Tamron SP 31A 200-500mm f5.6, tested with Olympus OM-D E-M5

[SXR_Mark]

Welcome to the results of my tests of this monster of a lens. Details of the lens can be found at the adaptall-2.org site. The table and optical diagram below are from that site.





Two days ago, I tested the lens with my standard test chart using my Olympus OM-D E-M5. The lens was tripod mounted via the lens mount. I tested it every 50mm from 200 to 500mm and at all half stops from f5.6 to f11. The test chart was always 26x the FL away from the camera, ensuring the chart is always a constant size in the image. When used wide open, there is colour fringing to be seen when looking at the pictures 100%. The fringing gets worse at the longer focal lengths. In fact, at 300mm and below, the fringing is very slight indeed even at f5.6 and basically non-existent by f11.

Wide open, things get progressively worse as the FL increases. From 350mm to 500mm the fringing is significant at f5.6. That's not to say that it is very bad though. Even at it's worst, and when viewing the full image on a 27" display, the fringing does not leap out and scream its presence. But enlarge to 100% and there is no missing it. The fringing does always drop significantly at f8, but it takes f11 to make it small enough to be classed as non-existent.

In terms of sharpness, the lens is very consistent and very good. I would say only at 500mm does the sharpness fall off, but it never gets bad.

My summary of this lens based on these tests is:

• Lens is excellent 200-450mm at f11. Should good excellent results even in bright sunlight.
• Sharpness is consistently high 200-450mm. Even at 500mm it is good at f11
• From 200-300mm, should give excellent results even in bright sunlight at f8 (and probably at f5.6).
• From 350-400mm at f8, bright sunlight could result in visible colour fringing; f11 would be safer aperture.

Today I did another test sequence that might simulate a real world situation. The idea was too see if the results of the test chart will be translated into real world performance. Ideally, I would have a cooperative creature that could sit in a tree for the hour or two that it would take to perform the test sequences. I found the ideal subject in the form of "Panda", who is about 7cm tall in the body and was quite happy to be tied into a tree for the duration if the testing. Sunlight was shining directly onto Panda, making the scene as bright and contrasty as it can get in early December in northern England. He was about 5.6m from the camera. The distance was NOT changed when lens FL was changed. The crops areas thus represent an increasingly small part of the overall picture. There is no PP in any of these shots. The full image is reproduced (down sized) at f5.6, and then 100% crops at f5.6 to f11.

I apologise for the large number of test pictures, but there is a large parameter space to cover in a lens like this. I will add some real pictures in replies to this thread., so those people who do not want to wade through the test results can skip ahead now.

RESULTS AT 500mm FOCAL LENGTH

Focal length = 500mm, @ f5.6, Full image


Focal length = 500mm, @ f5.6, Crop


Focal length = 500mm, @ f6.7


Focal length = 500mm, @ f8


Focal length = 500mm, @ f9.5


Focal length = 500mm, @ f11


RESULTS AT 450mm FOCAL LENGTH

Focal length = 450mm, @ f5.6





Focal length = 450mm, @ f6.7


Focal length = 450mm, @ f8


Focal length = 450mm, @ f9.5


Focal length = 450mm, @ f11


RESULTS AT 400mm FOCAL LENGTH

Focal length = 400mm, @ f5.6





Focal length = 400mm, @ f6.7


Focal length = 400mm, @ f8


Focal length = 400mm, @ f9.5


Focal length = 400mm, @ f11


RESULTS AT 350mm FOCAL LENGTH

Focal length = 350mm, @ f5.6





Focal length = 350mm, @ f6.7


Focal length = 350mm, @ f8


Focal length = 350mm, @ f9.5


Focal length = 350mm, @ f11


RESULTS AT 300mm FOCAL LENGTH

Focal length = 300mm, @ f5.6





Focal length = 300mm, @ f6.7


Focal length = 300mm, @ f8


Focal length = 300mm, @ f9.5


Focal length = 300mm, @ f11



Broadly, these tests support the results with the test chart. Overall, I would say the colour fringing is not obvious in any of the pictures when viewed as a whole. It is interesting that the 500mm pictures hold up subjectively very well against the pictures at shorter FL. Although the lens is sharper and has less colour fringing at shorter FL, the subject takes up less of the field of view so the defects remain a similar fraction of the subject size. In general, cropping and enlarging magnifies the defects in the picture as well as the subject. For example, a few pixels of fringing that is not noticeable in the entire picture become visible when the picture is cropped.

Mark

[SXR_Mark]

Whilst I was setting up for the above tests, a pair of tits appeared on the feeder. I wasn't expecting this and hadn't been planning on taking any real animal pictures. I am no birder, so these pictures should be taken as the best effort of a poor amateur. Shutter speed was not as fast as ideal, especially at f11 (typically 1/125s to 1/160s), so some blur due to motion of the birds is possible.Some shots have had a bit of sharpening. I was about 6m from the feeder. Even with 400mm these tits are still small in the field of view.

#1 400mm f11, full image


#2 400mm f11, crop


#3 400mm f11, full image


#4 400mm f11, crop


#5 400mm f11, full image


#6 400mm f11, crop


#7 400mm f11, full image


#8 400mm f11, crop


#9 400mm f8, full image


#10 400mm f8, crop


#11 400mm f8, full image


#12 400mm f8, crop


#13 400mm f8, full image


#14 400mm f8, crop

[SXR_Mark]

Finally, some felines.


#1 500mm f11

#2 Crop


#3 A bit under 300mm, f8


#4 Crop


#5 A bit under 300mm, f8


#6 Crop


#7 400mm f8


#8 Crop


#9 400mm f8


#10 Crop

[ManualFocus-G]

Woah, that is one BEAST of a lens! Congratulations, I've been lusting after one of these for years

Thank you for all your shots, looks like it is nice and sharp from f/8. Bird shots look great, any softness will be from their ultra fast movement and the high shutter speeds required by such a long lens on a crop body. Really well done.

[ManualFocus-G]

P.s. MUCH less purple fringing than I imagined there'd be too.

[Attila]

Thank you for sharing it, rarely seen pictures from this lens. A bit CA monster to me, result impressive at 500m

[SXR_Mark]

Thanks guys for your kind words.

[memento]

These images look very sharp and detailed to me. I'd never thought that of such an old super-telephoto zoom lens on a M43 camera. Amazing!

[SXR_Mark]

marcusBMG has asked me to re-instate the lost pictures in this report. I will try to do that, but it will take some time. In the meantime, here are some samples taken at the VSCC Curborough Sprint in 2013 with my Olympus E3. I don't know the exact focal length (something around 300mm I think) and I have no idea of the aperture (it was probably f8 or slower). the shutter speed was 1/160s, so don't expect perfect sharpness even though the lens was on a tripod.

Mark


Mark Walker, 1905 Land Speed Record Darracq (25,422cc V8 !!!!)


Clive Temple, 1924 Amilcar CGSs


Mike Painter, 1935 MG 'Kayne'


Terry Crabb. 1937 ERA R12C

[TrueLoveOne]

You did an excellent job with such a long manual zoomlens!

[marcusBMG]

Thanks for following up Mark, and those vintage car pics are splendid.

[SVP]

[kryss]

Mine is for sale in excellent condition +200f extender if needed.

[WNG555]

Superb shots!

[cooltouch]

Your shutter speed choice was a good one -- it was slow enough to blur the tires and wheels, which gives the cars a dynamic sense of movement. Too fast of a shutter speed and motion is frozen and the cars just look like they're parked.

I bought one of these huge beasts a couple of years ago. My assessments of it were that it is an amazingly sharp optic, even at 500mm wide open. I just wish it wasn't so blasted heavy.