Tamron  AF 28-300 F3.5-6.3 XR Di  reviews

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: pagespix   review date: September-19-09  

    tested on film camera:

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

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Minolta 70-210/4, 28-85 /3.5~4.5, 100-200/4.5, 75-300/4.5~5.6

positive:

Light Weight, Compact, Focal Range, Sharpness, Macro capability, excellent outdoor lens.

negative:

Hunting / slow to focus, Horrible Macro Focus, Loose manual focus, Not a true 300mm?

comment:

This is the best all purpose lens in my bag. Either I got a good copy or this is a great lens.

First the good:
When it focuses it's dead on.
It's range and size make it the perfect lens for a day trip or when you want to only carry one lens.
Macro pictures need to be manually focused, but come out sharp.
Build quality, this is not a 'plastic feeling lens' as someone suggested. This lens is mostly metal and feels like it.
The zoom ring is smooth.

The Bad:
NOT a low light lens.
Slow to focus/hunting.(Once the lens does focus, it's tight except for macro shots.)
Some play in the focus ring(could just be mine.)
Says it's 300mm, but compared to a minolta and sigma 300mm lens, does not compare right, this lens looks like it tops out in the 280s.

This is a great one lens solution. It has all the range you need for a day out at a zoo, park, bird watching or hiking. The weight makes it all day friendly when your tired of carrying a bag full of lenses. This is not a lens to bring to an indoor party, unless there is a lot of light or you have plenty of time to focus. I do a lot of hiking and this lens is the best for that. Auto focus works terrible on macro, and the manual focus ring is tough to get 'just right', but when you do the results are impressive.

Lastly, the sharpness in the top end does soften slightly, but on par with other zoom lenses in this range.

sharpness: 2,5 

color: 2 

build: 1 

distortion: 2 

flare control: 2 

user: DarkScribe   review date: July-20-09  

    tested on film camera:

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

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Sony 75-300, Minolta 75-300 (Big Beercan) Sigma 70-300 DL Macro

positive:

Very little that can be regarded as positive other than the low new price. It is a poor performer that it is clearly outclassed by Sony's 75-300 kit lens.

negative:

Wobbly plastic construction, in any but bright light it is prone to hunt when trying o focus, soft at all focal lengths, attracts CA, colours not good.

comment:

I can't understand how anybody has reviewed this lens well - I can only assume that they are novices who have experienced nothing but a low zoom kit lens. I have looked at two copies, owned one (purchased in a bulk buy) and both are the same. It was cheap to buy when new, less than the Sony kit lens and performs worse than any other xx - 300 that I have ever used. It is plastic junk.

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: jakubh70   review date: October-14-08  

    tested on film camera:

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

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

Tamron 18-250 DiII
Sigma 28-300, 70-300 APO, DG, APO DG, Minolta 100-300 APO, Minolta 75-300 New

price paid:

200 GBP

positive:

Good sharpness, acceptable AF speed, 1:2,9 macro, best 28-300 ultrazoom I had.

negative:

Nothing special for ultrazoom lens...

comment:

Seems that my copy was the best one I could get. It was amazingly sharp throughout the range from F5,6-6,3 on, even at 300mm, being sharper than mentioned xx-300mm APO lenses above. At F8/300mm was as sharp as Minolta APO 100-300 at F8/210mm. Amazing? Yes, at least for me. Only 75-300 New was sharper, but with a lot more CA.

From the other hand it was soft at F3,5-F4 apertures at wide end, but stopping down to F5,6-F8 helped to take excellent sharpness also here, apart of corners where some CA appeared. Beyond wide range CA was alomost invisible. AF works fast enough, much faster than in 18-250 and more precisely than in Sigma's.
One can say 6,3/300 is slow, but I like better sharp 6,3/300 than soft 5,6/300, that gives acceptable results when stopped down to 11/300, what was my 70-300 Sigma's and Minolta APO problem.

Last but not least - usable semi-macro mode, due to internal focusing this lens at 300mm zoom position and 0,5 m from object becomes ~150mm telemacro, achieving 1/2,9x ratio.

I have also Tamron 18-250 that is sharp from wide end wide open, but not so sharp over 150mm. I keep it as more usable for A700.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 3 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: Bossie   review date: September-16-06  

    tested on film camera:

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

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

sigma 28-300 , older tamron 28-200 and 300 lenses

price paid:

180 € on ebay (used)

positive:

Best zoom lens in this range I ever had . Sharp up to 220mm. Quite small

negative:

Worse build quality then older models . Not sharp on the long end

comment:

It's my first zoom lens in this range which produces acceptable pictures

sharpness: 4,5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: Skydragoness   review date: July-16-06  

    tested on film camera:

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

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

positive:

Relatively fast AF

negative:

AF hunts a lot in low light.

comment:

My first lens for the 5D, it has been extremely useful when going to horse shows and motorsports events. The AF could be faster, but its not that shabby. I use it primarily for outdoor photography.

Here's an example of some high-speed shots I took:
http://nissaninfiniticlub.net/photopost/data/500/19623MAdrift.jpg
http://nissaninfiniticlub.net/photopost/data/500/19623DriftpeopleS14.jpg

Lots of cropping were involved because of a chain-link fence that was in the way (that was wreaking havoc w/ the AF but I managed).

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: hiryu   review date: March-15-06  

    tested on film camera:

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

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

positive:

Very wide zoom range, very good price

negative:

Slow focusing spped indoor, Hunts for focus or is unable to focus in darker condition

comment:

Very good outdoor lens.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: aarif   review date: November-12-05  

    tested on film camera:

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

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

positive:

Covers a very big range and that is very useful for traveling.
very sharp under 200mm.

negative:

Slow AF hunts a lot specially indoors and it’s significantly softer at 300

comment:

If you’re on a tide budget or like to travel light this is a good lens to have.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: filipcharvey   review date: August-06-05  

    tested on film camera:

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

    tested on full frame:25MP

compared to:

positive:

Nice wide range 42-450 mm on 7D , Good quality Price

negative:

Manual focus not easy because too short ring range, rather usable in outdoor application , too dark for shot indoor without flash

comment:

Works very very well on my 7D , some back focus in low light, normal for this type of lense !