My First Choice for The Best Tamron Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR is…

Tamron 17-50 VC Lens

Why I Picked This as The Best Tamron Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Camera

A lot of you have known that I really love shooting with this lens. And here I will tell you exactly what makes me love this lens so much. Let’s start.

1. Fast and constant f/2.8 aperture. This lens has a fast and constant f/2.8 aperture. Combined with the focal length range of this lens, you can take various subject with ease starting from landscape to portraiture.

2. Sharp optical quality. The next good thing about this lens is its sharpness. In my opinion, it compares quite well with Canon 17-55 IS lens which costs almost twice the price of this lens. The build quality of this lens is not bad as well considering the price.

Abstract Shooting in Shopping Mall. Tamron 17-50 VC with Canon 60D.

3. Effective VC or Vibration Compensation mechanism. Usually a fast f/2.8 lens does not have the luxury of a built-in image stabilization but thankfully Tamron did things differently here. They added their famous Vibration Compensation feature in this excellent lens which makes handheld shooting a joy. This is also one of the reason why I love to take this lens with me when I am on vacation.

4. Cost effective. If you buy a Canon brand lens, you can easily spend above $1000 USD for a lens in this league. Thankfully this lens costs only about half the Canon brand. The best part is that it can still compete in terms of optical quality with the Canon.

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“You’ll basically get a fast, constant aperture, f/2.8 lens with excellent optical sharpness and VC mechanism.”

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Other Candidates for The Best Tamron Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Camera

Choosing the best Tamron zoom lens for Canon DSLR camera was kind of hard for me because there are several other options that I can choose from. Below are the options that I was comparing to the above lens.

1. Tamron 18-270 PZD VC
2. Tamron 70-300 VC
3. Tamron 17-50 (non-VC)

The Tamron 18-270 PZD VC lens is my favorite super zoom, all purpose lens. The small dimension combined with its fast and silent autofocus makes this lens a joy to use in the field. However, this lens is geared towards beginner photographer who wants to shoot a little bit of everything. If you are just starting out and don’t know what kind of photography field you’d like to specialize in, I highly recommend taking a look at this lens.

The Tamron 70-300 VC is a new lens that was released just before the Tamron 18-270 PZD VC lens. The lens is on the telephoto side and it is meant to be used for outdoor telephoto shooting with enough light. If you love to shoot outdoor sports or wildlife, you will simply love this lens. When you have enough available light, this lens can show its magic to you.

The last one is the old version of the Tamron 17-50 lens. The old version of this lens does not have a Vibration Compensation feature. There are many reports out there that says that this lens is sharper than the VC version but I have to disagree. From my own finding, I found the VC version to be much sharper than the non-VC version. I only recommend this lens if you do not have the budget to buy the VC version. If you have the budget, get the VC version.

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“Picking the best Tamron zoom lens for Canon DSLR camera was quite a difficult task. However, considering all factors, my first pick is still the Tamron 17-50 VC lens.”

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I have given you enough information on those lenses. If you would like to know more about those lenses, simply click any of the links above and you will be taken to the respective pages where you can learn more about those lenses.

I really hope that you found great value reading my articles and happy shooting!

The best Tamron macro lens for Nikon DSLR Camera is…

Tamron 90mm Macro Lens

Why Did I Choose This as The Best Tamron Macro Lens for Nikon?

I picked this lens as the best Tamron macro lens for Nikon DSLR camera for several reasons that I will list below.

It’s very sharp. Yes, this lens is very sharp and can rival the Nikon 105mm VR lens which can easily cost twice as much as this lens. Although it is lacking the Vibration Compensation mechanism, it is on par in terms of sharpness with the Nikon 105mm VR Micro lens.

A Sample Macro Shot of Tamron 90mm Macro Lens

It’s very light. I don’t know about you, but I am not a huge fan of an all metal lens. While I love the build quality, I find them a hassle to handle on the field. I much prefer a lighter lens (with great optical quality) at any shooting situation. That being said, this lens is probably the lightest compared to all the Canon and Nikon macro lens options out there.

It’s cheap. I don’t mean it is cheap in a negative way, but compared to other lenses, this lens really stands out as the one that gives the best bang for the buck. With less than half the price of the Nikon or Canon equivalent, I really think this lens is worth every penny.

This lens is available not only for Nikon but also for Canon, Pentax and Sony DSLR.

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“If you want a super sharp macro lens but don’t want to break the bank, this is the one to get.”

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There are some downsides on this lens but I find it to be quite minor: the autofocus is not quite as fast as I want. That being said, it does not bother me much since I am always using the manual focusing mode whenever I shoot macro.

Other Candidates for The Best Tamron Macro Lens for Nikon DSLR

Of course the 90mm focal length might not suit all photographers. So, I am throwing out several options below as an alternative to this lens.

1. Tamron 60mm
2. Tamron 180mm

The Tamron 60mm is the fastest lens, featuring an amazing f/2 aperture at the time of this writing. It is geared toward photography beginner but it can easily produce professional results. You can use the f/2 aperture to create some stunning portraits as well.

If you love to shoot small objects that can easily get scared, then the Tamron 180mm is the best option. This is a long and heavy lens and you must use a tripod to get a super sharp shot with this lens. This lens is geared towards more experienced photographer.

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“No matter which lens you pick, you will not be disappointed by the sharpness that these Tamron Macro lenses can produce.”

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That being said, if you want to get more information on the lenses, simply click on any of the links above. You will also be taken to the place that gives you the best online deal.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this “Best Tamron Macro Lens for Nikon DSLR” article and happy shooting!

What’s a Good Tamron Lens for Food Photography You Ask?

Without a Doubt, It Is The…

Tamron 60mm Macro Lens

Why is This a Good Tamron Lens for Food Photography?

The Tamron 60mm Macro tops my recommendation list for the best Tamron lens for food photography because of the following reasons.

The first reason is the Tamron 60mm lens is very sharp at any aperture. When you are shooting food, sharpness is the most important quality that people will look at. When your food pictures are not sharp, people will lose interest and appetite. Because the Tamron 60mm is a combination of a prime lens and a macro lens, it can maintain excellent sharpness from corner to corner.

As a food photographer, you often have to switch around to get the best possible angle. This is where the light weight of the lens can help you. You can move this lens easily when you are shooting on a tripod unlike many other heavy telephoto macro lens out there.

A Sample Food Shot Using Tamron 60mm Macro Lens

On top of those two reasons, the lens also produces some excellent out of focus blur. Sometimes you want to isolate just some parts of the food to be in focus and blur out the rest for creative effects. The f/2 aperture will help you do just that. Simply switch to this aperture and adjust your camera to subject distance to achieve the out of focus blur that suits your taste.

This small and sharp lens is available for the Canon, Nikon and Sony mount at the time of this writing.

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“If you want to give your food pictures a different and interesting look, this is the lens to try.”

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Other Recommended Tamron Lens for Food Photography

There are some Tamron macro lenses alternative as well that are listed below. You can pick the focal length that suits your needs best.

1. Tamron 90mm Macro Lens
2. Tamron 180mm Macro Lens

The above lenses will give you longer focal length and therefore, longer reach. Those lenses are aimed for nature macro photography though. All those lenses share the same characteristics as the Tamron 60mm lens and will complement it well. Simply click on the link above to get more information about the lens.

If you can only get one lens though, the Tamron 60mm Macro is the one to get. Only get the above two lenses if you really need them or if your budget allows.

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“In conclusion, both amateur and professional photography alike are in for a surprise when they use the Tamron 60mm lens for their food photography adventure.”

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To get the best deal online and to see more information, click on the pictures or the links above. I hope you will find this lens a good Tamron lens for food photography as well.

The best Tamron lens for Wedding Photography is the:

Tamron 17-50mm VC Lens

Reasons Why The Tamron 17-50mm VC is The Best Tamron Lens for Wedding Photography

The Tamron 17-50 VC lens is my top pick for wedding photography firstly because it has a large and constant f/2.8 aperture. With this aperture, you can easily shoot indoor and outdoor without having to worry about motion blur. The large aperture can keep the shutter speed fast and this will help you capture the moment easily be it indoor or outdoor.

The 17 to 50mm zoom range is very handy for wedding shooting as well. With the 17mm focal length, you can get a wide enough picture without causing distortion on your subject’s face and with the 50mm focal length you can zoom in closely enough to capture the details on the weddings. In addition, you can also get some excellent pictures with out of focus blur when you use the combination of the 50mm focal length and f/2.8 aperture.

A Sample Wedding Shot Using The Tamron 17-50mm VC Lens

Last, but not least, is the VC or Vibration Compensation mechanism. Wedding photographers have to move fast to capture the decisive moment and sometimes they forget to keep their hands steady. The Vibration Compensation mechanism will help you get steady shot when you handhold your camera and so your resulting pictures will be sharp. Don’t forget to turn this feature off when you are using a tripod so that the mechanism does not look for “false movement.”

The lens is only available for Canon and Nikon mount at the moment of this writing though.

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“Overall, if you can only purchase one lens for wedding photography, this Tamron 17-50mm VC is the one to get.”

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Another Candidate for The Best Tamron Lens for Wedding Photography?

However, if you want to get additional lenses to complement that lens or if you want to look at other alternatives, see the following lenses:

1. Tamron 17-50 (non-VC version)
2. Tamron 70-200
3. Tamron 60mm Macro

The above list are the lenses that can act as a good complement to the Tamron 17-50 VC lens and I highly recommend you look at them if you still have some spare cash and empty space on your camera bag. If you are using a Pentax or Sony DSLR camera, the above list is also worth to check out.

Simply click on them to get more information on the lens and to get the best deal that one can find online.

The combination of the Tamron 17-50 VC lens with any of the optional three lenses will cover many shooting situations from wedding portraits, family pictures to intimate close up shots. All the lenses mentioned here will be a great starting list if you are looking for the best Tamron lens for wedding photography.

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“No matter which one you pick, you simply cannot go wrong with any of the above choices.”

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To get the best deal online for the best Tamron lens for wedding photography, simply click on any of the link above and you will be set.

Tamron is entering the Mirrorless market with the launch of this Tamron 18-200 NEX lens.

This lens has the new Di-III designation which means that it can only be used with the Sony NEX series (E Mount).

Many of you know that I have purchased the Sony NEX 5N along with this lens recently. I have tested this lens with that camera and now it is time to write a complete review.

This lens is a direct competitor to Sony’s own 18-200 NEX lens or sometimes known as the SEL18200 lens. In terms of size and compactness, the Tamron won straight out of the box.

The Tamron has a diameter of 62mm and the Sony has a diameter of 67mm, making the Tamron 5mm smaller than the Sony.

Being smaller and lighter for a super zoom lens is always a good thing. However, how does this lens compare to the more expensive Sony SEL18200 lens?

Let’s find out on my Tamron 18-200 NEX lens review below.

Tamron 18-200 NEX – Specs

Back to: Menu • Introduction

Official Name:
Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-III VC

Focal Length Markings:
18mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, 100mm, 135mm and 200mm

Features:
Di-III – Only Compatible with Sony NEX E Mount Mirrorless Camera

VC – Vibration Compensation. Counter the blur caused by hand shake during shooting resulting in sharper picture during handheld shooting.

Full Technical Specs (from Tamron’s website):

Technical Specifications
Groups / Elements	13 / 17
Angle of View	75°-7°
Number of Blade Diaphragm	7
Minimum Aperture	f/22
Minimum Focusing Distance	18 in. (0.5m)
Filter Thread	62mm
Weight	460g (16.2oz)
Dimension (Diameter x Length)	ø2.4 x 3.8in. (ø62 x 96.7mm)
Macro Magnification Ratio	1:3.7 (at f=200mm MFD 0.45m)
Available in	Silver Color, Black Color

Optical Performance

Back to: Menu • Introduction

Tamron 18-200 NEX – Sharpness

The center sharpness is very good at every focal length at any aperture, including the extremes (18mm at f/3.5 and 200mm at f/6.3).

Borders are quite sharp and well controlled from optical defects such as vignetting and chromatic aberration.

Below are the full sharpness test result of this Tamron 18-200 NEX lens.

Sharpness Scale (from Best to Worst):
(5) Excellent
(4) Great
(3) Good
(2) Fair
(1) Poor

Center Sharpness

Border Sharpness

Distortion

Being a super zoom lens, there is visible barrel distortion at the 18mm end. The distortion can be easily corrected here using any post processing programs. Then at the mid range of the zoom, there is a non-noticable pincushion distortion. At the 200mm, you can see pincushion distortion to be slightly visible but it is still very tolerable.

You can see the complete distortion grid test image below (coming soon).

Vignetting

Vignetting is quite well controlled at any focal length and at any aperture, including 18mm at f/3.5 and 200mm at f/6.3. You can stop down by 1/3 to 1/2 stop if you want to be on the safe side.

See the vignetting test below (coming soon).

Chromatic Aberration

I think Tamron has did a very good job in keeping the chromatic aberration at a very minimum level. You can see it slightly on the border at the extreme end of the focal length if you are a pixel peeper.

At the middle range of the focal length, the chromatic aberration is negligible.

For normal use though, the chromatic aberration is really minimum and you should not be worried about it.

Chromatic Aberration Scale (from Best to Worst):
(5) Negligible
(4) Very Low
(3) Low
(2) High
(1) Very High

Chromatic Aberration

Build Quality

Back to: Menu • Introduction

Materials

High quality plastic material. Made in Japan.

Zoom Ring

Zoom ring operates very smoothly on this lens. Being a heavy, super zoom lens, there is a slight zoom creep but thankfully Tamron has included a zoom lock feature to make it easier for you to transport the lens.

Focusing

The autofocus on this lens works very well with the contrast detect autofocus system that is used in many mirrorless camera.

When you use the AF-C mode, you need to be aware of some things though:

1. The continuous operation of the focus search will cause some fluctuation on the LCD screen. This is perfectly normal and the picture quality will not be affected at all. This applies to all modes including P,A,S,M.

2. If you want to avoid the fluctuation, switch back to AF-S or DMF mode.

There is no rotation of the front element so you can use a polarizing filter with ease on this lens. The autofocus speed is pretty fast in normal lighting condition. The focusing speed is very silent and so discreet shooting is possible using this lens.

The manual focus ring operates smoothly as well on this lens, just like the zoom ring.

Compatibility

The Di-III acronym means that this lens is only compatible with the Sony NEX Mirrorless camera. It is not compatible with any other cameras other than that.

Conclusions

Back to: Menu • Introduction

Being a strong manufacturer for super zoom lens, Tamron is making the correct decision by entering the Mirrorless market. And armed with their knowledge of making such lenses, they did very well with the Tamron 18-200 NEX lens.

In terms of optical performance, the Tamron is on par with the slightly more expensive Sony 18-200 NEX lens.

There are very little things to complain about as summarized below:

Drawbacks

• Expensive
• Not too much difference in weight compared to the Sony 18-200 NEX lens
• Slow aperture at telephoto end (f/6.3)

Positives

• Smaller and more compact compared to the Sony 18-200 NEX lens
• Great optical quality, on par with Sony 18-200 NEX lens
• Good distortion control for a super zoom lens
• Well controlled chromatic aberration
• Good vignetting control
• Fast and silent autofocus mechanism
• Good and sturdy build quality
• Helpful zoom lock feature to prevent lens creep during transport

Good For

Anyone looking for a compact, all-in-one lens solution for their Sony NEX Mirrorless camera.

Not So Good For

Someone who shoots a lot in dim lighting condition. You might want to get a fast prime lens to complement this lens.

What Others Are Saying…

by “Naftade”

With super-zooms, it’s always the same. I buy them for their convenience, knowing that they will not deliver as a prime lens does, but then I luckily have a couple of those as well so I don’t bother…
Click here to see the full review

by “Z. Jensesn”

I owned the Sony E 55-210 and 18-55 (kit) lenses. Both of them were rather good lenses for their respective classes. The 55-210 was definitely a good deal for its price…
Click here to see the full review

Where to Buy

Support this site, buy the Tamron 18-200 NEX lens from Amazon:

Buy the Silver Color

Buy the Black Color

In case Amazon doesn’t have it in stock, try B&H Photo (Silver Color, Black Color) or Adorama (Silver Color, Black Color).

For more options, make sure you check out the following related posts.

• Tamron 18-200 NEX
• Tamron 18-200
• Tamron 18-270
• Tamron 18-250

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this Tamron 18-200 NEX review and thanks for reading!

Nikon D5100 and Nikon D7000

I recently got an email from Mike, a D7000 user who wants some recommendation for his Nikon DSLR. Here is the email chain.

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From: Mike

Subject: Nikon D7000 Lenses

Message Body:

Hi Luke,

Great site!

I am a novice photographer. I have an Olympus SP-570UZ which was purchased primarily because of the 20X optical zoom capabilities.

Olympus SP-570UZ

Slow shutter speed (or I don’t know what I am doing) is causing missed pictures and also too many are out of focus even though I am trying hard to properly hold the camera.

Recently a friend took pictures of our large family indoors and out with a Nikon D5100.

Nikon D5100 DSLR Camera

She is not a pro by any means and all shooting was done hand held. She was snapping pictures at will and at a speed that really impressed me, some with flash, most without flash.

I have decided it is time for a new camera. Prior to this “shooting” I had already been reading/deciding on trying a Nikon, Canon a second choice but I believe it will be a Nikon.

My picture interests are indoor family stuff, outdoors, summer, spring, winter, fall, family stuff, beach, snow, vacations, parties etc.

I also like nature / animals and will start increasing those types of activities.

Through the web and lots of reading I found that Tamron is a lens worth investigating and not all Nikon lenses are the best choice.

While I do not fully understand all the language used with lenses I found your site interesting.

While keeping cost under control is important my ultimate goal is High Quality Pictures!

During the family shoot she took about 320 pictures and for the exception of people moving and creating some blur, all were focused properly. I was impressed to say the least.

So, now the questions; which camera?

My Olympus is manual zoom; I believe the D5100 is also, the D7000 is auto I believe. Is auto better?

Which lenses?

Fast is important I believe and I want a “general” lens for most shooting and I believe I want it to be some sort of zoom lens rather than fixed.

Than for the nature / animal shooting I need a long zoom. Image stabilization I believe is important?

Please educate me and please do so in easy to understand terms.

Thanks so very much,
Mike

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Now his message might be overwhelming to most people, but I deal with this kind of message all the time from photographers all around the world.

Here is my reply to Mike.

From: Luke

To: Mike

Subject: Re: Nikon D7000 Lenses

Message Body:

Hi Mike,

Glad you loved the site.

Since you have so many questions and issues, I will tackle them here one by one:

1. About your Olympus SP-570UZ camera, you missing out pictures and poor autofocus.

The first thing that you should know is that the Olympus SP-570UZ is a compact camera. Compact cameras are great for taking occasional group photos when mostly everything is static, but it is poor for taking moving subjects (especially the one with large zoom range).

Compact camera has long shutter lag. What this means is when you press the shutter button, the camera does not close the shutter fast enough, hence causing you to miss the moment.

A DSLR on the other hand, has a much shorter shutter lag and so you will be able to capture the moment easily right after you press the shutter.

Now, I do know many photographers who take action pictures only with their compact cameras although it has long shutter lag. The key is practice. They use the camera long enough so they are comfortable and can “guess” when the shutter will close.

For the poor autofocus, it has something to do with focusing speed on the camera. The compact camera will not focus fast enough for moving subject, especially under low light situation. This is why you will get poor autofocus when you use compact camera.

Please note here that the phenomenon that you are experiencing has NOTHING to do with shutter speed. It has everything to do with shutter LAG and slow autofocusing speed.

2. About your friend and her fancy Nikon D5100 DSLR camera

Since you are used to shooting with a compact camera, it is no surprise that you are amazed with a DSLR’s speed. I have mentioned previously that ANY DSLR will have shorter shutter lag and faster autofocusing speed.

This is why you think she is able to take pictures “at will” with or without flash.

3. About your decision to acquire a new camera and your photo interest

I think given your situation, your decision to acquire a new camera is correct. You can definitely start with the Nikon D5100 first and then move on to Nikon D7000, but if you have the means to purchase D7000 directly, then go for it.

The D7000 will give you room to grow as a photographer.

Nikon D7000 Semi Pro DSLR Camera

Both Nikon and Canon are great manufacturers and you really cannot go wrong with either of them. I personally use Canon myself (and occasionally Nikon).

For the type of photography that you do, it’s better to focus first on one subject first and master them (such as your family) before you move on to the next one.

4. Which lenses?

This primarily will depend on the kind of camera that you are getting. The Nikon D5100 will autofocus only with lenses with AF-S designation. The Nikon D7000 will autofocus with all Nikon AF lenses.

If you are looking for the ultimate image quality, I’d recommend taking a look at the Tamron 17-50 VC lens which I have reviewed here.

That lens will give you the ultimate picture quality for both indoor and outdoor purpose due to the sharp optics and sharp aperture. The lens cost around $600 which is much less than the Nikon 17-55.

5. Wrapping up

In conclusion, the Nikon D5100 and Tamron 17-50 VC will do you just fine. Go with the Nikon D7000 only if you are planning to get more serious with your photography.

Hope this long and untechnical answers helps.

Cheers,
Luke

Got another question from Tonya asking about the compatibility of Tamron Macro lenses with the Canon Rebel XS DSLR camera and I will be sharing my answer with you here.

Here is the original email from Tonya:

From: Tonya
To: Luke

Hi there,

I came across your website by accident through YouTube.

I have been interested in a Macro Lens for my Canon Rebel XS. Does the Tamron fit all Canon cameras?

And here is my answer to her question:

From: Luke
To: Tonya

Hi Tonya,

Yes, it does fit all Canon cameras.

Unlike the Nikon who does not include autofocus motor inside their entry level DSLR cameras, Canon does include autofocus motor inside all their camera bodies.

This means that any lens will be able to autofocus without any problem with entry level Canon DSLR camera such as the Rebel XS (the Rebel XS is also known as the Canon EOS 1000D).

As far as options, there are three Tamron macro lenses that you can choose from. I will list them all here one by one.

1. Tamron 60mm – This is the fastest macro lens that Tamron (or any other manufacturer as of this time) has ever made.

It features the fast f/2 aperture as well as the fast autofocus mechanism. This lens is geared more towards macro photography beginner. You can even use this lens for portraiture since it has a large aperture.

This is the lens that I always recommend for anyone who are just starting out in the macro photography world.

2. Tamron 90mm – This is my first Macro lens that I frequently use. For me, this lens gives the best angle of view in my photography.

In terms of autofocus speed, it cannot beat the new Tamron 60mm but I do love the angle of view. This is why I use this lens most frequently.

3. Tamron 180mm – This lens is the largest of all three. The primary purpose of this lens is for insect and extreme close up photography.

It’s quite hard to handle this lens if you are a beginner. You will need a very sturdy support for this lens to avoid any blurring on the image.

Those are all your options for Tamron macro lenses. Whichever you choose, you can rest assured that they are all compatible with your Canon Rebel XS.

Hope you can make the right decision based on this information.

Cheers,
Luke

A reader asked me about the compatibility issue on Tamron 60mm when used with the Nikon D5100 DSLR camera. Here is his email:

From: Dan

Luke, I have a Nikon D5100 and I’m thinking of getting the Tamron 60mm macro lens. What do you think of it??

Thanks,
Dan

And below is my reply to him. I hope this reply will benefit other people who have the same question in mind.

Hi Dan,

I think the Tamron 60mm would work great on your D5100, especially if you just starting out in macro photography.

In addition, due to the crop factor of the Nikon D5100, the lens will be equal to 90mm in terms of the 35mm format.

This means that you can use this lens for portraiture lens as well. You can take advantage of the large, f/2 aperture to achieve out of focus background that make any pictures look professional.

In terms of compatibility, this lens should have no issue with the D5100 DSLR camera.

I know that the Nikon D5100 will not focus with non-motorized Nikon lens (in Nikon’s terminology, it will not focus with non AF-S) lens.

Rest assured that the Tamron 60mm will autofocus with your Nikon D5100. The Tamron 60mm has an internal built in motor which is equivalent to a Nikon AF-S motor.

Since this lens is the newest Macro lens in the market, it is the only Tamron lens that has a built in motor and so it will be able to autofocus with your Nikon D5100.

With the technical questions out of the way, let’s get into the practical use of this lens.

This lens is a great lens for macro photography beginners that want to experiment with things as they go along with their macro photography progress.

However, if you are a more seasoned macro photographer, you might benefit more from the Tamron 90mm and Tamron 180mm range.

The Tamron 90mm has a slightly longer focal length range than the 60mm and I prefer this lens to the latter.

The Tamron 180mm is great for shooting insects and shy critters from a distance so you don’t scare them away.

In conclusion, the Tamron 60mm will work great with your Nikon D5100 DSLR camera. But you need to know what your shooting preferences are so you can pick the lens that matches your shooting needs.

Cheers,
Luke

Tamron recently announced that they will release a lens for the NEX format. The lens that they will be releasing will be based on their popular Tamron 18-200 lens and they will name it Tamron 18-200 NEX lens.

Specifically, the official lens name would be Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-III VC lens. I think they might be calling it Di-III to differentiate the abbreviation that they already use for cropped sensor DSLR camera and Full Frame format (namely Di-II and Di).

I personally think Tamron is playing the right game by entering the Mirrorless camera market as more and more manufacturers are aiming to take a slice of that giant and growing market.

The Tamron will complete directly with Sony’s own Sony SEL18200 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. So, what does the new Tamron 18-200 NEX offers? Here are the breakdowns of the lens features:

1. High power, superzoom feature. Tamron is known as the world’s best maker for super zoom lens and it is clear that they want to make their mark on the Mirrorless world by releasing this lens. With this lens, you can shoot sweeping landscape at 18mm and full telephoto at 200mm.

The equivalent focal length in terms of 35mm format is 27mm and 300mm.

2. The famous VC (Vibration Compensation) feature. Tamron has released many excellent image stabilized lens such as the Tamron 17-50 VC and the Tamron 18-270 PZD lens. They plan on bringing their core competency in the mirrorless market by including their Vibration Compensation feature in the new Tamron 18-200 NEX lens.

3. New Autofocus Motor. The Sony NEX, like many other mirrorless camera, use the contrast detect autofocus mechanism. Tamron has adjusted their motor accordingly with the new lens. The autofocus will work perfectly with any Sony NEX camera.

The initial testing of the motor seems to confirm that the new autofocus mechanism is fast and silent.

4. Two color design for the NEX cameras. The lens will be offered in two different colors (black and silver) that match the NEX style and look. Just look at the picture above and you’ll know what I mean.

5. Lightweight and compactness. The downside with many super zoom lens is that they are quite bulky and heavy.

Tamron seems to be able to trim both the weight and size of this lens. At only 460g in weight and 62mm in diameter, this lens is a strong contender for an all in one lens solution for the NEX system.

The lens was released in Japan on October and is now available in the US. I have not had a chance to test this lens personally but I have placed an order for a Sony NEX 5N camera along with this lens.

Hopefully Amazon will not be late in delivering the kit to me in this holiday season. The kit will be my new toy for this holiday

Anyhow, I will be posting the full review of this lens once I have received it.

Until then, stay tuned and thanks for reading!

Cheers,
Luke

I have received tons of questions recently and they revolve around this similar issue: choosing between a super zoom lens or a fast lens.

The two lenses that people are confused to choose from is the Tamron 18-270 lens and the Tamron 17-50 lens.

Both lenses have their own newer variation and I always recommend getting the latest version of the lens if you can afford it.

This is because Tamron fixes many issues that people have been complaining about from the previous version.

For the incremental price that you will pay for the lens, you will get a lot more benefit out of your lens.

For example, people loved the zoom range on the older Tamron 18-270 VC lens but do not like the bulkiness or the noisy autofocus sound that the lens generates.

Thankfully, Tamron fixes this on the newer Tamron 18-270 PZD version. The Tamron 18-270 PZD is much lighter than the older version. It has smaller dimension as well. In addition, I have found it to be sharper as well which is a big plus.

Same thing goes with the Tamron 17-50 lens. The older version of this lens is considered by many as a good enough lens that can replace the Canon 17-55 or the Nikon 17-55 lens that costs an arm and a leg.

However, people are still not happy because the lens has no Image Stabilization function and Tamron fixes this by adding the VC (Vibration Compensation) feature on the newer version.

Those are the reasons why I always recommend getting the newer version.

Now, let’s move on to the real issue that I am trying to answer on this article.

Given the choice of purchasing the Tamron 17-50 or the Tamron 18-270, which one should you choose?

This is quite an easy question to answer so bear with me here for a bit.

The Tamron 17-50 is great if you love to shoot landscape, portraits and low light situation professionally. Remember that this is a fast f/2.8 lens that is geared towards professional photographer that do not want to break the bank by spending on the more expensive Canon or Nikon alternative.

You will get superb quality and performance if you use this lens. The downside is, if you want to reach the 200mm focal length, you have to switch lens. This can be quite a bit of inconvenience.

On the other hand, if you choose to purchase the Tamron 18-270 lens, you can get variety of shoot ranging from landscape and portraiture. However, you would not be able to use this lens for low light situation because of the slow aperture.

The quality is worse when you compare it to the Tamron 17-50, but remember that this lens is not made for the professional in mind. This lens is made for amateur photographers who love to shoot a bit of everything and is willing to sacrifice quality for convenience.

So, the issue here is just choosing between quality and convenience.

If you are willing to sacrifice quality for convenience, then definitely go with the Tamron 18-270 lens.

However, you will be very happy with the Tamron 17-50 lens.

Hope this clarifies any confusion that you might have and happy shooting!

Cheers,
Luke