Tamron AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 XR Di Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

by Tamron

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 4.1 x 4.1 inches ; 1.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000EXT5AE
• Item model number: AF031M-700
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

With a 7.1X zoom ratio covering focal lengths from wide to long telephoto on consumer DSLR (APS-C) and full-frame formats, this is an ideal lens for sports action, travel photography, and creative expression. It delivers outstanding image quality over its entire range, down to 0.49m (19.3") (1:4 at 200mm) and it weighs only 354g (12.5oz.).

High-magnification zoom

AF28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 XR Di Features

Digitally Integrated (DI) Lenses for Top Imaging Performance
Tamron has made this lightweight, compact high power zoom lens available with the Di optical system with improved multi-coating for digital SLR cameras as well as film cameras, further enhancing its ease of use and popularity.

Extra Refractive Index Glass (XR)

Special glass for better performance and more compact lens designs

Extra Refractive Index (XR) glass can bend light rays at steeper angles, thereby decreasing the physical length of the lens while enhancing imaging performance by minimizing optical aberrations. This has allowed Tamron to develop a line of shorter, smaller-diameter, lighter lenses without sacrificing lens speed, and actually upgrading image quality compared to older designs. XR glass is costlier than conventional glass but it yields enhanced optical power distribution, making possible many of the outstanding and innovative lens designs that bear the XR designation. XR glass, with its superior light-bending power, makes it possible to design a short-barrel lens with the same light-gathering ability (aperture value) as a long-barrel lens—even with a smaller lens diameter. By using this principle Tamron has been able to shorten the length of the entire optical system and produce lighter, more compact lenses of the same speed, and also to provide greater zoom ranges in lenses that are much more convenient to carry by hand.

Internal Focusing (IF) System
Internal focusing provides numerous practical benefits to photographers including a non-rotating front filter ring that facilitates the positioning of polarizing and graduated filters, and more predictable handling because the lens length does not change during focusing. Even more important, Tamron’s Internal Focusing (IF) system provides a much closer minimum focusing distance (MFD) throughout its entire focusing range. In addition, IF improves optical performance by minimizing illumination loss at the corners of the image field, and helps to suppress other aberrations that become more troublesome at different focusing positions.

Aspherical Lens Elements (ASL)

Aspherical Lens Element

Tamron uses several hybrid Aspherical lens elements in many lenses bearing the Aspherical designation. These innovative optics allow us to achieve the ultimate in image quality, and at the same time produce lenses that offer remarkable zoom ranges in extraordinarily compact packages. By perfecting theses cutting-edge advances for series production, Tamron has advanced the state of optical design, and virtually eliminated spherical aberration and image distortion from the high-power-zoom series.Through the effective application of Hybrid Aspherical Technology, one lens element can take the place of multiple elements without compromising performance. This is what allows us to produce remarkably compact long-range lenses that deliver a uniformly high level of image quality at all focal lengths and apertures.

Zoom Lock (ZL)
Another original Tamron mechanical engineering concept is the Zoom Lock (ZL), a simple convenience feature that prevents undesired extension of the lens barrel when carrying the camera/lens unit on a neck strap.

Product Description

The world%27s smallest%2C most lightweight 28%2D200mm high magnification zoom lens%2E With a minimum focal distance over the entire zoom area of 49cm%2C and a maximum magnification of 1%3A4 %28at 200mm%29%2C this remarkable lens achieves high magnification zoom performance with the compact size of a standard zoom lens%2E Through XR %28Extra Refractive Index%29 glass and efficient use of aspherical lenses%2C Tamron has achieved a 25%25 reduction in size and a 27%25 reduction in weight over the previous model %28Model 371D%29%2C along with a decrease in filter diameter by two%2Dsteps %F872mm%2D %F862mm%29 without compromising the superior image quality characteristic of Tamron 28%2D200 lenses%2E

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Love This lens, September 13, 2010

By 

Richard Hopkins - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tamron AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 XR Di Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

As one who takes tens of thousands of sports action photos annually, I was leery about buying a non-Sony lens for the Alpha, but the price and rebate offer made this a good bet that the lens would be useful for something.

It replaced the 28-70 & 75-300 Sony lenses and gave me the opportunity to use one lense instead of choosing one of the other two.

I must say, I was greatly impressed. The first games, both volleyball indoors and football outdoors with flash, were spectacular. The clarity and focus was much better than the Sony lenses ever gave me. I was able to get action from the whole game, not just what was close or far away, but both at once.

I really prefer this lense over the Sony lenses. That Tamron f/2.8 big telephoto is looking like my next buy. Thank you for providing me with the best lens I've had.