Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical A-mount lens review by tobyjay

tobyjay#4159 date: Sep-30-2008
sharpness: 4.5 color: 3 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 5 overall: 4.1	tested on: film camera: APS-C: 6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP; 16MP; 20MP; 24MP full frame: 12MP; 24MP; 36MP; 42MP; 61MP
ownership:	I used to own this lens
compared to:	18-70 DT Sony 18-250 Sigma 2.8 zooms Fast primes
price paid:	Ebay new -going rate
positive:	Faster in low light than 18-70 Well engineered and built Pretty sharp and good contrast 17mm plenty wide
negative:	Colours a bit disappointing Handling a bit awkward 50mm a bit short sometimes
comment:	Never as sharp as primes, but still sharper than the kit zoom. Not sharp wide open at edges. Quite a conspicuous lens, and I didn't get comfortable with the handling for some reason. I took some very nice dramatic landscape silhouettes backlit by the setting sun with this lens and the contrast was spot on, lots of detail, and no flare at all. The colours varied from being a little weak to a bit 'sandy' and also pictures at ISO 400 on the A100 were noisier/grainier in artificial light that those taken with the kit lens wide open. The Tamron is sharp for the price but I didn't like the pictures enough to keep it. Still a good buy though - just not a replacement for primes or a big enough step up from the Sony zooms in terms of character Compared (without testing back to back) to the Sigma equivalent this has less distortion at the wide end. Easy to sell on.