
--- This lens is a good lowlight lens. The lack of image stabilization is compensated by its constant f/2.8 f-stop (which allows for a faster shutter speed to help reduce handheld motion blur). All in all, it's an impressive lens that delivers very good image quality.
great lens! so sharp, just amazing! my only problem (which is not really about the lens) is cropping factor, i don't go as wide as 28, because my camera isn't full frame. I used it for portraits, product shots, worked great! 2.8 opening provides incredible depth of field!
Best $450 you will ever spend on a lens, Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
5.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I have been considering buying this lens for a long time, or saving up to purchase the Canon EF 24-70mm /2.8L USM. I decided to try this lens out as they seem to go for about the same price on eBay so I wouldn't be losing much money. However, I can gladly say that I will not be selling this lens anytime soon.
The build-quality is quite sturdy, and feels like a quality lens in your hands. There is no weather sealing however, and also it lacks a full-time manual focus, so you have to be careful not to hold the lens by the focusing ring when set to AF.
When it comes to features, this lens is great. The focus is quite fast on my Canon EOS Rebel T1i, and though it is not as silent as a USM lens, if you're using a kit lens or the 50mm /1.8 this lens is much quieter in comparison. This lens also features 7 aperture blades so the bokeh is always smooth. The lens hood that it comes with is nice and can be mounted in reverse for storage purposes. The lens cap, as usual from Tamron, is really great.
Most importantly, the optics of this lens are great. Absolutely stunning the amount of detail this lens can capture. It does a great job cutting down on lens flare as well as Chromatic Aberrations. I was really impressed with how crisp the lens is at /2.8 the most, and the sheer level of detail available when the lens is stopped down. Look through the user galleries to see this as well or on Flickr.
Overall, this is an absolutely great walk-around lens. It has a very nice focal range, fast aperture, and sharp optics. All without costing you over over $500, let alone over $1,200 as the Canon EF 24-70mm /2.8L USM would. I highly recommend you purchase this lens, you will love it.
This lens was one I bought prior to starting to acquire L series lenses. I have replaced all other non L lenses with the exception of this lens. It is also the only nonCanon lens I own. I compared it to a friends 24 70 L and the difference in sharpness and color did not justify selling this and replacing it with the 24 70 for the extra expense. If money was no object then sure just go for L lenses, and I may eventually replace this but currently I still grab this lens more than its share and I am in no hurry to change. It is smaller and lighter than the 24 70 for a walk around, and there is something to be said for a lens with less of an investment when out for the day. I have shot entire weddings with this lens on a Canon FF 5D II with phoenominal results. On the last with 600 shots about 95% keeper rate and the shots are razor sharp. You can zoom in to 100% and they are still sharp and clear. I have a friend who uses this lens in her studio on a classic 5D as her portrait lens, which is how I first heard of it. I highly recommend this lens for IQ and value.
Exceptional Image Quality, Even on a Full-Frame Ca, Saturday, 26 June 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
I was a little hesitant to buy this lens. My Canon 5dMKII requires a lot out of a lens, and I had been saving to buy a Canon 24-70mm "L" for it, but I found I needed something right away. The Tamron was in my budget, and with Amazon, returns are rather easy, so I figured I'd try it out and see. I also already have the Tamron 17-50mm in my bag for use on my back-up camera, so I knew that Tamron could make an excellent product.
I do a very simple test on every lens I purchase. I line up a row of books on my bookshelf so that they are all even, set my camera on a tripod, square it to the bookshelf and level it, use a remote release, enable mirror lock-up, and fire away. I take shots at 28mm, 50mm and 75mm, from f/2.8 to f/11. I take one series using auto focus, and one where I focus manually. I then view them at 100% on my calibrated monitor and see what I've got.
I'm happy to say that I'm not saving for the Canon anymore. I know a lot depends on the quality of the copy you receive, but I guess I got lucky. Edge-to-edge sharpness is outstanding, even wide open. My Tammie has a tiny amount of edge softness at f/2.8 from 50mm to 75mm, but every zoom in this category does. It's not noticeable at normal viewing or printing sizes, and it goes away once the lens is stopped down to f/4. I was quite shocked to find that, set to f/4, it was as sharp as both my 50mm f1.4 lens and my 70-200mm f/4 "L" lens, at the same focal lengths and f-stops. For sharpness, I couldn't ask for a better performance.
As for distortion, the Tamron has some minor Barrel Distortion at 28mm. It's not bad, and easily correctable with my camera's software. Pincushion distortion at the telephoto end is well controlled and not noticeable in most cases. Again, where it can be noticed, it is easily fixed. If you use a crop-frame camera, such as the 40D, 50d, 7D or any Rebel, distortion won't be an issue. Neither will the minor edge softness I mentioned above. Chroma Aberration and flare are both very, very minor, and better than my Canon lens. Color reproduction is excellent, with no sign of color cast (at least on my copy).
If there's one issue, it's with the auto focus. My 5DMKII has a micro adjustment to correct focus errors, and I needed every bit of it to correct a front-focusing issue. I may send it back to Tamron for a quick tweak, but I certainly wouldn't return the lens for replacement over this. In any event, with a 6-year warranty, I have plenty of time to decide.
Conclusion: The Tamron 28-75mm is an excellent addition to the camera bag, but you should test the lens as soon as you receive it to ensure you get a good copy. Amazon's return procedures are very easy, and Tamron's customer service people seem friendly and helpful. Should I decide to send in my copy to adjust the auto focus, I'll update this review and let you know how it turns out. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy using this sharp little bugger.
Amazing Lens For The Price!, Saturday, 19 June 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
I had high hopes reading the reviews for this lens and was not disappointed. My first portrait session with this lens resulted in simply beautiful shots. I am semi-pro and limited by my small budget. I can't afford the Canon L series lenses at this point but the experience I've had with this lens so far does not make me feel like I'm suffering because I couldn't afford the higher end Canon lenses. If you want professional quality at a fraction of the cost this lens is for you. I doubt it will leave my camera very often. It's a great multi-purpose lens and is a huge improvement over the kit lens!
I haven't had any photos printed yet from this lens. I am initially a Canon fan and went to the Tamron because of price. The telephoto operation seems to drag a bit compared to the Canon. Still have to use it a bit more to be able to give a full recommendation.
Love this lens over canon's l series, Sunday, 02 May 2010
Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
A great lens for the more serious photographer, achieving the highly sought after f stop of 2.8 and with image stabilization. A great choice for those that don't enjoy spending twice as much to have a white canon L series lens!
