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Tamron 150-600mm Lens

Discussion in 'Animal Photography' started by Hix, 5 Aug 2014.

  1. Hix

    Hix Wildlife Enthusiast and Lover of Islands 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Has anyone tried the Tamron 150-600mm lens? I've seen some good looking photos taken with it (at least, they look good on the computer) and I'm just wondering what users think of it.

    :p

    Hix
     
  2. Jackwow

    Jackwow Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    No experience of it myself but here's a link to a thread on Talk Photography about it.

    Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 DI IF VC USD | Talk Photography

    A lot of the early posts are probably about a focus issue and its availability and impressions of it / examples of images taken with it, are probably towards the end of the thread.
     
  3. azcheetah2

    azcheetah2 Well-Known Member

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    I've never used one, but I'd recommend using at least a monopod with it, no matter how steadily you are usually able to hold your camera. I've used a 50-500mm and it could get fuzzy at the 500mm end.
     
  4. nanoboy

    nanoboy Well-Known Member

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    Did you buy it in the end?
     
  5. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Not seen one in person, but following it with interest on the photography forums. By all accounts it seems to be the first lens in this range and price that produces professional grade pictures. (Previous attempts at a lens like this have produced soft images and the only sharp alternative is a fixed 500 f/4 which costs as much as a car).

    Apparently early models had sluggish focus which Tamron was able to correct if you sent it back for factory repair. New batches should be corrected.

    You may have also seen that Sigma has just announced they are coming out with the exact same thing. Actually, they are coming out with two versions of the same thing - a sports model with heavier duty sealing (and slightly larger) and a contemporary model that is a bit smaller and lighter.

    For those who do not follow photography closely, Sigma is a third party lens manufacturer that completely reinvented itself a couple years ago. They are coming out with all new lenses built to professional specs previously reserved for the highest end offerings from the name brands (Canon or Nikon). According to reviews from very serious photographers, the new Sigma Corporation is absolutely killing it with their stellar lenses and I expect these to be no exception.
     
  6. Hix

    Hix Wildlife Enthusiast and Lover of Islands 15+ year member Premium Member

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    No, I bought a new camera body instead - the Canon 70D.

    :p

    Hix
     
  7. nanoboy

    nanoboy Well-Known Member

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    I bought this lens back in November. We love it! It's a bit heavy and cumbersome at times, but we use it with a monopod and that makes it manageable. For the price, it's probably the best super telephoto lens on the market.
     
  8. nanoboy

    nanoboy Well-Known Member

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    Yes, at 600mm I have found that photos look fuzzy, with nothing really in focus. I just dial back a notch to 550mm say and it's fine.
     
  9. Osprey71

    Osprey71 Well-Known Member

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    I have the Sigma 150 - 500, It is a great lens. I have heard so many things about the tameron 150 - 600 when it first came out. That why I went for the sigma . tameron were surposed to have fix the problem With the lens as so many people were returning it.

    The Tameron 150 - 600 II is surposed to be better. I will wait till the price comes down. I have tried it in the camera store and it is great. if you want to do wildlife photos. Even the camera store guy has one and he is happy with it for that purpose.