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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Am I expecting too much from my new Tamron?
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 06/29/2006 07:18:10 PM · #1
I just got the 24-135mm Tamron and I am a little disappointed in the image quality when I use Photoshop to zoom in and enlarge the picture.

I am so used to my Canon 50mm/1.4 and my 100mm/2.8 macro that the quality of the Tamron just doesn't compare.

The images are sharp on the Tamron but when enlarged, they are fair.

I guess I am expecting too much from a zoom lens? I suppose if I paid 3x more for a Canon lens I could have the same quality as my primes.

I like the range on the Tamron and am not really willing to pay much more for a zoom lens right now. I thought about the Canon 17-85mm but the range won out on the Tamron.

I am a perfectionist...am I being silly?
 06/29/2006 07:28:39 PM · #2
I tend to be a lens snob too. I just bought my first non-system lens, the Tamrom 17-50 2.8 XR. I'm pretty impressed so far. This lens uses LD glass, supposed to rival Canon's L glass. You don't mention if your Tamron uses LD glass or not. I bought it to replace the POS 17-55 that come with the 20D. Canon just released a 17-55 2.8 that goes for $1200. The Tamron was under $500.

The Canon 50 1.4 and 100 2.8 Macro are legendary lenses. Most high end zooms won't hold up to those standards, let alone consumer level lenses. Your lens is probably on par with canon's consumer line of zoom lenses, which is to say not very impressive. Canon's L glass is awesome, but pricey.

Canon now has these DO lenses. Not sure how those compare but they are pricey too.

You get what you pay for in lenses. The Tamron LD, Sigma APO, Tokina ATX, etc might give you the quality you're looking for without paying the system lens price.

I have the Canon 75-300 4.5-56 III lens. I really do not like it. I looking at the Tokina or Tamron as a replacement for it too.

Good luck.
 06/29/2006 07:29:20 PM · #3
Can you post a few examples?
 06/29/2006 07:34:42 PM · #4
Yep, primes will always be a bit sharper in the mid-range of apertures.

Everything gets a little soft to varying degrees at the ends. The quality of the optics does make a difference on hoo much for zooms.

I didn't really have a problem with mine, and I used it most of the time befor I broke it. The range really is just perfect for walk around, and it does a fair job at close focusing. Overall, it's a tradeoff. More zoom or more sharpeness. Wish they could come up with a sharp f/2.8 18-200mm. I'd almost never take it off the camera.

Part of the problem is the number of glass elements involved in zoom lenses, every one you add in takes away a bit more light.


06/29/2006 07:50:50 PM · #5
Originally posted by scarbrd:
I tend to be a lens snob too. I just bought my first non-system lens, the Tamrom 17-50 2.8 XR. I'm pretty impressed so far. This lens uses LD glass, supposed to rival Canon's L glass. You don't mention if your Tamron uses LD glass or not. I bought it to replace the POS 17-55 that come with the 20D. Canon just released a 17-55 2.8 that goes for $1200. The Tamron was under $500.

The Canon 50 1.4 and 100 2.8 Macro are legendary lenses. Most high end zooms won't hold up to those standards, let alone consumer level lenses. Your lens is probably on par with canon's consumer line of zoom lenses, which is to say not very impressive. Canon's L glass is awesome, but pricey.

Canon now has these DO lenses. Not sure how those compare but they are pricey too.

You get what you pay for in lenses. The Tamron LD, Sigma APO, Tokina ATX, etc might give you the quality you're looking for without paying the system lens price.

I have the Canon 75-300 4.5-56 III lens. I really do not like it. I looking at the Tokina or Tamron as a replacement for it too.

Good luck.


I looked at your profile and see that the lens you have does use LD glass. My guess is that you are comparing the zoom optics to the prome optics of the 50 1.4 and the 100 2.8. As I said, most zoom lenses couldn't hold up to those.

Good luck!
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