I got this Tamron about a month ago. You're right, it has some slop (rattle) to it. If I'm holding it level, it's sticky in mid-range zooming in and out; worse if lens is point up and zooming out (tele) - pointing down and zooming in (wide angle). My experience has been that it's slow focusing on moving subjects that are going away from me or coming toward me, so have missed some shots... Its hasn't been as "bad" on laterally moving subjects where the distance is relatively the same so the lens has less focus hunting.
I haven't done any low light shooting with it so I can't comment on focusing issues in low light conditions.
I've worked around the sticking points while zooming by having gravity help; pointing up to zoom wide, pointing down to zoom tele.
I'm still undecided if the Tamron is as sharp as my Nikon 18-200. Some images are nice and sharp (nice on stationary subjects), but on moving subjects??? it's hit and miss.
On the plus side, the Tamron seems to have less vignetting than the Nikon when extended out.
What's you're opinion on sharpness?
By the way, most of my shots were on my D60, some on my D300. Most shots on the tele end on shutter priority.
Update 02/27/09.
Another way I'm working around the slow focus issues/focus hunting is to just switch to manual focus. But of course that would be mostly for non (or slow) moving subjects.
Oh ya, I'm getting the infamous lens creep when the lens is pointed down... Oh well... live and learn about buying stuff...
Message edited by author 2009-02-28 04:44:03. |
