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Tamron 70-210 3.5 (constant) SP (SAMPLES ADDED)
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 6:24 pm    Post subject: Tamron 70-210 3.5 (constant) SP (SAMPLES ADDED) Reply with quote
For the odd occasion I feel the need for a tele-zoom I've been using my (sorry) AF Nikkor 80-200mm 2.8 ED, but whilst it's a great lens it is very heavy and bulky and not a lens I'd reach for if I'm off for a general walk.

Wanting something reasonably fast but substantially more compact and with a good close focus the Tamron SP 70-210 3.5 seemed a good bet.

Finding one on ebay for 29.99 inc Nikon mount made it a no brainer.

It arrived this morning in great condition with case caps and hood. Hopefully the rain will lift tomorrow so that I can use it...

Last edited by Richard_D on Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:33 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
With your Nikon this is a perfect couple, I am sure you will love it.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow, nice grab! Shocked You also have the legendary AF 2.8 Nikon zoom?
Id likes to see this comparison. Fingers crossed for the Tamron. Twisted Evil


PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 6:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's better than most primes in its range Smile


PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Grrr how do you test a lens with a heavy grey sea mist and 100yd visibility? Sad


PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
congrats Richard, great bargain


PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excellent catch! Congratulations!


PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Portrait.... close-up....


PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm just having a look at a few shots I did manage (I'll post samples soon) - first impressions are distinctive coma and softness wide open particularly at 210 but sharp when stopped down a couple of stops. Very good bokeh for a zoom.

Oddly I'm not unhappy with it's performance wide open because it seems to give flower close-ups a beautiful glow.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looking at further shots the coma isn't present wide open at 70mm and it's sharp. At 210 stopping down just to f4 eliminates it and it's noticeably sharper.

I will post shots to demonstrate when I've got a decent speed connection.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Okay first shots all unsharpened

First daisy shot wide open at 210:



and at f8:



Redflower at closest range 210mm/f3.5:



As before but f4:



Now close ups from the other end wide open:







Which leads me to the conclusion that at close range the lens is essentially sharp wide open at 70mm whilst at 210mm closeup there is a touch of coma wide open that disappears stopped down just to f4. I don't think it's just the shallower dof at the long end, but I'd be interested in peoples views.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lovely bokeh wide open!! This could be a great glamour lens.

BTW excellent pictures Richard.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I agree with Orio, the rendition wide open at 210mm is great. It reminds me of a Verito.

Thanks for posting these, Richard.

Cheers!

Abbazz


PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks folks. I'm quite impressed with the lens. It's performance seems pretty good, not quite up to my 80-200 2.8 Nikkor, but not that far off and it's a lot smaller Wink


PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Richard_D wrote:
Thanks folks. I'm quite impressed with the lens. It's performance seems pretty good, not quite up to my 80-200 2.8 Nikkor, but not that far off and it's a lot smaller Wink


I also have 80-200/2.8D ED and it should be much better than this at 200mm at any aperture. Sure, it has some softness and glow near minimum focus distance wide open, but it is much clearer than this.

How good is nikkor 75-150/3.5 in comparison to this?


PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
IvanJ wrote:
Richard_D wrote:
Thanks folks. I'm quite impressed with the lens. It's performance seems pretty good, not quite up to my 80-200 2.8 Nikkor, but not that far off and it's a lot smaller Wink


I also have 80-200/2.8D ED and it should be much better than this at 200mm at any aperture. Sure, it has some softness and glow near minimum focus distance wide open, but it is much clearer than this.

How good is nikkor 75-150/3.5 in comparison to this?


I agree at 200mm wide open the Nikkor is technically a lot better(although I have to say I quite like the Tamron's glow for the flower shots). I haven't posted any longer distance shots, but the Tamron is still a little soft at longer distances wide open (although it loses the glow away from the minimum focus) at 200mm. One stop down and the performance difference between the two lenses narrows a lot, and at the short end the difference isn't that great to start with. I'll try and test both lenses at the same focal lengths and apertures at some point to better illustrate comparative performance.

As to the 70-150 E series, apart from having one of the loosest focus/zoom rings going I haven't heard any bad things about the lens, but haven't tried it.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
No chance for a comparison with other lenses, but her are a selection of shots that show it's performance at 210 with differing distances and apertures which should give more of an impression:

Wide open at 210mm a few feet away - maybe not pin sharp but far from soft and the glow you get at minimal focus distance is gone:




Minimum focus at 210mm and f8 - sharp (where in focus) and no glow:


At 210 with a typical 5.6 aperture, few feet away:



and a 100% edge crop (I think this is pretty good for a zoom at it's extreme length):

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