Customer Reviews

Tamron AF 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di-II SP LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I do real estate photography and the 11 - 18 is essential for interior work. I've been using the lens for about 2 years now and like it pretty well. The major problem I have with it is color fringing along lines of high contrast. The lens also suffers from some minor fisheye distortion in the 11 - 13 range, but it is easily remedied in the digital darkroom. It has less distortion in the 14 - 18 range than my Nikkor 18 - 70 does at 18. It is not a good choice for people photography. I consider it a good value for the money.

This is the second Wide angle lens I own (first one was Nikon 12-24mm f4).
Built quality is different, Nikon has a better quality build and a internal focusing motor, Tamron has no focusing motor inside the lens (camera body has to have a focusing pin) and it its zoom and focus rings are looser (I have purchased it used, no electronics=used is good).

Overall I am VERY satisfied with Tamron (after using Nikon for a while), this is very inexpensive lens compared to Nikon wide angle lens, and it is 1mm wider.

You can see more of my photos made with this lens at: [...]

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Highly recommended for a budget minded user.
I also use HOYA MRC CPL (not the thin version), it functions great, highly recommended.

I hope thTamron AF 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di-II SP LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Camerasis helps.

This is not a lens you will use often but when the situation demands it, you can get great photos in a narrow space. I can't imagine a Nikon lens would do any better. My pictures have been sharp with no distortion.

I was looking for a super wide angle lens for almost a year now. While on a trip to San Fransisco, I happened across this lens in a local camera shop. Knowing how I've been wanting one, my wife insisted I take a look at them. The Nikon was going for just under $1000. It was flawless in every way, but way out of my budget. I then looked at the Tamron. To my pleasant surprise, I found it to be on par, if not maybe a bit more solidly built. Then there was the $75. rebate. To make a long story short, I bought the lens and have been happy ever since.

I've had this lens for about 3 years and have ended up using it MUCH more than I thought I ever would. It's a fun range to
play around with and create some visual interest, especially in all the small environments I seem to find myself in.

The good thing about this lens is it's much cheaper than buying something like the 14-24 2.8 Nikkor, but you can certainly tell.
The build feels very 'plasticky' because it is, though this makes it very light. However, it's not going to take much of a beating and
certainly doesn't feel very solid--it feels like a kit lens. The AF is also quite loud and can be sluggish, but with something that wide and
at the apertures it has, it's not a make or break point.

The images themselves are good enough if you're not terribly scrutinizing, but I've noticed the lens tends to produce more chromatic aberration
than most of my other lenses. I may have gotten a slightly off copy, but I'm guessing the other reviewers might not be as picky. There is certainly
distortion on the wide end, but I've come to enjoy utilizing the effect and it doesn't bother me much.

Overall, it's a decent lens, but I really should have saved a bit more and gone for the Sigma. I don't have much experience with it, but
it seems more solid overall with better AF (and I assume better optics, but don't hold me to it).

The lens is very simple to use and should last forever. Mine is about 6 years old, has seen over 50,000 pictures and functions like new. Since it has a very simple auto-focus mechanism, it will last as long as any other lens without a AUTO-FOCUS motor (the camera has to have one). Used it on D50, D70 and now D90. This is the most lightest lens, built to last, made in Japan.
NOTE: The camera body has to have a focusing pin in order for the lens to auto-focus. Samples will be uploaded soon.
This is a DX camera lens, but could be used on FX (Full frame) camera at 15mm without a problem.

Bought for real estate photography, with budget as a major consideration. I haven't regretted buying this lens at all, and aside from a tendency to underexpose a little on my EOS 10D (easily corrected on the camera) it's a great performer - solid yet light, quick and accurate to focus, and capable of catching a broad vision. With a tripod this lens is actually awesome.
I give it 4/5 only because it's my first wide, not because I reckon there's anything particularly wrong with it. Suits me just fine.