Tamron 31A 200-500/5.6

[Xpres]

I had a quick look at my Tamron 31a yesterday.



It has spent most of it's time with me packed in the cupboard not because I don't like the lens, since I do, but because it's such a sod to use.
It's big, it's heavy and feels unbalanced unless you have a large camera attached (I'll try my E1 at the weekend). It's not the fastest lens and even on a heavy tripod camera shake is a problem - and is more noticeable with the 4/3 crop factor. A cable release and mirror lock up seems a good idea, but only for static subjects I suppose.
Image quality is OK with a bit of CA.
It focuses down to 2.3 metres which seems quite good...
But what, I wonder, was the purpose of this lens? Maybe sports - once focussed it is sharp thru the zoom range which would be handy but the two touch would slow things down and F5.6 isn't that fast. Wildlife? Same again, and the very high iso you'd need to get a fast shutter speed make the images no good.
Any ideas?

A couple of quick shots yesterday - wide open and close focus.

Purple fringing..






@Attila - Will shoot a variety over the weekend and let you have the files.

[luisalegria]

5.6 wasn't slow for a 500mm back in those days, even in the 1980's.

It certainly would have been a fairly desirable lens for such a purpose (sports) when it was new, as the typical consumer-class 500mm was an f/8 and faster ones were probably far more expensive.

Another use would have been news/press photos, where the subjects are often quite static and there would be a need for some flexibility in framing, hence the zoom. Note that Tamron was making this style of long zoom since the 1960's, so there must have been a market.

Back in the day you would probably want fast film, "pushed" a bit to effective ASA 800 or better to keep shutter speeds at 500-1000.

It was not usual to handhold these things in any case.

Today things are considerably different, if you have on-camera IS. 500mm today is hand-holdable in decent light.

[Rob Leslie]

You are so right. A totally useless lens!

It seems pointless keeping a lens you see no purpose for
How much do you want for it?
Send me a mail if you want a sale.

[Laurence]

If Rob changes his mind on this horrible lens, let me know.

[Xpres]

Thanks for the offers guys... Did I mention I liked horribly useless lenses. I'll keep you in mind though.
Press photography is something I hadn't thought of so maybe I'll try something on those lines - some sort of event maybe.
Unfortunately I don't have a camera with shake reduction so I'll have to pump up the iso, I may even try film!