Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 DI IF VC USD

Yep, will speak to Wex tomorrow but I can't keep it like this. I hope it's just this one lens and they can replace it when they get more in but my worry is that it's a design fault?
 
Always a pain when the new toy disappoints :(
 
yip i would send it back to i hope you get a fast turn around with it but as i said a few posts back as its rather new in the uk and in short supply they may offer to repair it best of luck
 
I wonder if the AF issues are because f/6.3 at 600mm is above Canon's f/5.6 AF ceiling. The camera will still try to focus, because it doesn't know this, but that cannot change the fact that the aperture is then too small for what Canon considers to be reliable AF performance. When this happens, the anecdotal evidence is that some camera models perform better than others.
 
jamiewednesday said:
Aha, really?
Click to expand...

Well yes. If you have a Canon lens and the max aperture is above f/5.6, then AF simply switches out (except for a few pro models that will run to f/8). This only happens with extenders though, as no Canon lens has a native max aperture higher than f/5.6, though Sigma and Tamron have a few with f/6.3, and have done for years.

I'm only thinking out loud, but wonder if some people with particular Canon camera models could have AF issues, while others do not - it's happened before. Maybe Tamron could fix this with firmware, we'll see. But it has to be said, focusing on a tiled roof in bright sun should not normally be a problem.
 
jamiewednesday said:
But max aperture on the lens is f/5...Lessens at higher lengths of course but...
Click to expand...

The problem is at 600mm isn't it? Is it reliable at the shorter end?
 
Cliffy said:
Found a nice review IQ looks pretty good from the lab tests

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/01/tamron-150-600-telezoom-shootout
Click to expand...

Looks pretty good :)

The article makes a good point about technique though, and it's not always easy to get the best out of long lenses like this. Focus has got to be spot-on, and depth of field is often very shallow; camera-shake is multiplied by focal length and even with image stabilisation shutter speeds need to be high at 600mm to show the lens at its best.
 
VC can combat focus, did you try turning it off?
How is using single focuspoint only and with center focus point?

Nikon (some at least?) can AF to f/8... didn't Canon release a firmware update as well for this?
But with smaller and smaller apertures, fewer and fewer focuspoints are being used, at least for Nikon...

Sorry, but I'm only trying to make this lens great!
biggrin3.gif
 
Last edited:
hmmm wait a minute i might be wrong here but doesn't the sigma 150-500 have a full length aperture of f6.3 if so ,this one shouldn't have any problems in that respect ,even if its limited to centre point only a/f ,but in general terms that would also be limiting to its usefulness .

surely a company like tamron would have tested it out on a variety of bodies first ,or maybe not ?? i know from personal experience that the latest bodies and older lenses do not like working together that well .i.e older bodies work better with lenses from there own generation and vise-versa .

the dust issue after two days is another thing entirely ,perhaps this suggests theres something wrong with this particular lens ,i.e not assembled correctly ,damaged in transit .did the OP check for dust upon receipt of the lens ,don't suppose many of us would with a brand new item .

just noticed jamie is using a 5Dmkiii so its not going to be a f5.6 failure ,oh dear

i for one won't be a first responder on this lens going to LET THE DUST SETTLE FIRST :muted: :schtum::muted: :schtum:
 
Last edited:
jamiewednesday said:
Yep, will speak to Wex tomorrow but I can't keep it like this. I hope it's just this one lens and they can replace it when they get more in but my worry is that it's a design fault?
Click to expand...

Good luck Jamie. I've been impressed with the IQ of your shots so far and hope this is a simple one of fault you have! Fingers crossed WEX can have a speedy replacement too!
 
just had a quick look through your photos on flickr with this jamie ,i have no idea of your wildlife skills at all but some of the aperture /iso/shutter speed combo's seem very wrong imho .without wishing to start a argument or row and taking into consideration your testing this lens ,could it possibly be a case of the cameras a/f not working due to the wrong settings ,while yesterday was a bright sunny day i at times had to push my iso to the limits .
just a thought ,i might be on the wrong track and you might be very experienced so no offence meant
 
No, fair point. The images put on flickr are to show the strengths of the lens as I think most people are hoping for something with decent sharpness and IQ at an affordable price, so Sunday's shots are quite low ISO to show off its strengths. I think Tamron have achieved that and it's more than capable when it's focusing correctly.

Trouble is it's not always doing that. It's where there's less detail than something that's very busy to latch onto, whether roof, swan on water etc. but it's not as if the content within the frame is featureless! At long lengths it's struggling, even in plenty of light at high ISO. Just been outside again and same problems. The camera is sometimes giving a focus confirm beep on one shot even when it's just a blur...

Honestly though I think the lens itself is potentially very good, if it works 100%.

I've spoken to Wex and they're going to pick it up tomorrow and replace it when they get some more in (week to 10 days they said...)
 
Jamie, didn't realise you had a 5D3. Like the Canon 1D-series cameras, that should AF at f/8 with latest firmware, have you got that?
 
Actually no I haven't! Thought I did but I haven't got that on it. Have now.

That said, it can focus, just sometimes it chooses not to!

FWIW does the same on 7D...
 
Last edited:
Phil Young said:
Come on folks, just accept it - the lens has a fault lol...
Click to expand...
How brutal!
biggrin3.gif


On the other hand... let's see, how focus is, once mounted on a Nikon!
whistling.gif


And dust issues? Sigh...

Luckily my wallet forces me to take it easy and not be a front line warrior!
rolleyes.gif
 
gone very quite on this lens ,no one else got one
 
Think this latest issue may have cooled the passion :D
 
Glad to be of service...

It's getting decent reviews everywhere it seems, no doubt it is good at imaging, I hope my next copy works better that's all
 
any idea of the aperture at 400mm? (f5 at 150mm - f6.3 at 600mm : hopefully its 5.6 same as canon 400mm, this would make it a lens I would consider)
 
Jan K. said:
Just finished reading a very favorable review here, Dustin Abbott: http://dustinabbott.net/2014/01/tamron-sp-150-600mm-f5-6-3-di-vc-usd-review/


When reading it, I couldn't help wondering, why it's so cheap?

And then he finishes off with: "I personally wonder if they are not selling this lens at a loss to drive brand recognition. It’s that good."
biggrin3.gif
Click to expand...


Interesting review but...

I simply don’t have the budget to purchase many of the super-teles that cover this focal range, and furthermore, I don’t shoot this style of photography often enough to justify the expense even if I did.
Click to expand...

...makes you wonder what credence you can give to the review? :thinking:
 
whats still missing is b.i.f pics in quantity and quality ,given that if i went for this it would be a case of having to sell my 400mm f5.6 i honestly don't think its worth the gamble
 
the black fox said:
whats still missing is b.i.f pics in quantity and quality ,given that if i went for this it would be a case of having to sell my 400mm f5.6 i honestly don't think its worth the gamble
Click to expand...
You will not see many decent BIF from this lens Jeff (other than a few slow flyers and the odd shot of faster birds) - there is no way a zoom lens like this is going to be up to the 400/5.6 for BIF. Even the 100-400 is no where near as good as the prime in this department.If you defo want a lens that will capture fast flyers then I would forget the Tammy altogether. For people that already have a decent birding lens the only reasons to upgrade as I see it is if you must have the extra focal length or if you have one of the big superteles and want a lighter weight lens as well. For the extra focal length its a case of comparing something like the 400/5.6 + 1.4x tc again the Tammy. I have seen one comparison between the 150-600 and the 400/5.6 but the pics were so poor that I discounted that one right away (like most other folk on the forum did).
EDIT BTW Jeff have you tried the 400/5.6 + 1.4x tc on your 1D3 - just wondering how quick it focuses.
 
Last edited:
gramps said:
...makes you wonder what credence you can give to the review? :thinking:
Click to expand...
Reading his text seems honest enough. Good - and many! - shots speaks their own language...

But I know, what you mean. Still looking for a full-blown test with tons of charts. And brick walls!! Cats!
biggrin3.gif
 
Roy C said:
I have seen one comparison between the 150-600 and the 400/5.6 but the pics were so poor that I discounted that one right away (like most other folk on the forum did).
Click to expand...
Hi Roy, I don't suppose you can share the link to this comparison? I'd be very interested in seeing the difference between the tamron & a quality prime.
 
Brayg01 said:
Hi Roy, I don't suppose you can share the link to this comparison? I'd be very interested in seeing the difference between the tamron & a quality prime.
Click to expand...
It was on one of the Japanese sites several weeks ago now Graham, after the first test the guy then said he had forgot to take a cheap UV filter off the 400/5.6. He then did it again but admitted there was probably a problem with his 400/5.6!!!!!. Everyone including me dismissed the test as the Japanese guy obviously did not have a clue what he was doing. The 400/5.6 shots were absolutely appalling so everyone knew there was something wrong with the test.
I did see some comparison shots by a good US photographer who compared the 150-600 against the Sigma 120-300/2.8 + 2x tc (not the latest sports version) and the Siggy was significantly better, so much so that he decided there must be something wrong with the Tammy and has returned it. I am still waiting for a good photographer to compare the 400/5.6 + 1.4x tc v the Tammy but from everything I have seen thus far the Tammy does not yield the same amount of detail that the Canon does at 560mm.
The only decent detail bird shots I have seen from the tammy have been when the bird was almost filling the frame and even then the Tammy was not at the full 600mm. With a lens like the Canon 400/5.6 you can crop heavily and still get good detail.
 
Last edited:
Roy C said:
It was on one of the Japanese sites several weeks ago now Graham, after the first test the guy then said he had forgot to take a cheap UV filter off the 400/5.6. He then did it again but admitted there was probably a problem with his 400/5.6!!!!!. Everyone including me dismissed the test as the Japanese guy obviously did not have a clue what he was doing. The 400/5.6 shots were absolutely appalling so everyone knew there was something wrong with the test.
I did see some comparison shots by a good US photographer who compared the 150-600 against the Sigma 120-300/2.8 + 2x tc (not the latest sports version) and the Siggy was significantly better, so much so that he decided there must be something wrong with the Tammy and has returned it. I am still waiting for a good photographer to compare the 400/5.6 + 1.4x tc v the Tammy but from everything I have seen thus far the Tammy does not yield the same amount of detail that the Canon does at 560mm.
The only decent detail bird shots I have seen from the tammy have been when the bird was almost filling the frame and even then the Tammy was not at the full 600mm. With a lens like the Canon 400/5.6 you can crop heavily and still get good detail.
Click to expand...
Thanks Roy. If I'm going to pay out for this lens I will wait until I see some of the big sites review it, it will also be nice to see the DxO Mark score too!
 
Clearly lots of interest though, there have been thousands of views of the images I put on flickr..!

New one should be with me first week in February according to Wex.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top