Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Lens for Sony

One of the lenses to which I'd give a give star rating with no hesitation or second thought. It combines all good qualities and leaves out almost all bads, making it an amazing choice for those that seek a cheap (cheap?) zoom with constant and rather bright aperture. The 28mm end isn't much narrow for you to wish to have 24mm while 75 would better have been 85 to be able to do portraits - but, well, 75 works decent enough. If you don't know what will come across you, this lens is the one to mount and go. It is sharp enough to resolve enough details for a 36-42mp sensor, colors and contrast are right, aberrations are pretty fine (even if not the best), and fringing is generally well controlled. At the wide end, wide open it works better than many lenses, except ... MoreOne of the lenses to which I'd give a give star rating with no hesitation or second thought. It combines all good qualities and leaves out almost all bads, making it an amazing choice for those that seek a cheap (cheap?) zoom with constant and rather bright aperture. The 28mm end isn't much narrow for you to wish to have 24mm while 75 would better have been 85 to be able to do portraits - but, well, 75 works decent enough. If you don't know what will come across you, this lens is the one to mount and go. It is sharp enough to resolve enough details for a 36-42mp sensor, colors and contrast are right, aberrations are pretty fine (even if not the best), and fringing is generally well controlled. At the wide end, wide open it works better than many lenses, except probably 24-70 for ff cameras and 18-35 for apsc cameras, which is a very welcome feature. At the narrow end it still shines, meaning it is useful throughout the zoom range. Highly recommended!

A solid zoom lens at a very useful focal length

The image quality is amazing and the focal length is very useful. At 28mm, it is very wide on a full frame camera and at the maximum 75mmit is a pretty decent telephoto range. The biggest con is that the focus motor is pretty loud ruining videos but it does focus fast. And there is a bit of lens flare in bright sunny days when I'm shooting into the sun so I make sure I bring along a polarizer filter. The lens look nice and feels really solid and is not too heavy at 1.3 pounds. There is room for improvement but overall I am very happy with the lens and would recommend it especially for the price.

Best value fast aperture zoom lens...period!

I bought this lens as a replacement for my kit lens and what a lens it is. After having to deal with the small aperture on the kit lens (f/3.5-5.6), the tamron opened up a new world to me as I was able to get great portraits with nice soft backgrounds suddenly. The lens certainly isn't perfect. The corners are soft until it has been stopped down a bit, so maybe not recommended for landscape shooters, but on the other hand you should have the lens stopped down quite a bit for landscapes. The centre is sharp from 2.8 so if you want the cheapest portrait lens available then this is the one for you. The AF is quite slow and noisy by modern standards but I never really caused me to miss a shot. Overall, it represents fantastic value for money and a great introduction for ... MoreI bought this lens as a replacement for my kit lens and what a lens it is. After having to deal with the small aperture on the kit lens (f/3.5-5.6), the tamron opened up a new world to me as I was able to get great portraits with nice soft backgrounds suddenly. The lens certainly isn't perfect. The corners are soft until it has been stopped down a bit, so maybe not recommended for landscape shooters, but on the other hand you should have the lens stopped down quite a bit for landscapes. The centre is sharp from 2.8 so if you want the cheapest portrait lens available then this is the one for you. The AF is quite slow and noisy by modern standards but I never really caused me to miss a shot. Overall, it represents fantastic value for money and a great introduction for people stepping up from a kit lens without breaking the bank.

Great All Purpose Lens

I am using my Tamron 28-75 F2.8 on 2 cameras, an aps-c Nikon D7500 and a Micro 4/3 Panasonic GX9. It takes sharp pictures wide open and at all focal lengths. I got it to use for photographing dance contests where the light is bright, but not like sunlight. So, high shutter speeds and a wide aperture are needed to freeze motion without too much noise. Set at 75mm and F2.8, the lens did what I needed. The lens is heavy, but easy to use on the D7500. Its a little unwildy on the GX9 without an accessory grip.

Incredibly Sharp

I've been trading out all my Canon bodies and L lenses and switching to Sony. I put this lens on my a9 and a7ii for fun to see if it still worked ok before I got rid of it. I've had the original version for many years and it has Macro as well. To my surprise, it worked great on my MC-11 converter I had for my Canon lenses. I have to admit, testing it at the different focal lengths it was spot on, and razor sharp still. I was switching between my e mount Sony Zeiss 24-70 f4 and it was just as sharp if not better. I was blown away that it still performed so well. I've always carried it in my bag as a back-up for my L lenses and now don't know why I never used it. The lens even auto focuses with the MC-11 better than all my L lenses. Needless to say I will be keeping ... MoreI've been trading out all my Canon bodies and L lenses and switching to Sony. I put this lens on my a9 and a7ii for fun to see if it still worked ok before I got rid of it. I've had the original version for many years and it has Macro as well. To my surprise, it worked great on my MC-11 converter I had for my Canon lenses. I have to admit, testing it at the different focal lengths it was spot on, and razor sharp still. I was switching between my e mount Sony Zeiss 24-70 f4 and it was just as sharp if not better. I was blown away that it still performed so well. I've always carried it in my bag as a back-up for my L lenses and now don't know why I never used it. The lens even auto focuses with the MC-11 better than all my L lenses. Needless to say I will be keeping this lens now. If this new version is as good as my old copy, you won't be disappointed. The old one however does have Macro, another reason for keeping it. The Tamron was almost half the price as the Sony Zeiss, but just as good if not better.

Solid mid-range zoom lens for Pentax K-3ii

This is a great budget mid-range zoom that is f2.8 all the way through the zoom range. When wide open, some of the sharpness degrades, but if you back it down to f4, it's super sharp. F2.8 is usable, but not as good as lenses that cost 5 times as much. It's one of those lenses that a lot of people overlook because it's not wide on a crop sensor, and it doesn't zoom too far at the top end. I will use this a lot for shooting high school basketball and volleyball for yearbook, where a mid-range zoom is very usable. You can probably use it for portraits, but it will not be as sharp as your primes.

Still a fine zoom, if you can get it cheap, a great bargain !

I've got this lens since ca. 2005, whereas it was sitting onto my F100 35mm SLR. Sadly, i've sold it some years ago, and just bought it back, without lens hood (ordered via eBay, JJC LH-D09 for is a good replacement for the original Tamron D09 lens hood). It was into like 90-92% condition, the zoom ring with slightly wear & tear. Needless to say, i've paid only 80 bucks incl. shipping, so it was a steal. My Canon (EF Mount) version i've bought into 2006, together with the EOS 5D. So for now, i own both the Nikon F and Canon EF version. Don't suffer from G.A.S. (Gear Aquisation syndrome) i know we all do, myself included from time to time. The thing is, better gear doesn't make you a better photographer, if you know your homework. This lens is still being fine, ... MoreI've got this lens since ca. 2005, whereas it was sitting onto my F100 35mm SLR. Sadly, i've sold it some years ago, and just bought it back, without lens hood (ordered via eBay, JJC LH-D09 for is a good replacement for the original Tamron D09 lens hood). It was into like 90-92% condition, the zoom ring with slightly wear & tear. Needless to say, i've paid only 80 bucks incl. shipping, so it was a steal. My Canon (EF Mount) version i've bought into 2006, together with the EOS 5D. So for now, i own both the Nikon F and Canon EF version. Don't suffer from G.A.S. (Gear Aquisation syndrome) i know we all do, myself included from time to time. The thing is, better gear doesn't make you a better photographer, if you know your homework. This lens is still being fine, wheter one is shooting still 35mm Film, or digital nowadays. The drawbacks are the not so great construction (all plastic), and the corners are never gonna getting biting sharp, but that's okay. For landscape work, just remember to stop down to F/8 and/or -F/11, and you'll be fine. What more to say, for avialable light/low light shots, F/2.8 does come in handy. It's still a fine lens, if you don't pay too much for it - and using older gear, like i do. It was being avialable into many mounts (Canon EF, Nikon F, PentaxK, Sony A Bajonet) into it's heyday. For <100 to 130 bucks, i'd say its a steal nowadays, since it's F2.8 and does have great IQ, color rendering.

TRUSTWORTHY L GLASS ALTERNATIVE Worth every penny. No regrets!!

I am a professional photographer with over 25 years experience starting with Canon's A1 35 mm film camera. I dove head first into the digital world with the Canon 5D Mark 2,580EX speedlight flash, and after also purchasing a SONY HVRZ1U pro grade camcorder for wedding videography, I had very little $$$$ left for Canon Luxury glass. The camera shop loved me,but there was no wiggle room for price breaks. With the remaining money, the shop owner suggested Tamron's 28-75 as she uses it for portraits and weddings. She OWNS the store and could "demo" any lens of choice !!! I trusted her and the return policy. I went out and put this lens through the ringer of "test" shots. Everything from people, animal portraits,landscape, architecture, every level of light from dusk to ... MoreI am a professional photographer with over 25 years experience starting with Canon's A1 35 mm film camera. I dove head first into the digital world with the Canon 5D Mark 2,580EX speedlight flash, and after also purchasing a SONY HVRZ1U pro grade camcorder for wedding videography, I had very little $$$$ left for Canon Luxury glass. The camera shop loved me,but there was no wiggle room for price breaks. With the remaining money, the shop owner suggested Tamron's 28-75 as she uses it for portraits and weddings. She OWNS the store and could "demo" any lens of choice !!! I trusted her and the return policy. I went out and put this lens through the ringer of "test" shots. Everything from people, animal portraits,landscape, architecture, every level of light from dusk to dawn, sunny to overcast,night sky/star gazing, LIGHT PAINTING technique, MACRO as this is a macro lens, handheld and tripod use ( this is NOT an Image Stabilized version) which is now available. Needless to say I was impressed once I got used to the limited focal points of the 5D2. I was blaming it on the lens; being used to full time manual focus and now the camera "does it for you". I found parts of the image were blurry or soft while the rest was tack sharp. I am an admitted pixel peeper. I use Photoshop and if I can blow up to 200 or 300% and not see pixelization or minimal at best, then I am happy with the shot. YES, I know that all programs magnify differently;some worse than others, which is why I only use Photoshop's magnifier for testing. Also, I shoot in Canon's best jpeg setting not RAW. If it looks that good with ANY JPEG compression, then its bound to be as good if not better in RAW. I just don't have time to convert the number of photos I take per event into final product. You need to know your camera ( I simultaneously learned all my gear), for best results. My copy of this lens is incredibly sharp even compared to my newest lens..the Canon 24-105mm f4L. Yes, I initially found it a bit soft at 2.8 but once I manually set the focus point to dead center, it did get sharper overall. No softness in zoom range until 75mm;stepping down to f4 solved that issue. I was shooting mainly outdoors so light wasn't an issue, but for indoors you can always increase ISO. My 5D2 shoots very noise free up to 1000 with this lens before you get any appreciable "grain" (digital noise). However you do get slow autofocus and "hunting" in low light or night conditions. The camera won't fire or is out of focus if it does. I switch to manual mode, focus in live view, and then take the shot. Again, know your camera and proper techniques for each situation. PROS: f2.8 =great in low light, VERY SHARP, great color reproduction, lightweight, macro, smooth auto and manual focus, no barrel slip. CONS: louder focus motor noise (but acceptable in all but church quiet settings), hunts badly in autofocus in low light conditions causing loss of those "one time only" shots. Not weather sealed so be careful in dusty or inclimate weather conditions OVERALL CONCLUSION: BEST LENS for the price and benefit ratio. Quality lens with very little chromatic aberration or lens flare; great low light performer. NO I.S. but neither does the Canon L equivalent. Great overall sharpness makes this lens worth carrying versus a bunch of primes to do the same job. You won't be disappointed !! visit my site for all photos taken with this lens www.i-doweddingvideos.com email me for NON wedding photo samples

Tamron AF SP 28-75MM F2.8 XR DI LD For Sony

I've had this same lens in Pentax K-mount for a couple of years, using it primarily as a flexible portrait lens on an APS-C sensor camera. With proper AF fine calibration, it has performed superbly on the crop sensor format. Based on this, I decided to add one to my Sony kit bag for full-frame use as a general walk-around lens. On full-frame, the lens shows its limitations in terms of border and corner performance. It needs to be stopped down for good results away from the centre, and even then it's never outstanding in the borders. Vignetting is also much more noticeable on full-frame. These quibbles aside, the lens takes wonderful photos with good colour and nice out-of-focus rendering. What's more, it's small and very light given the focal length range and ... MoreI've had this same lens in Pentax K-mount for a couple of years, using it primarily as a flexible portrait lens on an APS-C sensor camera. With proper AF fine calibration, it has performed superbly on the crop sensor format. Based on this, I decided to add one to my Sony kit bag for full-frame use as a general walk-around lens. On full-frame, the lens shows its limitations in terms of border and corner performance. It needs to be stopped down for good results away from the centre, and even then it's never outstanding in the borders. Vignetting is also much more noticeable on full-frame. These quibbles aside, the lens takes wonderful photos with good colour and nice out-of-focus rendering. What's more, it's small and very light given the focal length range and constant f/2.8 aperture. An excellent general-purpose lens!

The lens suits 90% of my needs and I would purchase it all over again.

I needed a sharper and faster lens for my collection but wanted one that would cover a variety of needs so I didn't have to spend a fortune on various focal lengths. I owned the 18-55 kit lens, 55-300, 28mm f2, 50mm f2, 50mm f1.4, 135mm 2.8 lenses before I purchased the Tamron so I got experience with what focal lengths I liked for what purposes. I went back and forth between purchasing the 28-75 Tammy, 17-50 Tammy, pentax fa43, and a couple others. I spent months researching everything I could on the internet. I wanted something that would take great photos while out on the street, provide fast speeds for most lower light situations, offer great bokeh and sharpness for most portraits. I settled on this 28-75 lens. Overall I'm very pleased with my decision and would ... MoreI needed a sharper and faster lens for my collection but wanted one that would cover a variety of needs so I didn't have to spend a fortune on various focal lengths. I owned the 18-55 kit lens, 55-300, 28mm f2, 50mm f2, 50mm f1.4, 135mm 2.8 lenses before I purchased the Tamron so I got experience with what focal lengths I liked for what purposes. I went back and forth between purchasing the 28-75 Tammy, 17-50 Tammy, pentax fa43, and a couple others. I spent months researching everything I could on the internet. I wanted something that would take great photos while out on the street, provide fast speeds for most lower light situations, offer great bokeh and sharpness for most portraits. I settled on this 28-75 lens. Overall I'm very pleased with my decision and would do it over again. Here's my pros and cons... realize it's all relative to my experience with the other lenses. Cons.. Difficult to get manual focus right at closer distances. I think just because the amount of throw on the focus ring is so small it takes very slight movement to get the subject in/out. Some trouble getting auto focus to be spot on. Having to hit the shutter release half way a couple times just to make sure it's in on some subjects Pros... Price Very sharp lens the 2.8 is very handy Focal range covers probably 90% of my needs pleasing bokeh color/contrast as good as I've seen Overall, I only use my 18-55 kit lens for extra wide shots and my 55-300 for the extra zoom but this lens stays on my camera 90% of the time. I think I would like to sell all my other lenses, invest into a wide 15mm lens, a 200mm 2.8, and possibly an fa43 for something faster than f2.8 and I'll have 99% of what I need.