Customer Reviews

Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm a pure Canon lens user for the past 3.5 years. Currently using EOS 40D. This is my very first third party lens & initially was quite skeptical. After thinking it over, I went ahead to give it a try because I can't afford the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM.

After playing with the new Tamron lens for almost two weeks, here's some of my 2 cent comments:

Good News first (wow so many don't know where to begin):

-Great optical performance! All photos taken are really sharp.
-Accurate, consider fast and consistent autofocus.
-Zoom ring isn't cramped or stiff, easy to turn (opposite direction of Canon lens).
-Surprisingly at 17mm I hardly can see any barrel distortion!
-I can't detect any chromatic aberration & Vignette problem. All photos look clean & accurate. But it doesn't mean they are not there. Maybe I need to get my eyes checked. :-)
-Nice weight (lighter than my Canon 24-105L) & feel, will be my new walkaround lens.
-AF is noisier than Canon USM. It sounds like soft "mechanical turning & twisting". Some photographers may find this annoying but I'm perfectly alright with this. It's not too loud & certainly won't disttract your subject or model. In fact, I'm getting used to the sound & feel good knowing my lens is working properly (see below too).
-Manual focusing is easy to use.
-AF is fast & accurate, so you can hardly hear the AF noise except under extreme low light situation (the AF is a bit tad slow & the noise is more obvious).
-Bokeh. I love it!
-The Vibration Control VC feature is also great & I can go down really low & pic still sharp.
-Sharpness of this Tamron lens is at par with my Canon 24-105L. On color comparison, I find Tamron produces a bit more saturate & brighter.

Bad News (hmm...I have to think of some negatives because no lens are perfect):

-The focal length lock is a nice feature & but it can only lock at 17mm. Would be nice if it can also lock at other focal length.
-No manual booklet. Only a piece of info sheet in Japanese. There's no English version.
-Hmm...at f/2.8 photo results are slightly darker than other aperture used. I tried both AV & Manual mode but still the same. No big deal, I can use the exposure compensation.
-Also at open wide f/2.80 image is slightly softer but super tack sharp once reach f/4.0.

Overall View: Well done Tamron! It's light-weight and has a fast maximum aperture of f/2.8 for shooting in low-light, this is a solid lens. At 50% cheaper than Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM & with great IQ, will use the amount saved on other camera accessories. I'm as happy as a Jolly Bee, have totally no gripe at all.

I do not hesitate to recommend this lens for anyone who wants a fast, constant aperture, light-weight standard zoom lens. The image quality is great and the VC works good.

I received this lens a few days ago and immediately started using it. The lens came with a lens hood and caps only, no carrying pouch. The lens is slightly bigger and bulkier than my 18-70 Nikkor that it is replacing. It feels great in the hands and in the camera, I can feel the quality. The lens focused accurately and speedily. I can't comment on its speed versus the non VC version, but its faster than my 18-70 Nikkor (as it should since its $300 more expensive). It locked on in low light pretty good too, something I had trouble with in my 18-70. I tested the VC out and found that the VC has a delay of about a second before taking effect. You will notice the effect because the viewfinder will have a slight jerking motion before taking effect. The VC worked quite well though, taking sharp pics most of the time (if done properly) down to 1/8th second. This lens is TACK SHARP, even at F2.8 it is very sharp.

The zoom ring comes with a zoom creep lock that works at 17mm, but the rings are stiff enough that you won't need to use it.

There are three things that this lens wasn't so great on. The focus is loud, its not an ultrasonic motor. The VC has the 1 second delay which is not so hot. The VC is also loud, you can hear it take effect.

Overall, this is a fine lens for myself. Those who find the VC delay, or noise, might be turned off by it, so take that into consideration.

The title of my review pretty much sums it up. The two major features of this lens are its constant aperture of f2.8 at all focal lengths, and the new VC (anti-shake) feature. The previous version of this lens was superb, but lacked stabilization, so the VC is a welcome feature.

Design/Build
It's a very well built lens with a metal mount. Its not pro-quality, but definitely better than any kit lens I've owned. I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars for build quality and design. It's quite a bit thicker than the previous version, but not much heavier. It looks huge on my D80, but its not too heavy so it works well and balances perfect on a D300.

VC
The vibration compensation works very well. It works just as effective as any Nikon VR lens I've owned. No complaints on the effectiveness of the VC system. Some people reported it as loud when the VC motor kicks in, but I found it to be acceptable. Not as quiet as the Nikon VR2 system, but definitely not "loud" either. Others have reported that the VC doesnt kick in as fast as Nikon VR2, and its true (very very slightly) but again, not a problem. You'll be taking your time to take a picture whenever your using VC anyhow, so it really doesn't affect real-world performance.

Optical Quality
The lens is very good. It's not quite as good as the previous version wide open at f2.8, but the previous version was so good that you can lose a bit of sharpness and still get fantastic results. With that said, wide open at f2.8 I find it very good for my type of pictures, which are generally of people. If you're into photographing brick walls or textbooks, you may be disappointed. If you're concerned more with getting great pictures, you will be pleased. From f4 on, there isn't much to complain about except the outer most part of the picture. You have to be at f5.6 or f8 to get good sharpness throughout the frame including the corners. If you need sharpness in corners as well as the center, like when photographing architecture or landscapes, you'll typically be at smaller apertures anyhow, so it may not be an issue for some. Distortion is definitely there at 17mm, but not any more than most other zoom lenses and you'll notice only on certain subject.

Focus Speed/Accuracy
This is likely where most people will find the lens a bit disappointing. I find the focus speed to be quite good. Better than the previous version. It doesn't hunt as much. The noise is about the same, not intrusive but definitely noticeable (to the photographer). The focus accuracy is what I would like to see improved the most. I've gotten occasional unsharp photos and what I realized is that if i take 2 or 3 frames of the same shot, one may come out sharper than the other. Many people will mistake this inconsistent focus for the lens being soft, especially wide open. It's not that bad and its only occasional, but it does happen more often than with my Nikons, which almost never mis-focus. You have the option to send it in to Tamron and they can calibrate and possibly improve it (which I'm going to do), but many people may not want to go through that. The reason I'm willing to do that is because I know this lens can be spectacular with just a bit of improvement. You can't get an f2.8 zoom from Nikon for less than $1200.

Sample Variation (a.k.a "bad copy)
There is a chance you could receive a "bad copy". Tamrons and 3rd party lenses in general are infamously known (online forums) to be hit or miss. It's a chance many people may not want to take but they do carry a 6 year warranty and customer service is very good about "calibrating" the lens if you think yours front or back focuses. Again, not everyone will want to deal with that, but I have to tell you that its a small inconvenience when you compare it to the years of great pictures you'll make. If you're really into photography, I think you can live through it.

Summary
For those who know the benefit of a constant f2.8 lens, you know how valuable that is. Sure you can get slightly better picture quality from other, more expensive lenses, but the attraction here is constant f2.8 at this price point. It's relatively cheap when compared to Nikon offerings. Also, most of us dont view pictures at 100% magnification, which is the only way to see the lens' shortcomings. You may never see the flaws in a 4x6 or 8x10 print. Most casual to enthusiast level photographers will never know the difference between this and a pro equivalent. I also own the nikon 16-85 VR lens (not a pro lens but exceptionally good) and I would say it favors very well against it. Although, the Nikon is a bit better at any setting, you cant get the shallow depth of field and creamy background blur with the Nikon that you can with the f2.8 Tamron. Also, once you stop down the Tamron to f5.6 or f8, the difference between the two is hardly noticeable. For me it's not all about sharpness, especially when photographing people. You don't want to highlight wrinkles and skin imperfections so I typically soften them up anyhow. Plus, when I want really sharp photos it's also up to the challenge. I've taken some exceptional images with this lens and that is the bottom line. There are trade-offs and you need to know your type of photography to know what lens will suit you best. With Amazon's awesome return policy, you've got nothing to lose. Pixel-peepers and lens-snobs need not apply.

Been going back and forth with lenses for a while now, and finally have my bag full. It's filled mainly with Sigma, but when this Tamron came out, I just couldn't resist the 2.8 through the zoom range and the VC (vibration compensation). So how is it? Well, I love it. The other reviewer here mentioned it's a little loud, and that's true. But that doesn't bother me one bit. It's very, very sharp, generally focuses well and quickly, even in low light, and has accurate color representation. At 17mm 2.8 it's a LITTLE softer, but not much, and once you stop down it gets tack sharp, which is true for most lenses anyway.
As an end note, something needs to be said for Tamron's vibration compensation technology. I recently sold my 18-55 VR Nikon kit lens because I got this Tamron, and the VC works at LEAST as well as the VR does, if not measurably better. Yes, there is a jump when you depress the shutter button halfway, as the motor starts up, but it's something that you get used to extremely quickly (or at least I did), and once that's over, the image is still as a quiet summer lake. The VC works VERY well.
Overall, I'd say the build quality of this lens is very good, and it's definitely a keeper.

The one con I'll personally give it is that the macro capability leaves something to be desired. This isn't billed as a macro lens, so I can't really knock it, but my Sigma 17-70 w/macro smokes it.

Other than that, great lens, especially if you can't afford the Nikon lenses.

I purchased this lens when it became available in late November and have had a few weeks to shoot with it. This lens is used in conjunction with a Canon Rebel T1i. I originally purchased the non-VC version of this lens but returned it after a week or so simply because I was not "WOWED" with its performance (relatively slow auto focus, somewhat soft wide open, color and contrast seemed a bit lacking and it seemed to produce more noise than other lenses I've used on this camera).

This lens has none of those problems. I really can't get over how well it performs in low-light situations. I get a lot of keepers at 1/5 of a second. It's really sharp also. I have a 5D Mark II and a few L lenses and I find myself picking up my Rebel and this lens more and more often. If you are considering this lens I recommend it 100%.

I was initially looking for the older version of this lens without VC and the AF motor as it is suppose to focus better than on the non VC with built-in focus motor. But when this revised version with VC came out I had to get it because of the following:

1.) No other manufacturer (Nikon/Sigma/Tokina) provide stabilization for this range of zoom.
2.) Previous versions have been known to be a great lens, with image quality rivaling the much more expensive Nikon.
3.) It's half price of the Nikon.
4.) Available on Amazon. :)

Compared to Nikon's 17-55mm which is built _and_ sized like a tank, the Tamron is lighter and sized considerably smaller. The lens is mostly plastic, but the workmanship is great. Both the zoom and focus rings rotate smoothly. I'm very happy with the lens and it's image quality.

Some other lens I shoot with: Nikon 10.5mm fisheye, Sigma 30mm f1.4, Nikon 50mm f1.8.

I bought this lens back in March, and I've taken some outstanding photos with it. I have the lens mounted to my Canon XSI. The lens is a little slow focusing sometimes and focus drive is a little noisy. Neither of those issues has bothered me too much though. I had such good luck with my lens I recently purchased another Tamron, the 70-200mm f2.8.

My problem is more with Tamron's customer service. The 17-50mm is not sealed very well, and some dust has accumulated on the inside element, enough to show up in photos. I phoned Tamron and inquired about sending the lens in for repair. The person I spoke with on the phone said that they would clean out the dust under Warranty. She then gave me instructions on how to return the lens to them.

I downloaded, and filled out the necessary forms and attached copies of my purchase receipt and a sample photo taken with the lens, to show the problem. I shipped it in and waited to hear back from them. I confirmed delivery, through USPS tracking, on a Friday. By Tuesday of the following week I haven't heard back from them. I called and spoke to Pamela and that's when the trouble started.

She informed me that yes we did receive the lens but I didn't send any paperwork so they were waiting to hear from me. I assured her that had included the paperwork in the box. She then rudely said "NO, you did not put any paperwork in the Box!" I then explained to her that yes, the paperwork was in the box along with copies of my receipt and an image sample.

She responded again by saying "No, you didn't put anything in the box. You probably forgot to put it in there." and then she asked "Why are you arguing with me?" She then told me that they didn't even receive a box!

I said "Do you mean to tell me that the Postman just handed you a lens that wasn't even in a box?" She snapped back, "Obviously it was in a shipping box, but it wasn't the original Tamron lens box."

I had already been told that I didn't need to send the original box in as long as it was properly packed.

I asked her if there was bubble wrap in the box and she responded, "I guess, I don't know." So I asked her if she opened the box. Her response was a very hateful "I don't open boxes." So I told her that she didn't know what in the box, so how could she tell me there was no paperwork.

At this point I was becoming agitated. I asked her if they could check the box again for the paperwork. She said no they don't keep the boxes.

She told me to fax copies of the paperwork in if I wanted my lens fixed. I said fine and then had her transfer me to her Supervisor. I talked to a guy named Rick, who had a much better attitude. I explained my conversation and how rude Pamela was to me. Hopefully, the next person won't have to go through that.

I faxed my papers in and got confirmation that my lens will be fixed under warranty. I'll update once I get it back.

I'm hoping the lens will be fine when I get it back. I really liked this lens and my 70-200mm but the customer service has left a bad taste in my mouth. I'll probably not buy anymore Tamron Lenses because of it.

***UPDATE*** ***UPDATE*** ***UPDATE*** ***UPDATE*** ***UPDATE***

After using this lens for almost a year I have come to the conclusion that it is just not that good. Optically it is incredible. However, its mechanical shortcomings make it crap. Specifically as mentioned below it does not work when cold.

However another problem has arisen. It often, and by often I mean a lot, it becomes very slightly out of register with the digital interface between the body and the lens. When this happens I get the "E---" Error as mentioned below. This happens enough that I have lost shots because I bring the camera up to shoot and nothing happens. I have to push the lens release button, rotate the lens and then rotate it back to fully mounted. A pro would never EVER put up with this. And while I am not a pro I do take my photography seriously and I find this unacceptable.

I have never seen this issue with a Nikon/Nikkor lens and very very rarely with Tokina. So I am selling the Tamron and purchasing the excellent Nikon 16-85 VRII lens which is slower but will definitely work in the cold and not have the "E---" Error problem.

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This is a very good lens optically. It is extremely sharp and the VC seems to work very well. Its construction is ok. It is well build but mostly plastic.

It does have two flaws. The first is that if the lens is just slightly rotated while mounted on my D90 I get the "E---" Error indicating that the electrical contacts are not communicating with the camera. I have had this with other third party lenses.

The other more serious flaw is that this lens will NOT WORK below about 20 degrees F. I have had this failure every time I take it out in the cold. As I do a lot of mountaineering and hiking this is a serious flaw. When I press the shutter release nothing at all happens. No focus, no mirror slap, no sound. Nothing.

Sometimes I might get a shot or two out and then it goes back to its "inert" behavior. My Nikon D90 works fine with any other lens in very cold temps. It just does not work with this Tamron.

This seems to be a characteristic of this particular lens as I have seen other posts on it. I sent the lens in to Tamron for service and they found no issue but wrote back, "The minimum operational temperature is 23 degrees F." However, this limitation is NOT stated anywhere in the literature for this lens.

As long as you will be using this lens where it is relatively warm I can recommend it.

I'm really enjoying this lens. It's been an excellent choice, and has given me a lot more options than just my Nikon 50mm 1.4 D prime. I use it as my all-time walk around lens now.

Pros:

Construction quality is great. No dust in the lens, built big and tough. I took it camping with me and it held up great.
VC is fantastic. Not too loud for me. I like that I can hear it put itself into action.
Photos are sharp and clean.
Low light photos are no problem.
The lens lock button works well so the lens doesn't creep, but don't really need it. The zoom ring is tight enough to hold it.
Lens is easy to operate in manual focus mode too.
Price price price! Much less expensive when compared to the Nikon counterpart that doesn't have VC.

Cons:

Focus is not prime-lens-fast, but definitely quick enough to get the fast shot off (just comparing to my prime 50mm 1.4).
Doesn't focus well on far away mountains / clouds. Sometimes the focus has a hard time locking on to things my prime has no problems with.
The lens is big, does add size and weight to my Nikon D300, but it balances well on the body.

My photos with the lens are here: [...]. I label the photos with tags on the right, so you know which lens was used.

I highly recommend this lens.

I've been using Tamron 17-50mm non-VC version for about a 1.5 years and while I was upgrading XTi on 7D I decided to pull the trigger on VC version of the lens and placed a pre-order. Some reviewers, including the-digital-picture.com which opinion I highly respect mentioned that the lens isn't sharp wide open and generally quality is not as good as non-VC. I was extremely happy with non-VC and expected nothing less than amazing results from VC version. I had both of them for about a week and had a chance to compare side-by-side and do some tests.
So my tests revealed that my copy of VC is as good or in some instances better than my old non-VC (which was extremely sharp!). It's absolutely fantastic at 2.8 and there is a slight improvement stepping down. My guess is that people who commented on bad quality just got a bad copy.
It's not a Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM since it's doesn't have USM motor, but on VC version motor is much better, quieter and if VC is Off it's reasonably fast. Image quality wise I think this lens is very much on par with Canon so if you want to save a bit, have a 6 year warranty and have similar quality - go with Tamron!