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Gary Winters | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Tamron test tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Tamron test

Testing the Tamron 17-50 against Canon's kit lens 18-55.
All shots on tripod, all 100% crops (full pixel view). No post processing at all.

I think I have some serious focusing problems with the Tamron!
17-18 ISO 100.jpg
17-18 ISO 100.jpg		 50-55 ISO 100.jpg
50-55 ISO 100.jpg		 17-18 ISO 400.jpg
17-18 ISO 400.jpg		 50-55 ISO 400.jpg
50-55 ISO 400.jpg
50-60 f8 ISO 100.jpg
50-60 f8 ISO 100.jpg		 50-60 f8 ISO 400.jpg
50-60 f8 ISO 400.jpg		 f2.8-f8 ISO 100.jpg
f2.8-f8 ISO 100.jpg		 Focus Comparison
Focus Comparison
Tamron vs Kit.jpg
Tamron vs Kit.jpg		 Swapped Lens
Swapped Lens

comment
snootydog05-Jun-2007 03:30
I've spent the better part of the last half hour trying to reply to your post on dpreview but it keeps kicking me back to the create account page despite the fact that I am fully logged in to my account that I have had for the past 6 years. Go figure. This is what I was going to say:

You know, I think you should definitely return this lens, not because it is a bad lens, but because you are uncertain and you don't have the kind of time you need with it to make yourself certain. Return it and you can always buy it again from amazon who has a more generous 30 day return policy. In 30 days you can become a focus test expert.

You could use the time to borrow a couple of lenses from a certain colorblind gear junkie that we all know and love. You could test the tammy against his sweet L wide angle and his 24-105. And, who knows, you might find that the current tammy you own is a soft model and the new one might be sharper.

And that's my 2 cents for what its worth (probably exactly 2 cents)
John Cooper02-Jun-2007 10:40
I agree with John Cross, having recently puchased a Canon L lens.
Rather than the lens trying to keep up with my photographic abilitys, I am now struggling to keep up with the lens.
Any other lens I get will absolutely have to be an L series.
Dave Beedon02-Jun-2007 07:09
You might see different results if you try this lens test:http://www.pbase.com/listorama/photo_lenstest .
snootydog02-Jun-2007 00:43
I have a sigma 18-128 or something like that. Would you like me to send it to you to try out? I would be happy to. I will likely sell it soon anyway so you are welcome to try it for a while
jCross01-Jun-2007 20:29
I have the kit lens, and it isn't very good. I finally decided to buy only the L series lenses, and I am quite pleased with the results. This type of lens testing is very frustrating. I ended up getting the real targets and doing the math. In the end the experience was very rewarding, but it confirmed what I already knew. L series lenses arae definitely much better. I figure that I will spend the money on the lenses and live with fewer great lenses rather than a bunch of frustrating ones.
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