New Lens I want!!! Tamron SP AF70-300mm Di VC USD Lens

[Derf]

I had been loving my El Cheapo 70-300 Di Tamron lens for about $160 and was talking to Tamron about the new VC that offers 3-4 stops of IS. I started reading reviews and was stunned! One review before it was release was saying they expect the price to be $800-$1000 dollars at release and was so sharp that you had to be careful not to cut yourself pulling it out of the bag.

THE LENS IS PRICED AT $450!!! and right now there is a $50 rebate bringing it to a mere $400!!!!!

The difference between the Non LD and LD lens that I have purchased for both $160 each were huge! With this new lens I was expecting good things but at a mere $450 with GREAT I.S. this is of real interest. I was looking up test shots and it looks like it blew the expensive Canon 70-300 IS out of the water and is much more inexpensive than the Canon. The more I read on this lens the more amazed I am. Test shots are getting me very excited!

I was really looking foward to some day getting a 70-200 2.8 and could not think about the $2000 price with IS for the new version. A dream at this point, but the image quality seems very close to the 70-200 and once again, the more I read and test shots I see are making me crazy! Can you see me shooting from the old control tower at 1/60th of a second???? I can't! I would try slower with that lens!

[emshighway]

I have the Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD VC since it came out and it is a great lens.

[adscram14]

I'm thinking about upgrading my Canon EF lens to this (XSi body). Thoughts?

[Derf]

I have been reading many reviews and they all seem great. This is the next lens on my list!

[adscram14]

I've made the plunge. Just sold my old Canon lens on eBay and bought this on Amazon!

[Derf]

Don't leave me hanging! What lens did you sell and I look forward to your comments in this new lens! Congrats!

[adscram14]

Don't leave me hanging! What lens did you sell and I look forward to your comments in this new lens! Congrats!

I sold my EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 lens that I bought when I bought the camera in June of 2009. It sold for $360 on eBay, which I am very happy about, considering the upgrade will cost less than $100. I'll put up sample pictures and a mini review as soon as I get out to the airport (probably next weekend). Thanks!

[Derf]

Holy crap!!! LOOK AT THIS!
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/5639/70mmtamcan.jpg
LINK TO FULL SIZE
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/5639/70mmtamcan.jpg

[lijk604]

Fred, looks like the Canon wins at f/4 through f/5. After that it's a virtual tie, or the Tammy is a little better.

[Derf]

MY NEW LENS... Yep, I pulled the trigger!

Left is the new 70-300VC - Middle is the 2nd gen 70-300DI - Right is the film 70-300
http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/photos/1199011553_KaaQP-XL.jpg

Pro's on all
The old 70-300 film lens on the right is cheap. 70-300 is sharp but not great at 200-300. The lens was just over $120 and for a 300mm lens it was a good buy and I loved it!

2nd gen 70-300DI was about $160 and it is tack sharp up to about 250mm and still very sharp at 300. My workhorse for years both the first gen and second gen had Macro mode that is TACK SHARP.

3rd gen 70-300VC I was not looking for IS in a lens but the reviews made me look at this lens over and over. Tack Sharp and even beating Canon's 70-200F4L lens with most settings and beating the 70-200 2.8L with about every setting from the test shots that I have reviewed. This lens is INSANE. I have had it for a short time but I am completely thrilled with the build quality, speed and image stabilization. My dream lens was the 70-200 2.8 and that is no longer the case. I am floored.

Tamron has 6 year warranty and I have had the first lens in repair about 3-4 times due to various issues. I was getting errors in the camera after dropping it in a lake for about 2 seconds....(YES IT ACTUALLY WORKED AFTER). A Few months later it started acting up again with errors. Then the apature started making a grinding noise and locked up (NOTE:this was after airshow and taking about 14 thousand pictures in 3 days!). Every time they work on it they did not charge me and fixed it well.

The second lens was in 2 times.... first time after shooting about 90K photos approx and this was at the end of the airshow where I took about 16 thousand photos in 3 days. The second time the lens split in half and was hanging on by a thread... obviously an impact somewhere down the road damaged it where not it needed to be fixed. I took it in and they charged me $90 for repair and now I keep the 4 years warranty on it but I had bad purple fringing on anything with a light. Not happy I take it back and after about 1 hour they tell me that it is not easy to fix and they can give me a replacement lens. I explain that I do not care if it is scratched or dented or painted pink with latex paint...I just want a lens I can use. THEY UNBOXED A NEW LENS IN FRONT OF ME AND HANDED IT TO ME!!!! I was once again floored! Now I have a bran new 70-300DI Macro f4-5.6 lens and 1 week later I just Purchased the VC lens. I have 2 NEW Tamron Lens's.

Con's to Tamron.... Weight of my first two lens's was light compared to Sigma. Sigma HAD much higher build quality and feel that the Canon el cheapo and Tamron lacked. Tamron had the best image quality period! This changed quite a bit with the VC Lens.... This lens is SOLID. The weight is great and the feel is perfect. It is much smaller and lighter than the 70-200 2.8 that I dreamed about but the image quality blows away the more expensive Canon 70-300is. The IS on the Tammy is about 3-4 stops and that is great for shooting video so far.

That is the story of my three Tammy zooms, I also have the 28-70 2.8 made by Tammy but do not get me started about how sharp that lens is! That blows away all the other lens's in its class too and once again is cheaper than the inferior len's it is rated against!

I was never brand loyal, Tamron Changed that! If someone makes a better lens for less money I would buy it....but it has not happened for a long time.

[Derf]

Here is an un-editied shot ...Please click the link below for the full 18MP VERSION!

http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/photos/1206422194_Rph25-L.jpg

LINK FOR FULL SIZED IMAGE 18MP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/Site-Related/ForumsPics/2984723_jXp2Q#1206422194_Rph25-O-LB

Sorry about the backlight...some things I can not control
(http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/Site-Related/ForumsPics/2984723_jXp2Q#1206422194_Rph25)

[mattdueck]

So as I read, your saying that the cheaper Tamron lense out performs the image quality of a L-glass Canon of the same perimeters. Also where does Nikon fit into this this picture. I have read reviews of Tamron and Sigma and asked people about what they think and the phrase "you get what you pay for" comes up. I just cant believe that a third party lense would out perform a brand name lense.

Matt

[Derf]

Yes, You get what you pay for....but remember, there are few exceptions but there are exceptions to every rule! I owned the Tamron 28-75 2.8 . The Lens was $400 or so dollars and outperformed len's that cost more than $1000 from Canon. I have had it over 2 years and it is TACK SHARP. Best investment I ever made! Tamron has been making some Great Len's and build quality was a little on the weak side in the past but the optics were great. I have seen the build quality on the more expensive len's get to be as good as any other lens. The build quality on the cheap len's has been great lately with the new designs. They have a great track record with me after 7 years and I am sold, Hook line and sinker!

This lens should be MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE... I would RUN to the store and buy it! I would not get the 70-200 2.8 dream lens now and If I could have either that or this tammy for free....I would pick the Tammy

[Derf]

On a side note, I would imagine the new Canon 70-200 2.8 IS and the new 100-400is should outperform it but at $2000 and much more per lens, it is not worth it to me.

for $450 with a $50 rebate, this lens is a STEAL. I would not hesitate on Nikon as one
of the guys here at work is ranting about his Nikon model as much as I rant about my Canon model..

P.S. The lens won the EISA Award for 2010-2011 best Product in the zoom lens field
Link
http://www.eisa.eu/awards/3/photo.html

[Derf]

I am still loving my new lens.... 100% crops are awesome and the difference in quality from my old 70-300 is insane. I CAN NOT WAIT FOR AIRSHOW!!!!

Here is a a shot from the other day
http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/Aviation/JFK-Assorted-Photos/i-zWvPmTN/0/L/IMG3085-L.jpg

FULL SIZE IMAGE (CLICK HERE) (http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/Site-Related/ForumsPics/2984723_jXp2Q#1287446265_GJ6rfh2-O-LB)

[billv]

Fred, this lens, for the price, sure looks like a winner. How is the response when in continuous AF while panning? For example, fast jets or birds in flight? Your pics looks real sharp at 300mm. Thanks.

[Derf]

It has the high speed Tamron motor that does not seem as fast as the Crazy ultra ludicrist Canon USM but feel that it will be more than what I need. I have panned with cars and planes with great results. I would always recommend putting it thru its paces at your local camera shop first to make sure you like the Feel, Build quality, focus speed and most important, the wow factor. I love my lens, I loved my old lens and this blows it right out of the water! Sharp as a razor!

[Derf]

I love the 3-4 stops of IS (called VC for Tammy)

http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/Aviation/New-KFRG-shots/i-J4KgLbj/0/L/IMG0954-L.jpg
1/80th of a second at 300MM, and was not event trying hard to steady myself!

[billv]

Thanks Fred, Awesome