Tamron AF 35-135 F3.5-4.5 AF tele-macro  reviews

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: minoltista.ca   review date: April-16-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta AF 24-85mm/3.5-4.5
Minolta AF 50/2.8 Macro RS
Tamron SP AF 28-75/2.8
Tamron SP AF 90/2.8 macro
Tamron SP AF 70-200/2.8
Minolta AF 70-210/4

price paid:

130 USD

positive:

Very sharp !
Build quality, smooth zooming and focusing,
Good color and great contrast
Circural aperture, very good bookeh
Usefull range and macro capabilities
Minolta mount exclusivity
Still unknown resulting low price tag

negative:

Light fall-off and color fringing
Filter rotate when focusing
Not many, dicontinued, rare, hard to find !

comment:

What to say ...I'm curious by default, so when I had an opportunity to buy this lens, I grabbed it without hesitating a minute. Subsequently, I bought the original hood so that everything is complete.

When the lens is arrived, the first disappointment was the piteous aspect ... the zoom ring was deformed and swollen and impossible to fix, front lens was dirty. Nothing serious, I cleaned it and started the test with a850. To my surprise, I've never been able to make the good shots. Either it was soft in all apertures, or huge light fall-off, or overexposed by lowering the f-stop. Finally, there was a problem with the iris and with back focus, but the blades were clean. I contacted the seller and he offered me a partial refund, which I accepted, because I was eager to open the beast !

Thereafter I took my tools and I completely disassembled the lens ... with the blades of the iris. After cleaning and reassembling of all components, I corrected the problem of plate of iris linkage. Finally, I took the cares of the zoom ring, I cleaned and renovated with silicone spray. Now, the lens looks like new!

The moment of truth has arrived and the test begins. I made the micro-adjustment at -5 to obtain a good compromise in all focal lengths. After, I took a series of photographs on the target. By comparing this test with other tests of my lenses, I did not believe my eyes! In terms of sharpenes, this lens compares easily with the Minolta AF 50mm f/2.8 macro! At f/8 to 11, except in the corners, it beat the macro!

Of course, nothing is perfect and this lens also has some flaws with full frame sensor, such as distortions, strong light fall-off w/o, which only disappears at f/11, color fringing, MFD too long, but in general, these are minor flaws that can be corrected easily in post-processing, or by adapting the shooting. As I said, in terms of sharpnes, this lens is hard to beat even by the best! Closing at f/8 and above, you get exceptional sharpnes in all focal lengths from center to edge. The corners need one or two additional stops to become perfect ... but honestly, who needs the perfect corners in all shots?

In short, I am very impressed by the potential of this lens. I think it will become my favorite walk around lens.

I never understood, what good is to evaluate a lens (bad copy), which need to be repaired. What is the purpose of such an evaluation?

sharpness: 3.5 

color: 3 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: Rhansen   review date: April-12-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony Af 70-200
Minolta Af 28-135
Minolta 50 f1.4

price paid:

100 USD

positive:

Old but very high quality build. Heavier but built the way only premium quality lenses are built today.

negative:

Purple fringing at all f stops.
Over exposed by 1 1/2 stops regardless of body
Soft at all f stops

comment:

I must have picked up a very poor unit. My first thoughts were that it didn't play nice with my A77 and A99. I tried my old A700 and it performed no better.
Darker in viewfinder. As compared to what appeared in the evf or LCD while composing in the SLT bodies the result was always 1 1/2 plus stops over exposed. The same with the A700.
Even in the best light and non contrasting situations there was purple fringing. In high contrast images it was severe and in soft light the fringing was still apparent. While fringing can be removed in Lightroom this is still a distinct negative.
I was also very disappointed with how soft the images were at all f stops.
I micro adjusted the lens with lens align pro for the A99 and A77 bodies and that helped slightly.
This unit will get dumped in the junk drawer.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: AM9   review date: April-09-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta AF 100-200 /4.5
Minolta AF 35-70 /4
Sony SAM DT 18-55/3.5-5.6
Helios 44-2 58/2

price paid:

200 USD (used)

positive:

Sharp, nice colors, minimal CA, fast AF, price.

negative:

Very hard to find
Filter ring rotates
MDF - 1500 mm

comment:

Great lens!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Defender90   review date: March-10-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 18-55 SAM
Minolta 70-210mm f4 Beercan
Minolta 100-300 f4.5-5.6
Minolta 28-135 f4-4.5

price paid:

250 USD (used)

positive:

Very Sharp
Great Colors
Fast
Solid Build

negative:

Hard to Find

Nothing Else

comment:

Great Find!!! No distortion throughout the entire range 35-135. Smooth focus. Great reach. High quality solid build, glass and steel. No lens creep. Sharp, sharp, sharp. Great balance and feel on a Sony A65 body. 55mm, so you can use all your standard filters. Amazing walk around lens. My favorite lens.

Don't pass it up, if you can find one.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: chriseen   review date: December-31-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

24mm f2.8
28mm f2,8
50mm f1.4
135mm f2.8
35-70mm f4
70-210mm f4
50mm Macro f2,8
100mm F2,8 macro
80-200mm f2.8
500mm f8 Reflex
Sony Zeiss 16-80mm f3,5-4,5

price paid:

270 euros

positive:

- Excellent saturated colours
- Unquestionably sharp at all apertures.
- Great colour rendition
- Feels well constructed
- Great for lowlight
- D(c)reamy tones & bokeh
- Rich colour
- Razor sharp depth of field
- fast aperture
- Extremely solid build
- Smooth focusing ring
- macro function on the long end

negative:

almost impossible to find

comment:

I'll never regret buying this lens.
I love the colours of this lens, maybe even better than the Zeiss. I think every time again: how can such a small lens doing it so well on a crop camera or FF compared to the Zeiss lens!
I absolutely love this lens.
The contrast is perfect for all kind off shots.
Distortion is well controlled.
I have fell love with this lens, but I have come to realise that it is simply awesome.
Its really a hidden diamond here .
Extremely sharp at all apertures.
Colour rendition is excellent, clean, warm,... .
The combination of this lens being quit small and being razor sharp makes it quite unique and very attractive.
Practical focal length for both FF and APS-C sensors
No noticeable distortion
Nice weight on a700 body
A magnificent piece of glass!
While reading other members reviews I found it hard to believe.
We all share the feeling and opinion that this is a GREAT lens, a hidden diamond .

If you can find one -> get it, don't turn it down.

I will never, never sell this lens !

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: ShutterFall   review date: August-24-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta AF 50mm 1.7, Minolta Rokkor 50mm 1.7, Sony 18-55 kit lens, Promaster MC 28mm 2.8, Tokina SF AF 70-210 4-5.6, Tokina AF 28-70 F2.8-4.5

price paid:

86 USD (used)

positive:

Sharp!
Colors!
Solid build
Has Macro

negative:

Heavy
MFD is not great for a packed house party but could live with it

comment:

Best lens I've ever used. Super sharp and produces nice colors. My new walkaround lens. I like the range and has a macro function! MFD is alright indoors if you have enough space but if I'm going to a packed house party, I just bring my Promaster MC 28mm 2.8.

Used w/ a Sony SLT-A35.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: aychbawdy   review date: August-10-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Any lens. This may be one of the best lenses ever designed and built

price paid:

280

positive:

Real diamond hiding here, best lens
I've ever owned....not for sale, will take on any and all shoots

negative:

hard to find, they've been grabbed and owners will not sell cheap

comment:

Sharp through range, color is hard to beat, light, well built

This is a rare beast, if you can get one for less than $ 500
go for it, test of course.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: JamieZ   review date: June-05-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28-85 f/3.5-4.5
Minolta 70-210 f/4 Beercan
Sony 55-200

price paid:

35USD (used)

positive:

Hand built and solid.
color (could pass for a Minolta)
great 135 macro

negative:

Heavy. but it is all glass and steel.
stop down 1/2 stop and it becomes
tack sharp.

comment:

This is a tank of a lens and awesome walkaround.
It has seen a long service life with me and it is always a trusty shooter.
Dropped, dirty, wet..... still clean, fast and sharp.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: derekw   review date: June-04-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 35-105 f3.5-4.5 original

price paid:

19 GBP used

positive:

Very sharp across the range.
Good colour and contrast
Build - all metal
no noticeable distortion
55mm filters

negative:

MFD - 1.5m
Heavy
Appears to be very rare.

comment:

Purchased from ebay for next to nothing - a steal.

Very similar IQ to Minolta 35-105 - enough said.

I often use it in lieu of the 35-105 due to its extra reach - a fair difference on APSC.

Highly recommended if you can find one!!