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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

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Tamron 300mm F5.6 lens samples
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 8:51 pm
Post subject: Tamron 300mm F5.6 lens samples
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 8:51 pm
Post subject: Tamron 300mm F5.6 lens samples
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In another thread where someone was asking about their 300mm lens that seemed to be a clone of this lens, I commented that I wasn't that happy with the lens. So I was asked to post some examples. Here you go. These ones are from a year or two ago. Taken with my *istD. I'll try to get some new examples taken with my K7, but this is a start regardless.





Crop of previous pic




Crop of previous pic


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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 10:36 pm
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 10:36 pm
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Here are some taken today with my K7. Not bad, but still not as nice as I would like. Only really happy with the sparrow picture. I know lighting is not great in any of them, but I was just testing. Rolling Eyes

It could also be that I'm just to picky. I've been told that I am. Embarassed



Crop




Crop


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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 12:39 am
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 12:39 am
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In the Robin pic not even the grass looks sharp in the band of in focus. However, the Sparrow shot looks very good.


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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 12:51 am
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 12:51 am
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revers wrote:
In the Robin pic not even the grass looks sharp in the band of in focus. However, the Sparrow shot looks very good.


The one thing that I do find with the lens, is that I do occasionally get a good shot, but the conditions have to be just right. I get WAY more NG pics, then I do keepers. I don't get the same ratio with any of my other lenses.


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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 6:17 am
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 6:17 am
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Interesting... Do you happen to know what aperture you had selected for these shots?

Also, does the *istD or K7 give a focus confirmation, or are you just using your eye on the viewfinder to set the focus? On the second K7 shot, it looks like the leaf in front of the bird came out just a bit sharper than the bird. On my Aetna, I've found that I can get the focus close by eye, but I really need the focus confirmation to get it perfect.

Would you be able to take a photo of the front and rear of your lens? I'm starting to wonder if these had a coating difference, or some other design change...

Thanks


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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 6:25 am
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 6:25 am
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Oh, and just to double check- your lens is the "Auto Tamron 300mm f5.6", with the adapt-a-matic mount, correct? (ie: not the "Adaptall 300mm f5.6", the "Adaptall-2 SP 300mm f5.6", or even the older T-mount 300mm f5.6)


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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:04 am
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:04 am
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I have the 300 SP and in bright conditions it's great to use and really sharp CA is bad though. In darker conditions, I have to focus with live view.


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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 11:17 am
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 11:17 am
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Scheimpflug wrote:
Interesting... Do you happen to know what aperture you had selected for these shots?

Also, does the *istD or K7 give a focus confirmation, or are you just using your eye on the viewfinder to set the focus? On the second K7 shot, it looks like the leaf in front of the bird came out just a bit sharper than the bird. On my Aetna, I've found that I can get the focus close by eye, but I really need the focus confirmation to get it perfect.

Would you be able to take a photo of the front and rear of your lens? I'm starting to wonder if these had a coating difference, or some other design change...

Thanks


I was trying a few different apertures, but 90% of them were at F8. I took about 50 shots, and all the ones of the robin were about the same, the one posted was the best of the bunch. The *istD has a splitscreen, and the K7 does have focus confirmation. I'll try to remember to get some lens shots for you.


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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 11:18 am
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 11:18 am
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Scheimpflug wrote:
Oh, and just to double check- your lens is the "Auto Tamron 300mm f5.6", with the adapt-a-matic mount, correct? (ie: not the "Adaptall 300mm f5.6", the "Adaptall-2 SP 300mm f5.6", or even the older T-mount 300mm f5.6)


I actually believe (but not 100% sure), that it's the Adaptall 300mm F5.6 version. Maybe once I've taken a few pics, someone can confirm.


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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 8:07 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 8:07 pm
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I think that the shots are
- not always sharpest on the subjects you chose for the 100%
- perhaps blurred (or did you use a tripod?)

Remember: I's 300mm x 1.5 = at least 1/500 sec!
At least ! - better 1/1.000 sec!

with the K-7: Did you choose the correct focal length for the SR?

I have the 5.6/300 SP and found it to be VERY sharp even at 5.6.
Better than Siga APO and Tamron 70-300 Di.
And of course I did NOT use the AF-confirmation of the camera but the screen! I always found the max. sharpness not to be on the AF-confirmation light but always a bit off this point.
-regardless which Pentax dslr (Ds, 100, 10, 20, 200, Km) or lens


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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:05 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:05 pm
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I'm sure it's the lens, not the operator, as I get WAY better shots with my mirror, and mirrors are known for not being that sharp. I did make sure I set the SR to the correct focal length. I think I'll just end up selling this lens, as I've just never been happy with it. Get myself a Tak of the same length.

Paul wrote:
I think that the shots are
- not always sharpest on the subjects you chose for the 100%
- perhaps blurred (or did you use a tripod?)

Remember: I's 300mm x 1.5 = at least 1/500 sec!
At least ! - better 1/1.000 sec!

with the K-7: Did you choose the correct focal length for the SR?

I have the 5.6/300 SP and found it to be VERY sharp even at 5.6.
Better than Siga APO and Tamron 70-300 Di.
And of course I did NOT use the AF-confirmation of the camera but the screen! I always found the max. sharpness not to be on the AF-confirmation light but always a bit off this point.
-regardless which Pentax dslr (Ds, 100, 10, 20, 200, Km) or lens


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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 8:13 am
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 8:13 am
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Before you sell it, be sure to let us know if you figure out which generation it was. Wink
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