Tamron 300mm f/5.6 Adaptall

[cooltouch]

I was watching this lens on eBay, and was thinking about bidding on it, until it went over my budget. Way over.

Click here to see on Ebay

A lot of bidding activity. I guess this remains a somewhat highly sought-after optic, eh?

There's also this one that has aroused my curiosity:

Click here to see on Ebay
The seller claims it is not an Adaptall mount, but a fixed one. I don't recall any fixed-mount Tamrons during this era. Can anyone shed some light on this?

[martinsmith99]

I see you fixed the link.

[Attila]

fixed, put only ebay item id into brackets next time.

#1 lens common price around 200 USD or more and a very good lens.

#2 much less good.

Samples with first one.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/Tamron/tamron_sp_300/

[martinsmith99]

Edit - Looks like Adaptall not later Adaptall-2 SP for the Nikon mount lens.

[scsambrook]

Can't see those eBay listings but deep in my memory I think Tamron did do some fixed mount lenses at the time they were making the Adaptamatics - I vaguely recall having them in the shop where I was working. I guess they were cheaper, which would maybe have been attractive to customers if the optics were the same, although not the dealers!


The chief reason companies like Tamron made interchangeable-mount lenses was to persuade retailers to stock as wide a range as possible by reducing inventory costs. The introduction of an alternative fixed-mount range selling in parallel with the Adaptamatics would hardly have been welcomed by the trade, so I can quite believe the life of such a line would have been short.

[martinsmith99]

Of course this one is even more expensive.... Click here to see on Ebay

I had this on watch but waaaaaaaay of of my range.

[Nelson]

[luisalegria]

Tamron had several lines of fixed mount lenses at different times. They were usually versions of the adaptable mounts - T/T2, Adaptamatic, Adaptall.

This second one possibly is one of the Tamron-F's, one of the fixed mount series from the 1970's.

[Attila]

I can confirm 300mm f2.8 a different league. 700 USD is a good price.

[cooltouch]

[Nelson]

[cooltouch]

[ManualFocus-G]

I won one a while back (first lens here, Tamron SP 300/5.6) for about £50.00. I was very disappointed with it. It was OK but no sharper than the original Tamron Adaptall 300/5.6. In fact I have a Soligor 300/5.5 which is far better. Weird!

[martinsmith99]

[Boomer Depp]

I was following the model 54B Tamron 300/5.6 as well mainly because it was a unique lens in it's day with a spherical aberration compensator group.But unfortunately won the bidding on a few pre-sets,including the Soligor's 350mm and a 450mm as well as a Vivitar 500mm and a Soligor 400mm with a drop in filter tray,plus a few more lenses....so figured I'd pass on the Tamron until I become diligent in completing a collection of the SP line...also followed five other reputable lenses she had listed including three macro lenses.I must say though,that was quite the collection she stumbled upon.

Being somewhat anal...I'll review lenses I'm not totally familiar with and I've reviewed most of the SP line fairly diligently this past summer....the odd thing about the reviews about the 54B is such a eclectic mix of opinions...with a some including Attila saying this lens is one of they're favorites to those who thought the lens didn't live up to their expectations...perhaps this is one of those lenses that takes buying three-five copies to get a decent one...or perhaps the photographers who rated the lens poorly weren't experienced in macro work or were expecting better results using the lens as a telephoto...hard to say...but I do know that after a few holes are filled in some of my collections,I'll be pursuing the reputable and well reviewed lens of the SP line....but at the prices for reputable SP's,I'll wait till after Christmas and the New Year when the deals are best to be found.

[Attila]

I found Tamron SP 300mm f5.6 to superb on Nikon D50, I did test later other copy on Olympus E-1 it was weak. I can't decide this was copy variant issue or small sensor works fine only with best lenses. I found Olympus E-1 was weaker performer with many other Tamron lenses too.

[Boomer Depp]

I do know that the 54B will be on the list that I will be looking for after the New Year,when I pursue the better performing Sp's, primarily because of it's unique lens design from the era...if it takes acquiring more then one to get a good copy...so be it.

[Boomer Depp]

[Nelson]

[Mike Deep]

[copernicus]

I love the Tamron sp 300mm f5.6 adaptall. It fits well on my Pentax ist* DS. The sundial photo was taken across the village square and on a tripod but at full aperture. No quibbles about sharpness there.

[ManualFocus-G]