Tamron SP AF 200-500 F5-6.3 Di LD IF  reviews

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: maxeythecat   review date: March-21-13  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 50 500
Sigma 150 500
Tamron 200 400 LD

price paid:

680 USD (used)

positive:

Beautiful color, snappy autofocus absolutely dead on sharp even at 500mm

negative:

None that I've come across so far...

comment:

I'm seldom at a loss for words, but occasionally I'll come across something that has the capability of rendering me speechless...this is one of those times. Well, not exactly that but I'm so over the moon with this lens I might as well be.
Lighter in weight with an AF that leaves the Tamron 200 400 LD eating dust, it gives you beautiful tack sharp pictures that are a joy to behold. It's still a pretty hefty bit of glass to carry around but it's much easier on the arms than it's predecessor which makes hand held shots a delight. Agreed it does hunt a bit when in low light but not nearly as bad as most lenses I've owned and when paired with a Sony SLT it quickly becomes a non-issue.
This is a true birding/wildlife lens in every sense of the word...you can literally snap a picture of whatever critter is loitering about and be gone before they even realize you were there. In the park, out in the wilderness or even at your local neighborhood bird feeder, this is a must have addition to any photog's gear collection...granted it still can cost a pretty penny but let me assure you, the expense is absolutely worth it.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: danny001   review date: November-02-12  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 400/4.5
Sony 500 Reflex
Tamron 70-200/2.8
Sony 16-50/2.8
Sony 50/1.8
Sony 85/2.8

price paid:

930€

positive:

Sharp all the way
Focus is fast enough on A77
Very light and small
I like the built-in hood

negative:

becomes long when at 500mm
hood is very long
needs two turns to go from 200 to 500mm

comment:

I bought this lens mainly because I shoot birds. And I couldn't be more happy. It is as sharp as the Minolta at 400mm and sharper than the 500 Reflex. The AF is just fine on the A77, although the Minolta was a little bit faster but not by much.

I sold the Minolta 400/4.5 because of the reach. For birds you need all the mm's you can get and a 500mm will give you better results most of the time.

The lens is very light and small (in diameter), so easy to handhold it.
It does get quite long at 500mm, but not much of a problem for me. I like the built-in hood very much. No need to put the extra hood on, it is very long and it looks kind of ridiculous at 500mm.

One minus : it has trouble with high contrast black and white scenes. For example a black bird on a white sky. You will see some CA. But 95% of the time there is no CA, so don't worry too much of this.

This lens is a keeper, very happy. For pictures with his lens you can take a look here, http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/3480416386/albums

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: winet   review date: October-27-12  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Nikon 500mm F4
Nikon 300mm 2.8
Sigma 50-500mm
Canon 400mm DO
Minolta 400mm 4.5

price paid:

899

positive:

Light
Very good sharpness at 500mm
Focus is very fast on A77
Price
Hood
Removsble tripod mount

negative:

For the money None
Not heavy duty but I have never worn out a lens.I guess i don't use them enough.

comment:

As you can see I have owned some big glass over the years and as I get older I have less desire to lug around heavy lenses. I have owned this lens in the Canon and Nikon mounts in the past and while it was a good performer the focus speed was always the weakest link.

I use this type of lens primarily for birding and auto racing. My first outing with the Tamron was shocking. I went to an Off Road race at Firebird Raceway in Chandler.AZ


The shot I was taking was difficult because I was shooting the trucks in mid air going over a jump but there was the fencing so not much time to focus when the truck was above the fencing. Much to my surprise over 90% of the shots were in focus.Sequences of three frames were also in focus.

With the Sony a77 this lens is terrific. However I would not recommend it for sports shooting in Nikon or Canon mounts.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: timetoeatfood   review date: October-09-12  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 70-200 f2.8

price paid:

650 (used)

positive:

Gives you long reach at an affordable price.

negative:

-Need a tripod when zoomed in to 500. I know, boo-freakin-hoo, huh?

-Filter for lens size is pricey and hard to find

comment:

I bought this lens after a whale-watching trip where my 70-200mm just didn't cut it. I've taken it shooting several times and the sharpness is nothing short of amazing.

The day I got it, I went into "creepy neighbor" mode and shot random things around the neighborhood from my parents' balcony. I was able to get license plates of moving cars at around 500 feet, parked cars around 800 feet, the numbers on a house at 1750 feet, and some kids playing in a yard on the hills a mile and a half away (according to Google Maps).

I then went into "less-creepy" mode and took it with me to the coast. Most of the birds were around 50-100 feet from me and the camera and it got amazing detail.

Here's a shot I took, before any post-processing (condensed for facebook, sorry).

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/601437_10100508923225843_1405574665_n.jpg

The lens is small enough and light enough to put in my bag, but probably not light enough to keep on the camera all day if I'm hiking.

When zooming in on small objects from far away, your hands are generally too jittery to be able to handle it. You'll need a tripod. Even a monopod gives spotty results.

If you want a telephoto lens that won't cost you thousands of bucks, this is the one to get.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: gooseta   review date: September-20-12  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tammy : 17-50/2.8, 90/2.8, 70-300/4-5.6, 28-200
Sony : 55-200, 50/1.8
Samyang 8mm/3.5

price paid:

£400 ($650)! Used

positive:

*Stunningly sharp at f8-11
*Lighter than primes or a bigma
*Well made
*Filter ring is handy
*Great build quality

negative:

*None

comment:

Oh my word! The sharpness is absolutely amazing. Throughout the focal range this lens is better than any telephoto zoom on the market. It's sharpness at f8 is on par with the Sony 70-400G, which comes close to the performance of primes. This lens feels well built, and although it is about 16" fully extended, weighs a half of the Sigma 150-500. The filter control ring is a nice touch but 86mm filters are expensive :(. Very good for bird/wildlife photography and makes a great sports and airshow lens when paired with an SLT body. The focus is miles ahead of any tele lens I have used, and although it doesn't compare with ssm, or usd, it's pretty damn good. Best tele lens under $2000 bar 70-400g.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: trozky   review date: August-09-12  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

A very good lens for the money.

price paid:

1357 USD (new ebay)

positive:

Sharp image, good colours, picture quality

negative:

there are no shortcomings, only it is necessary to SSM

comment:

A very good lens for the money.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: HILLCLIMBER   review date: June-16-12  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 400 F5.6
Sigma 170-500
Tokina ATX 300SD F2.8
Sony 70-400G SSM

price paid:

£520 (used)

positive:

Sharpness
Wieght (lack of)
Price
Colour

negative:

None

comment:

This must be the most underrated lens on the planet, it`s performance coupled with astounding value for money and light weight makes it an absolute joy to use for aircraft or wildlife photography, I have tested it in identical situations against the Tokina and Sony, it beats the Tokina, and is every bit as good as the Sony, the only way I can tell the two apart on screen is the Tamron gives a slightly warmer colour.
Build quality is better than the light weight would suggest.
I have lost it to my wife now as she can not handle the wieght of the 70-400.
After using the lens for just under a year I can highly recommend it.
A useful point is the lock at 200mm, very handy for preventing lens creep when carrying on a monopod.
The massive hood can be a bit clumsy out in the woods but certainly does it`s job.
As others have said, F8 seems to be the sweet spot, this is a lens I will never part with.
I can only say if you are interested, buy it, you will not be disapointed.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 3 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: godsakes   review date: February-26-12  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 100-400mm
Sony 70-300mm g

price paid:

550 gbp

positive:

Great sharpness
Relatively light
Decent af speed

negative:

F6.3 at long end

comment:

As a specialist long range lens the tamron is a great compromise between range, weight and speed. Arguably lenses like the sigma 50-500mm or Sony 70-400mm g are more versatile but if your thing is birds or planes then this lens seems to make more sense as your tool.

It is much sharper than I had expected, smokes the min 100-400mm, better at 500mm than budget 70-300mm lenses are at 300mm. Indeed the sharpness is very close to the 70-300mm g, incredible given it's so much longer

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: PhilMorley   review date: September-02-10  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

sigma 50-500, sony 70-400

positive:

light for 500mm

negative:

comment:

bought it to replace the sigma. the tamron is not as solid a build but much lighter (so I liked it much better). nice lens, not as good as the sony but a very good lens for the price

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 3 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: A.N.   review date: March-06-10  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tokina - AT-X AF 300 F2.8

price paid:

1100 Euro (new)

positive:

negative:

comment:

sharpness: 3 

color: 3 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Misa   review date: February-04-10  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 150-500 mm
Sigma 120-400 mm
Sony 70-400 mm

price paid:

700

positive:

cheap
short
relatively compact

negative:

no fast and silent AF
only good in the first year of use
no good beyond 350 mm
sharp from f: 8 to f: 16

comment:

simply not good enough for digital -
nor for the alpha 900!

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Johnny the Gamer   review date: December-20-09  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

530 €

positive:

- very sharp at f/8
- built with a high quality
- a big spectrum of focal width

negative:

- 86mm filter size (filters for this size are very expensive)

comment:

The Tamron 5-6.3/200-500 is a nice lense.
Everyone, who searchs a sharp and good built lense, has to buy it !
But it isn't built for making snapshots, because you have to use a tripod everytime...

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: lomitamike   review date: December-02-09  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 100-300 APO, Sony 70-300G, Sony 70-400G.

price paid:

695 usd

positive:

Lightweight for range. Excellent colors. Filter adjustment. Tripod clamp. fun lens to shoot with.

negative:

Length at 500. Too long of turn to adjust zoom. Has to cycle through entire focus when it misses target and it's slow.

comment:

I have owned this lens for a couple of years now and still enjoy it like it's new. When used properly it will be more then adequate for any need at these focal lengths. On the A700 it tracks great using the center dual sensor. I've gotten very sharp photo's even at 500mm wide open. Since your processing your own it's only natural to adjust sharpness anyway for added sharpness. But there sharp right off the card.

I would prefer this lens over the Sony 70-300G. I did some comparisons and preferred this lens. The 200 to 300mm part of this lens seemed just as sharp as the Sony 70-300G.

The Sony 70-400G is another story. The difference between 400 to 500mm can easily be cropped to the same FOV as Tamron at 500, and from my test the Sony 70-400G was slightly sharper after cropping. The Tamron colors were more neutral then the warmer Sony. The bokeh can be great when shooting at minimul focal distance opened up. That's the hidden fun part of this lens.

Conclusion- I bought my 200-500 before there was a Sony 70-400G. At that time I made the right choice. When you compare the prices now ($600 more for the G) it's a choice that depends mostly on your budget. But the Tamron 200-500 is a better price/performance lens. The sharpness between the two is nearly impossible to tell even at 8 1/5 X 11" prints. Based on the ratings I would feel to safe say the Tamron 200-500 is a exceptional lens. The Sony being a great lens comparatively.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Alpha22   review date: October-14-09  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Leica R 105-280
Sony 70-300G

price paid:

490GBP

positive:

Lightweight for focal range
Sharp
Reasonably fast focusing for size of lens and very accurate.
A pleasing bokeh

negative:

Zoom control needs a lot of wrist movement

comment:

I was very pleasantly surprised at the handling of this lens as it is light but offers very precise and accurate focusing in the (good) light required to operate an F6.3 lens.

Successfully hand held when used with the A900 down to 1/80 at F10, ISO 400 at the full 500mm zoom. This lens is sharp when care is taken at 500mm. Whilst the lens is huge when fully extended much of the length is taken by the lens hood which is very deep. When fully retracted on camera without the lens hood mounted this lens is less than 10" in length, so it is easily carried around in an average DSLR bag.

The bokeh is also nicely rendered. This Tamron handles specular highlights rather well within the bokeh, another pleasant surprise for a relatively inexpensive lens.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: ce-kooistra   review date: August-12-09  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

All my lenses

price paid:

700 Euro (new)

positive:

Great range
Weight
Sharpness pretty decent for this price
Decent construction

negative:

Needs lots of light (stopping down for sharpness)
AF is slow

comment:

Though its no competition for my CZ lenses with regards to sharpness and build quality, i find it a very decent lens for the money.

I agree with others, lens needs to be stopped down to F8-F10 to get sharp images, and you need some time to get used to it (so do the people standing beside you, it's an eye-catcher...).

Proven to be quite useful lens in sports photography, if lighting conditions are good. Bokeh is acceptable, AF is rather slow but allright on A700.

Using the complete range from 200 up to 500 is not a problem at all for me, lens extends easily when pulled and pushed at the lens hood instead of using the ring.

Good stuff for the money!

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: rajneesh   review date: December-13-08  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

KM 18-70 Kit lens
Tamron 70-300
Minolta 400

price paid:

850 USD (New)

positive:

Sharp all through the range
Well Balanced
Light weight
Good Autofocus. Very good for handheld flying shots
Good hood

negative:

Nothing major (mostly nit picking)
Some purple fringing in extreme contrast conditions
Length with the hood gets you a lot of attention

comment:

My first long telephoto zoom across all brands and I should say my favorite.
It's light for something with a reach of 500mm and I have been able to handhold it all day on birding treks without my shoulder coming off at the end of the day. I have excellent results from it as it is consistently sharp right upto 500mm. It light enough to be handheld and so gives you a lot of flexibility while shooting wildlife especially birds, which I mostly do. It's my most preferred lens for bird flight shots; in good light and frame filling situations it can gives some primes a run for the money.
Autofocus is good and not blazing fast which is understandable in a zoom. Can hunt a bit in bad light. Only irritating thing about this lens is that while hunting it will go through the whole range which slows it down.
Build quality is better than it looks. I have used it in trying conditions (dusty, very hot and cold) for long stretches. It still has no dust accumulations and just one scratch. Got this scratch on the foot when my friend accidently dropped it on asphalt. My lens escaped with just a scratch but this is not a recommended test :) Apart from that the lens looks as good as new. Only irritant regarding the build is the tight manual focus ring.
I initially debated between this and the Sigma 50-500, but I am thankful to have gone ahead with this as I have seen my friends in the field struggle with Bigma's weight. At the end of the day I can say that I have had more image making opportunities and shots and very rarely found hindered by the inability to go below 200mm. It should be considered that I used this lens mainly for Bird photography.
A highly recommended lens, value for every cent you spend on it. I would say THE zoom for handheld bird photography

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: tomcoltrain   review date: December-04-08  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron AF 200-400 5.6

price paid:

730 USD

positive:

Relatively lightweight
Good range
Autofocus seems accurate

negative:

Autofocus is not very fast
It takes up a lot of room in the case.

comment:

I find that I often can use this lens hand held even at 500mm.
At first I thought the rotation required to go through the full zoom range was a disadvantage but then I realized that all I have to do is hold the zoom ring and push or pull. It rotates smoothly without my hand turning or having to change my grip. The zoom does creep slowly when the camera is pointing downward but that is not a major problem. Overall I am very pleased with this lens.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: BrownJenkin   review date: April-20-08  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Beercan
Sigma 100-300

price paid:

870 eur (new)

positive:

Weight
Range
Solid Build
Good sharpness

negative:

Feels like a John Rambo lens
Zoom ring
Big filter size

comment:

04/20/2008
I've tested the lens just once, a professional volleyball match. I will update my review soon.

The lens is well balanced and solid, with an handy ring for tripod-monopod and a useful filter holder can rotate the filter when you have the hood mounted.
Filter size is... well... big so prepare your money for an 86mm polarizer. The most annoying thing in this lens is the zoom ring. You can't rotate it from 200 to 500 with just an hand rotation, you need two rotation to get to 500. In sport/action this could be very difficult to handle.

Weight and balance are quite good, with the hood mounted the lens looks like a mass destruction weapon, but I don't care. Sharpness is quite good, just a little soft at 500 full aperture. Color is fine.

05/04/2008

After using the lens in some nature shooting, my impressions are still very good. I'll add a middle point to sharpness. AF speed is far from perfection: in low contrast situations you can get the right focus, but after a "long" time. I continue to find the zoom ring totally unusable in quick action.
Apart from this problems, the lens performs quite well.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Hezu   review date: March-29-08  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony AF 70-400G

positive:

Long reach
Good image quality
Reasonably light-weighted

negative:

Slow
Bulky, especially at 500 mm and with hood
Rather long closest focusing distance (2.5 m)

comment:

I have owned this lens since September 2005 and it has been my primary birding lens ever since. With 7D AF speed was not spectacular, but now with α-700 it is quite ok - at least in conditions with plenty of light. The lens is light enough that it works quite fine hand-held, although the large size makes it bit cumbersome to handle. The focal range is quite handy, although occasionally I have wished for more in either end of the range.

Addendum: After buying Sony 40-700G this Tamron has turned to be less spectacular in AF and image quality, but that tells more about how good that Sony is. As result, since Tamron 200-500 has seen practically no use lately, I sold it to fund α77 purchase.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: electron3   review date: January-17-08  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Canon 500mm f4.5

price paid:

850usd (new)

positive:

Lightweight, great lens hood, pretty good autofocus. Great zoom range.

negative:

Not too sharp above 450mm

comment:

For a "hiking in the wilderness" telephoto this is a great lens. It's light, pretty sharp, and has good reach. It needs to be stopped down to f8 or fll. A good tripod helps but you can usually find a tree or rock to rest it on. The neoprene case it comes in works great as a lens rest when filled with a vest or such. The lens hood is great, keeps stray light, rain, and snow out of the lens.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: ruvmendis   review date: October-31-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

200-500mm coverage
relatively less heavy
accurate AF
1:5 magnification

negative:

very long at 500mm with lens hood attached
Looks like a bazuka
focus ring rotates during AF
relatively small aperture
not as sharp towards the long end
Slow auto focus especially at 500m.

comment:

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: geardown   review date: September-19-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

beercan, 75-300 kit lens, 18-250

price paid:

600 USD

positive:

Sharp, sharp, sharp
Continuous AF good enough for fast moving jets - *when already pre-focussed*
Light and easy - you can shoot with this all day and still be fresh
You can get great handheld aviation shots out to at least 450mm
Nice neoprene lens bag

negative:

Lack of 50-200 range means you will lose some close shots in aviation photography (realy big aircraft or small aircraft really close).
The way autofocus works (all the way in, then out to your object) is really slow and kinda sucks for aircraft shots - until you learn how to live with this, you will lose shots because of it.

comment:

I have used this lens for birds and aircraft. I love it, even after recognising its two comparative weaknesses.

I spent a day at an airshow sitting next to a woman using a bigma on her Pentax DSLR. She definitely got some taxiway/apron shots that I missed due to not having the 50-200 range. On the other hand, the lack of 50-200 on the Tammy actually forced me to go for some carefully composed partial aircraft/cockpit 'closeup' shots, and some of these were really good. I probably wouldn't have thought of them if not for the 200mm limit.

Also, the extra weight of the bigma was a real handful for her, and by the end ofthe day she was so tired that she wasn't trying for nearly as many air shots as I was.

A previous poster worried about the lens longevity in heat. Mine spent the first two years of its life birding in Kuwait, and it came to me in 'as new' shape, so I don't think it's a problem.

Finally, 500mm in any lens is a bit of a mixed blessing - it's actually not all that easy to use.

All in all, I'm glad I got this rather than the bigma. I'll get my weightlifting at the gym!

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: twb119   review date: July-27-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

100-300 Minolta APO

price paid:

943USD(out the door)

positive:

Light for its size
Price for what you get

negative:

slow

comment:

Great lens very good value for the money.
Use a tripod to get most out of it.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Roger Rex   review date: April-05-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Vivatar 500 reflex
Minolta 75-300
Minolta 100-400

positive:

superb price/performance; relative ease of use due to weight

negative:

comment:

Not based on any scientific measurements but the lens seems to be as sharp or sharper than the Minolta 100-400. Can be hand held (e.g., I've gotten very acceptable results of animals at the zoo under partly cloudy, fairly bright conditions) but I typically use a monopod, especially if light is low. The color rendition and other visual factors are pleasant to my eye. I would purchase this lens again without hesitation. A great value. Am not aware of any focusing speed problems but I have NOT used it for sports action photography.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Reto   review date: March-27-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 70-200/2.8 SSM G
Minolta 300/2.8 HS G
Minolta 500/8 Reflex

positive:

Compact and light weighted
Good price/performance ratio

negative:

zoom ring can not be turned in one motion

comment:

A very good performer for its price. It benefits from stepping the aperture down to somewhere between f8 and f11 on one hand and a tripod on the other hand. It produces very pleasant colors.

The most annoying drawback to me is that the zoom ring needs to be turned about 200 degrees between 200mmm and 500mm focal length. This can not be done just out of the wrist of your (typically) left hand. About 90 degrees would be the maximum. This forces you to re-grip the zoom ring, which takes time and usually breaks my feeling of the focal length I'm currently at. When shooting fast moving targets like approaching/departing airplanes, I'm usually too slow to change the focal length quickly enough due to this.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Phil   review date: March-25-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

850

positive:

Sharp image, good colours, light weight

negative:

focus hunting... well not exactly hunting but travels lenght of range before stopping.
better to pre-focus before AF

comment:

My options were Sigma's 50-500 or The Tamron 200-500 and went with this lense strictly base on weight. I figured if it was half the weight of the other I would probably use it twice more often. Which is exactly the case so far, infact, it's the first lens I consider to have with me on my walks to the parks and am always surprise that it never had my attention until I got home and the wife ask whether it was too much of a burden. The pictures handheld were quite good but are much sharper using a monopod and even sharper still with a tripod. Picture, colours and contrast are good. In certain lighting conditions, mostly with bright backgrounds, a slight amount of CA is noticeable and only when viewing on picture in zoom. My only concern with this lens, blame it on naivety and ignorance, is the plastic housing which gives the lense it's light weight, the reason I bought it in the first place, but I just can't shake this pessimistic feeling of how well it will hold up in very hot climates.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Old Pirate   review date: March-17-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Beercan
Sony 75-300

price paid:

835 USD (New)

positive:

Truly sharp for a long zoom.
Easy to handle for size.

negative:

Dark days will test your ability to use manual focus.

comment:

The lens lives up to the comments of others. Truly sharp for a mid priced long zoom. Color is good and brokeh is very acceptable.

Needs light for AF to work quickly, but well worth the effort. I used a CL Polarizing lens for a while and found the image degraded. I went back to a UV and the sharpness returned.

I read all the other reviews below long before I bought this one and find the comments found here are accurate.

I've had this lense for about a year. It is a very good lens, but not a great lens which is reflected in the price of course.

Many of the birds in this collection of mine were taken with this lens. http://www.flickr.com/photos/trapboy/sets/72157604130492602/

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: paulobro   review date: February-10-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

Excellent sharpness, good image quality. Light and small (for range), can easily be handheld.
Good price.

negative:

Bad bokeh frequently demands post processing. Zoom creep.

comment:

Very good performer.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: thehazmatguy   review date: January-30-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 170-500 and 50-500

price paid:

$550

positive:

Filter/hood mount
Sharpness of photos

negative:

Draws a crowd
86mm filter availability

comment:

I'll agree with someone else's review- This lens gets better with use (practice).

I got the lens just before a trip to Yellowstone so I didn't get to play with it much. I decided to use a higher ISO than normal and go with a semi-fast shutter speed. I didn't get near the results I wanted.

A few months later I went to Costa Rica. After reading some reviews/suggestions I set apature priority at 8 to 10ish and kept the ISO low... Wow. What a difference. You'll have to pry this lens out of my cold, dead hands- I'm never getting rid of it!

I really like the Filter/hood mount. The hood mount screws on like a filter, then the hood snaps onto the hood mount with a short turn. This means that you can mount a protective filter, then the hood mount and then a CPL filter. The hood mount spins about 720 degrees so you can adjust your CPL just by turning the hood. Easy!

For it's size it's a pretty light lens. It's well balanced and you can get away with hand holding at longer lengths. That's why I chose it over the Bigma 50-500, wich felt heavier. Also, the Tamron seems to focus MUCH faster than either Sigma that can do 500mm. It's a good trade if you don't need the 50-200 coverage the Sigma can offer.

Additional notes: 1) be prepared to mail order filters 2) be prepared to talk to people because this lens draws a crowd 3) Get a backpack because you won't want to leave this lens at home.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: ferretracer   review date: January-18-07  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta maxxum 75-300
Minolta 300mm f4 APO (4/09)

price paid:

850 USD new

positive:

Build, range, relative lightness, picture quality

negative:

none as of yet!

comment:

I edited this lens after comparing to Minolta 300mm f4 APO

I just got this lens about a month ago from my whole family for my birthday and absolutely love it! Even in low light, I have been able to get nice shots of small song birds- even at 500mm!
I love the strong feel of the lens, the removable tripod collar, the lock switch for when it is at 200mm (I do a lot of hiking and need this for when it is in the bag- I wouldn't want it to slide around) and it has also been fast enough even on overcast days. I also love the lightness of it!
Internal focus is a big plus and it also has a piece on the front for filters that rotates if teh filter needs to be rotated. This piece can also be removed by an easy unscrewing (nice feature!!)

Great quality for the price!

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: calpon   review date: August-08-06  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

870

positive:

Sharper than should be for something that sells for this price in this zoom category. Reasonable to hand hold at 500mm

negative:

This lens stands out in a crowd at full zoom

comment:

I compared this to the Bigma and decided on the Tamron because it is lighter and all the reviews stated it was a little sharper. This lens is great for sporting events and at the park or zoo. I was able to use it at a night baseball game in a minor league stadium with great results, but it would be nice if it were a little faster.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: csiems   review date: April-13-06  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 75-300DL

price paid:

789€

positive:

Very fine sharp lens
Not that difficult to handhold

negative:

Much screwing on the zoom-barrel to get from 200 to 500mm

comment:

I've only used this lens for one week - 500 shots, but so far I'm very content. It's sharp even wide open. It can be handheld, bur I've also used a monopod to help.
It IS huge and takes up a lot of space in your camerabag, and with the hood on and zoomed in, you will be sure to be noticed :-)
I'm not sure, that I can rate flare and distortion correctly, but nothing strikes my eyes.
The lens comes with a fine neoprene bag.
Recommended!!
20/6: I've used the lens for 2? month now, and I'm still very content. It has helped me to many fine shots of birds.
13/10-06 - I've downrated the sharpness a bit. Not because I'm not satisfied, but there MUST be some difference to lenses much more expensive.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: dynacam   review date: February-15-06  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 75-300 /f4.5-5.6

positive:

Easy to use, can be hand held

negative:

Big filter

comment:

Its a great lens, but vey long once the hood is on
f8 seems to be its sweet spot ..

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: DenisG   review date: December-05-05  

tested on film camera:

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

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

Compact (for a 500mm lens)
Delight to handle
Well built
Killer value for money

negative:

86mm filters!
Needs light to work at its best.

comment:

A delightfull lens to use with an excellent range. In 7D and 5D terms it must be remembered that it is effectively a 300-750mm lens. It seems to perform best at the f8 to f11 apertures for sharpness but wide open the results are quite acceptable. Excellent value for the money. EDIT: 10 June06 - 1 Year on and I have to say this is a cracking lens. It just gets better the more you use it, and I use it a lot. Having now seen lots of pics from it I can say it is undoubtedly sharp throughout but mine is best at f10.
May 2013: 8 years on, still using the same lens and it has taken 10s of thousands of photographs. Still a wonderful lens to use and the zoom action loosened up slightly from new but not by a lot and is still ideal. Due to air displacement by being a zoom it now has some very fine dust particles inside but this does not cause much, if any, deteriation in the output. I might try Tamron UK for a cleaning price but am loth to risk potential problems that may cause.
Divide the initial cost by 8 years of faultless use and the value for money stakes jump dramatically for me. I wish my Sony lenses had been the same.