Facebook MySpace Twitter Digg Google Bookmarks 

Shopping Cart

Show Cart
Your Cart is currently empty.

Directories

Reviews
Home Lenses Tamron Tamron SP AF17-50mm F2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF]
PDF Print E-mail

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

 
Camera Gear Rentals
Editor rating
 
3.5 User rating
 
4.2 (196)

Overview



Di II: Lenses are designed for exclusive use on digital cameras with smaller-size imagers and inherit all of the benefits of our Di products. These lenses are not designed for conventional cameras and digital cameras with image sensors larger than 24mm x 16mm.

The SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 is a lightweight, compact, fast standard zoom lens designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras, expanding the product concept of the popular SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 zoom lens.

In addition, portrait shots are made beautiful with the natural out-of-focus effect characteristic provided by the fast F/2.8 aperture. Additionally, a broader photographic expression through the use of faster shutter speeds as a result of the maximum aperture offers enhanced photographic pleasure. The lens boasts one of the best close-up shooting performances in the class of fast standard zoom lenses designed exclusively for digital cameras and featuring an F/2.8 maximum aperture throughout the entire zoom range, to ensure stress-free photographic shots at all focal lengths and distances.

Optical/Mechanical Feature Key
Internal Focusing Aspherical Low Dispersion Extra Refractive

 

 





Model A016
Lens Construction (Groups/Elements) 13/16
Angle of View 78°45'-31°11' (APS-C size equivalent)
Type of Zooming Rotation
Diaphragm Blade Number 7 (Circular apertures)
Minimum Aperture F/32
Minimum Focus Distance 10.6in.(0.27m)
Macro Magnification Ratio 1:4.5 (at f=50mm MFD 0.27m)
Filter Diameter ø67
Weight 430g (15.2oz)
Diameter x Length ø2.9 x 3.2in.
(ø74.0 x 81.7mm)
Accessory Flower shaped lens hood
Mount Canon AF, Sony/Maxxum AF-D, Nikon AF-D

Lens Specifications

Generic Lens Specifications

Lens Type Zoom
IS / VR / OS None
Min Focal Length (mm) 17
Max Focal Length (mm) 50
Number of Elements 13
Element Groups 16
Max Aperture 2.8
Minimum Aperture 32
Diaphragm Blades 7
Closest Focus Distance (m) 0.27
Maximum Magnification 1.45
Filter Type Screw In
Filter Diameter (mm) 67
Diameter at widest (mm) 74
Lens Length (mm) 81
Weight (g) 430

Field of View of this lens

Visualise the Field of View of this lens

Help and Feedback on the FOV tool here
Lens Measurement Data

Editor review

Tamron 17-50mm SP Di II

Overall rating: 
 
3.5
Sharpness:
 
3.0
Build Quality:
 
4.0
AF Speed:
 
4.0
Value for Money:
 
3.0
Reviewed by lee
December 01, 2007
View all my reviews
 
Replacing you standard zoom with this one will be a great way to get sharper images from a well-built lens.



(more in-depth review coming soon)

Conclusions at a glance

Would you recommend this Item Yes
Pros Good build, affordable fast zoom (f/2.8)
Cons Not consistent across the range
 
 


User reviews

View all user reviews

Average user rating from: 196 user(s)

Overall rating: 
 
4.2
Sharpness:
 
4.2   (196)
Build Quality:
 
4.2   (196)
AF Speed:
 
4.2   (196)
Value for Money:
 
4.2   (196)
 
Ratings (the higher the better)
  Sharpness*
  Build Quality*
  AF Speed*
  Value for Money*
Conclusions at a glance
 Yes
 No
 Undecided
Comments*
    Please enter the security code.
 
 

Best value for a base video lens

Overall rating: 
 
4.8
Sharpness:
 
5.0
Build Quality:
 
5.0
AF Speed:
 
5.0
Value for Money:
 
4.0
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes No
Reviewed on: May 03, 2012
View all my reviews
Report this review
 
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

You can find all the pixel peeping reviews for this around the web. It lives up to the high marks. It is a great lens and if you can't afford the Canon/Nikon one, get this. So, having said that, I'll go through some of the shortcomings. - Bokeh: very rough bokeh, not that buttery smooth look that you usually want. I don't mind because I rarely use this at the 50mm end. I use my nifty fifty for that. I may throw up a picture showing the bokeh. - AF: The AF is plenty fast and accurate but in low light sometimes it will really struggle and start making a horrible electronic grinding noise as it just gives up and pushes itself against one of the stops. - That lens cap really is a pain in the butt. - No IS. Not a huge deal for me. I'm on tripod in low light anyway. For you it might be.

 

soft focus at F/2.8

Overall rating: 
 
3.3
Sharpness:
 
2.0
Build Quality:
 
4.0
AF Speed:
 
3.0
Value for Money:
 
4.0
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes No
Reviewed on: April 27, 2012
View all my reviews
Report this review
 
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

I upgraded to this lens to replace the standard kit lens that comes with the Canon T2i (18-55mm) After just a couple video shots and pictures with this lens, I was blown away. The shots are stellar! I will be discarding my kit lens from now on, as it no longer deserves a slot in my camera bag, lol. I definitely recommend this as a direct replacement/alternative to the kit lens. It is built solid, nice and heavy. Pictures and videos from it are crystal clear. The only thing I feel weird about is the noise from the auto-focus motor. It is REALLY loud. I got this lens used, so it could be that the motor could be somewhat damaged. I dont use AF for my videography, so this isn't a big deal to me.

 

Optically stellar

Overall rating: 
 
3.3
Sharpness:
 
3.0
Build Quality:
 
3.0
AF Speed:
 
4.0
Value for Money:
 
3.0
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes No
Reviewed on: April 27, 2012
View all my reviews
Report this review
 
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Initial post: Bought this lens for my father but checked it out first. This is pretty good lens in the mid-F stop range, but first copy is weak on producing a sharp focus at F2.8 on two different Canon cameras: 40D and 7D. I would just accept it but since the 2.8 ap setting is the reason for buying this lens versus something else, I am returning it for an exchange to see if I just got a bum lens. Update: Got the replacement lens and found that the focus was much better across the aperture spectrum, specifically at 2.8, where the problem existed with the first lens received. I didn't notice any problems with the other aperture settings from 4.0 and higher on either lens copy. I would give 5 stars for value, considering that this lens probably takes pictures on par with the quality obtained using my Canon EF-S lens in the similar mm range for less than 1/2 the cost (Canon: >$1000), and 3 stars for quality control. Thus, score average of four stars. If you buy this lens, check it out and make sure that you didn't get a dud. For users of Canon lenses, one must get used to rotating the zoom ring the opposite direction on the Tamron.

 

Perspective on a Canon 50D

Overall rating: 
 
4.0
Sharpness:
 
4.0
Build Quality:
 
4.0
AF Speed:
 
4.0
Value for Money:
 
4.0
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes No
Reviewed on: April 16, 2012
View all my reviews
Report this review
 
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

I bought this for a general purpose lens. I couldn't afford a Canon lens 5 years ago, and scored this for $409. I use the lens on a cropped sensor (Rebel XTI), so it' makes a very nice lens for walking around. I like using this in low-light situations-- the autofocus sometimes acts funky in the dark though. Could be sharper, but it's about what you'd expect at this price level. No complaints here. It has served me well for half a decade. I'll keep it until it dies!

 

Should get an award

Overall rating: 
 
4.8
Sharpness:
 
5.0
Build Quality:
 
5.0
AF Speed:
 
4.0
Value for Money:
 
5.0
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes No
Reviewed on: April 16, 2012
View all my reviews
Report this review
 
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

This is a very fun and very sharp lens. I am starting to fall in love with this lens. I own a 50mm Canon 1.4, 70-200 2.8 tamron. I sold my kit 28-135 canon lens for this one, I don't regret a bit. 1) No competition in it's class comparing value. 2) The wide angle perspective will make explore new angles, which I couldn't do with my kit lens. 3) 2.8f, what's not to like about it ? It feels solid with a weight. Buy it.

 
 
View all user reviews
 

Powered by Webscale.co.uk. Valid XHTML and CSS.