Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon Digital SLR Cameras (Model A09E)

Comment

I bought this lens used as a backup lens or for a second shooter for use on a full frame Canon (5D mkiii & mkiv). It represents an incredible value, especially used, I bet I could use it for a few years and sell it a loss of less than a Benjamin. But beyond being inexpensive its a sharp lens! Im not sure why this doesnt pop up all over youtube when you search for a good starter lens, its relatively obscure. Dont just take my word for it, check DXO Marks web site for a rating, compared to Canon its superior in several aspect, not all of them, but its also 500-800% less expensive. If youre looking for your first sharp lens with shallow depth of field Id recommend this over the nifty fifty or 85 f/1.8 - if you could only afford one lens, ditch the kit lens, book a model and go shoot with this lens, you will love the results. Pros: Obviously price Flaws are easily correctible in Light Room f2.8 is useable and close to the actual transmittance (its a fast lens) Low Chroma Beautiful out of focus area Very light weight Mild macro capabilities Cons: Autofocus is slower than the comparable Canon and it hunts just a little but a 1/2 second of patience isrequired for the best shots. Focus on breath control & brace just a little while it finds the exact focus Appearance of the build quality but if you like the low weight, its probably a function of that Looks inexpensive & perhaps dated - for paid gigs Id keep this in the bag for a backup or until youve showed off a lens with a red ring Autofocus mode is not full time override, you have to flick the manual focus switch to manually set focus. Im only mentioning this because this seems to be a point most reviewers will point out about a lens but there is a plus side of this - once you find focus, if you use back button focus, the lens elements are locked down and will not creep - great for astral photography when youve got the camera aimed up high. As an aside, there is obvious vignetting below f/4 which could be a problem for landscapes but if youre using Light Room, the program has the Tamron 28-75 corrections programmed in, just check the box and it will be corrected. For portraits I can see myself shooting wide open and adding a little extra vignetting in post so this is a non issue for my style. To help with the look and also lens flare (which appears well controlled in my anecdotal home test) amazon sells an OEM Tamron lens hood. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0010CDWIY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T1_vEiozbW0EYWY1 Ive attached two photos, the one with the chart in the center was taken at 75mm, about 8 feet away, and at f/2.8. It should give you an idea of the depth of field. You can see the photos on the wall, about 20" away are nice and softly out of focus. You can also see the vignetting at f/2.8 since I didnt correct for it. I also didnt correct for chroma. The second photo is real life - one of my dogs. She was moving around but even with the slow focus I was able to lock in - I added a little extra vignette and processed contrast and colors to taste in light room with only the remove chroma option selected.

Show more

Comment

I, like many others, had autofocus issues with this lens. I was about to send it back. Then, I began reading up on lens calibration and thought I would give it a try. If you have a higher-end camera body (not a Rebel series), you are able to calibrate individual lenses. Mine had a rather severe front-focus. After calibrating the lens, it stopped hunting for a focal point and selected the one I wanted. This lens gets some of the sharpest pictures Ive taken, and they really have a beautiful shine to them. I have a 7d Mark II body and consider myself a hobbyist, not a professional.

Show more

Comment

I gave this lens 5 stars based on what it is and what you should realistically expect at this price. If you compare it to a much more expensive Canon or Nikon 24-70 f/2.8, it wont measure up. But if youre looking for incredible value for the money, you wont be disappointed. What youre getting with a lens like this is a fast, standard zoom that is a huge upgrade from a kit lens. Its capable of producing very nice photos, and shooting with limited light. You can get some of the same shots as those expensive lenses I mentioned before. But of course, there are some compromises youll be making at this price point. First of all, images are soft around the edges at f/2.8. However, the center of the frame is pin sharp even wide open. You can get away with using it at 2.8 if youre shooting a portrait or other shallow DoF shot where the edges are intentionally out of focus. You can also leave some extra space in your composition so theres room to crop out the soft areas. Once you stop down to f/4 the edges are usably sharp, and theyre very sharp at f/5.6. The other compromise to expect is the autofocus motor. Its not terrible by any means! It manages to grab focus pretty well and in my case the focus has been spot-on. The only issues are slowness and noise. It doesnt focus as fast as a lens with a USM or HSM motor would. And its a little too loud for some uses. For example, you wouldnt want to use this during a wedding ceremony while the couple are saying their vows. Or for trying to capture a bug or animal up close, this would probably scare them off. That being said, this is a lens I really like - despite having some expensive Canon L Series lenses. Its center sharpness (and overall sharpness stopped down) rival my 24-105 f/4L. There are some pleasant surprises that, frankly, make this lens a gem for its price. It handles tough lighting very well - such as controlling sun flare and chromatic aberration better than other lenses in its price range. Color and contrast are gorgeous. It focuses closer than most standard zooms for macro-ish (obviously not true 1:1 macro) photos. Its truly impressive for what it is.

Show more

Comment

I purchased this lens as a step up from my "Nifty 50" (Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM) to give me versatility when taking portraits. It gave me much better options when shooting and didnt restrict me to taking photos at a set length like the 50mm. It creates very sharp images and allowed me to move around my model or stay exactly where I was while allowing me the flexibility to zoom unlike the prime lens. Admittedly it is a heavy lens and its certainly loud when in auto focus mode. These are small things to have issue with when the lens creates images as good as it does. Im happy with the time I spent with the Canon 50mm but it has stayed in my camera bag since I purchased this lens. Over the next year I will be looking to upgrade this lens again as I move further into portraits but for now it is doing everything I could as it to do for a great price.

Show more

Comment

Ive owned this lens for s few years now and I will say this: it has served me so remarkably well. It was with me and my 7D, and I still use it professionally with my a7s. Very affordable, and the focal range is wonderful. Its not an Lens, and the throw in the focus is not as long or smooth, but as far as image it is a great all around full frame lens. I mostly do video so Im not a pixel peeper like photogs are, but I have taken a lot of wonderful photos with it. Highly recommended to anyone looking for the best lens for this price range.

Show more

Comment

This is a staple of any photographer that wishes to grow. We start with the lens kit, then move onto a nifty fifty and ask ourselves.. what next? The answer is this. This. Period. This lens is phenomenal and Ive been absolutely giddy about it since the moment it came in. It takes absolutely stellar, clear shots and I am completely and utterly satisfied with it. It is SUCH a good lens and it is beyond light years ahead of the stock lens. My nifty fifty used to be my walk around lens, but this is now. It has taken over almost all aspects of my photography apart from portrait or tight shots. I currently own a 20-22mm, this, a nifty 50 (actually recently upgraded to the STM model) and a 75-300mm. This lens sees far more use than all those others combined. It fits nearly every one of your needs and takes the most clear, precise shots. I have never been more proud of my work.

Show more

Comment

I bought actual canon lenses in other focal lengths now I am looking to replace this. There is no comparison. You do get some good images with this but not nearly as high quality. It has worked well for me for a few years. When you zoom in all the way does not focus well and extremely "soft" images. If you are a semi pro, pro, or serious amateur I would skip this. I wish I did. It is not a bad lens and if you are used to point and shoot you will be amazed. If you are used to canon products you will be annoyed.

Show more

Comment

This lens is great, Ive had it for about a year now. Its really sturdy and well built; no fear of any parts breaking without abuse. Really the one annoying thing is that the autofocus is noticeably slow, and it also sometimes painfully hunts for even easy targets. Dont know if the hunting issue is due to the lens or the Canon 60D. Im posting a review because I just did a sweet spot test that I think will help...I didnt have this info when I bought it, and after reviewing it, Im still happy I got it. This lens performs best at f/8 thru f/11, and is good between f/4.5 and f/16. Outside that range, it gets just a touch blurry, and when wider than f/4, there are some actual defects in addition to more severe blurring. The jump even from f/3.2 to f/2.8 is noticeably hazier, and horrible to a decently trained eye, but I guess you shouldnt be shooting at your lenss widest anyway. In terms of zoom, this lens seems to maintain its sharpness throughout and overall is pretty good. I wont make any conclusions because Im not a lens expert, but Im still happy with my purchase a year later. I just wanted to post some data that might interest people. Happy shooting!

Show more

Comment

This is am excellent lens. I purchased this for my Canon 5D II and III. Works perfectly. People have said that focus isnt as quick or smooth compared to Canon lenses. I dont find that to be a big difference. What I do find as a bit of annoyance is the noise this lens makes when its trying to find focus. It is noisier than OEM Canon lenses. But heres the good news. This lens is sharp. The contrast is excellent. Finally, the color is brilliant and vivid. It can stand on its own against the Canon Lenses. I think Canon Lenses have a slight advantage over this lens but the advantage is probably negligible especially when compared to the high prices one pays for Canon lenses. For the price of this lens, you are getting a lot of lens!

Show more

Comment

Bought this to replace the kit 18-55mm Canon lens, and to fill the gap between that lens and my 75-300mm lens. This lens is noticeably heavier than the kit lens, and the constant f2.8 makes portraits much nicer. My wife asked why I bought it, and a few pictures of the dog later she agreed it was worth it. Focus speed is fine for a lens in this range, and the rubber zoom ring grip is big and very aggressive. Optics are clear and seem well made. This is my 2nd Tamron lens (first was for a Sony/Minolta mount) and both have been the same high quality.

Show more