Tamron 70-200 is a POS...DO NOT BUY

By far the worst lens I have ever used. Took me 10 minutes to figure out it was a total dud.

 

Does not focus at all in the mid ranges. hunts like hell to focus all other times.

 

I've never seen a lens this bad.

 

I just ordered a 80-200 AF-D to replace it.

 

Perhaps when the Pentax version comes out these issues will be fixed.

 

I could tell at the house the AF was slow but I was assuming it was the extreme low light, and close focus.

 

Bottom line, this is a dud, unless I just happened to get a bad copy that matched the reported problems on the

other review sites.

Actually Justin, What you have mentioned in your brief stint with it is what I have been reading about it.

Thanks for saving me $700 or round trip delivery fees for a testdrive.

 

If you're ever in my hood I'll buy you a six'r of my favorite brew. 2's all you'd need so you'd have leftovers

 

Lindy

Geez I had high hope of this zoom as both Pentax and the Sigma apo version are rare and expensive. I have seen

any Nikon users feedback yet. What a surprise!! Hope it is just initial QC issue

 

Daniel

Bummer.

Well, okay, so the AF isn't good. What's it like optically?

Thank you so much, Justin, for the warning by your personal assessment!! It confirms what made me leary of this lens in the dp test report, with their visual examples. Now I know for sure I'll not even consider it. And it is indeed a bummer. That leaves only the newest (released in December 2007) Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 macro II for Pentax shooters, who have SDM DSLR bodies and who do not have much interest in using it for film. But that lens, so far at least. has tested well- on Nikon mount according to Photozone.

 

One could go retro, looking for an older Sigma from a few years ago, or a Tokina 80-200mm, which had a very good rep, but who knows what may be forthcoming now that FF is making a comeback?? It is worth a wait and see if one does not have a pressing need, as I do not.

 

In the meantime, today I ordered the K200D with the new kit lens II, and also the battery grip, and also the DA* 50-135mm as well, which is much raved about. Very good price deal, and additionally, current rebates for camera, battery grip, and DA* lens if purchased together.

Just forced me to wait Pentax DA 60-250 f4. Hope it will soon. I would also want to know about its optical performance of this lens. I still confused why Tamron still offer this lens that doesn't have in lens AF generator.

Makes my purchase of the Sigma 70-200 seem a good investment. Couldn't be happier with that lens. Very

disappointing that this is the result with the Tamron. Pentax had better smarten up and get that 60-250 on the

market. The pent(ax) (couldn't help it) up demand is huge.

 

If you and Lindy go for a beer, I'll pay the travel costs just to sit and watch. Hell I'll even buy the beer for

both of you!

Justin, Thanks for the post. That is exactly why I will not buy a grey market AF lens. You never know if you will be getting a good or bad copy. It is entirely possible that items that do not pass QC are sold to shady outfits etc. instead of being recycled or whatever.

"In the meantime, today I ordered the K200D with the new kit lens II, and also the battery grip, and also the DA* 50-135mm as well."

 

Go, Michael!

Peter, save me a seat, I wanna be there too! 2nd round's on me :-)

Miserere, Lol, I bet we could turn this in to some form of extreme sport. "Dueling Shooters drink off and airing of Differences". Last man standing wins.

Sorry for the long delay. I'm as bummed as anyone about this lens. I really thought it would be a winner. Tarmron has made some nice lenses of late. The quality of the lens looked excellent.

 

It simply would hunt, and sometimes when it stopped hunting would not be in focus. I tried both AF.C and AF.S. Optically, everyone has said it was good, and they have more expensive testing methods than I do. And further, I'm not even sure I'd trust any of my shots. I ended up using it briefly in manual focus, or at 200mm only. I used f/5.6 to cover focusing errors.

 

Les, why are you infering this was a grey market lens? I bought it from KEH.com and it came with a USA warranty (from Tamron). That would make it a USA lens, not grey market.

 

As for Lindy's offer. If we head back through Colorado to do some hiking there with my partners, I might take his offer. There was some chatter about doing a few 14ers there but my preference is to stay in Wyoming. My partners are flying in and out of Denver so it makes sense for them.

 

I was skeptical the Canon results would match the Nikon but damn it was on the money. It's a real shame, save yourselves the shipping cost and look else where. For what it's worth there was another photog using the Sigma EX 70-200 (or whatever it's long end is) and she said it was a great lens. She was using it on a Canon body.

Nice, let me know. I'm 60 miles south of Denver. personally I say stay in the wind river range, I'd guess they're 5

hours north of me.

 

That 600mm f4 FA Pentax, like new in the trunk with all its dropins and 150mm front filter sold for $4,000 the other

day so that won't be here to tempt you. I was tempted but 17 pounds is simply insane lens weight to lug around.

Heck of a deal though, $4,000 for a $8900 lens. I was surprised no one contacted me to look into getting it fedex'd to

their door when I posted its availablity 4 months ago.

 

Anyways, I respect sample variation in lenses but enough people have poop'd on this tamron that it must be a dog.

 

I think my manual focus ATX 80-200mm 2.8 Tokina KA mount rose in value with this tamron goof.

 

Lindy

I just started looking through about 600 shots I took last night.

 

It's amazing. So few of the tamrons are sharp but even the sharp ones don't look any better than my 300mm f/4

Nikkor, or my 180mm 2.8 Nikkor.

 

Both are stellar primes so that might not be fair, but determining image quality on a lens that you cannot focus

with it tough.

 

I'd have been better off buying an old Manual Nikkor or even the Tokina ATX in manual than using this lens.

 

Bottom line if you are ok with using manual focus, just buy a used K mount 70/80-200/210 2.8.

 

Of course, if Tamron takes long enough to make the K mount model, and enough people return their Canon and Nikkor

lenses you can guess that probably some redesign will be in the works.

 

There has to be something with the internal lens design that is separate from the camera model being used on.

 

The reason I say this, is the focusing is so erratic that even static subjects sometimes are in focus, other

times aren't. This is behaviour I have never seen in a lens. Usually they just slightly front or back focus.

"Les, why are you infering this was a grey market lens? I bought it from KEH.com and it came with a USA warranty (from

Tamron). That would make it a USA lens, not grey market. "

 

I wasn't saying you got a grey market lens only that I would not buy one for a number of reasons. There was a reference to

grey market in an earlier post in this thread. Sorry for the confusion.

No prob...I was like "huh" where is he getting that I bought grey market.

 

Yeah, it was US warranty. I cannot say how disappointed I am though. The lens is almost like a preview test

version rather than a finished product. Very sad!!

FWIW Justin. The Sigma 70-200 f2.8 EX is a great lens in all respects. I had the chance to get a local, mint condition FA*80-200 f2.8 at a very reasonable price earlier this year. The idea was to sell the Sigma if the Pentax was better and I assumed it would be after my experience with the FA*300/4.5 . As soon as I looked at the first images on the screen, I could see the Sigma was equal or superior to the Pentax. The Sigma focuses faster (considerably lighter and less mass). Hunts very little in comparison and is easily as sharp with smoother OOF areas.

 

Frankly It's fixed focal length quality across the range. Great colour and overall IQ.

 

I sold the Pentax for a tidy profit with no regrets.

Everything I have ever heard and read on the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 EX has always been positive. On the rare occasion that one comes up for sale, they are in the $1200.00 range...I for one will be waiting for the new one to come out.

Allow me to ask a somewhat off topic but applicable question..... is there a way to tell if the Lens is grey

market by any of the markings on the lens?

OK, so I'm not going to argue over the fact that the new Tamron 70-200 f2.8 XR LD is slow to focus in lower light and can hunt presented with the right target..........BUT the thing is optically superior to ALL of it's type except the Nikkor 70-200 f2.8vr. I had one so I know. it has the finest color, bokeh and sharpness wide open I have seen from ANY 70-200 lens PERIOD. Yeah I'm saying it THAT strongly. Even my Nikkor wasn't this sharp wide open F4 sure....but not f2.8. The bokeh is just dreamy as heck, the contrast is rich. I too was disappointed to find it wasn't a "fast" lens in regards to focusing, but it spanks the heck out of the Sigma that's for sure. I'd say if you're shooting sports or buying the Tammy to shoot in low light you are indeed wasting your money. If you're doing decently lit outdoor stuff (portraits, landscape etc.) this lens will NOT be outdone in final output.

I will wait for the usage report of the first batch of lenses from B&H. Even though Justin's sample has problem in Canon mount, I hope the newest batch of Pentax mount is stellar. Any one ordered Monday (Sept 1)?