Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Ultra Zoom Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

by Tamron

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.5 x 2 x 2 inches ; 1.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00067ILI0
• Item model number: AF061M-700
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 6, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Reach out and grab distant detail, wildlife, and sports action with this amazing 11X extended range wide-to-super tele zoom that covers both full-frame and consumer DSLR (APS-C) formats allowing you to focus down to an incredible 0.49m(19.3") (1:2.9) for breathtaking close-ups. If there’s any compact zoom that does it all on digital and film SLRs, this is it.

Breathtaking close-ups

AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Highlights

Di II
Maintaining the high performance of the previous model, Tamron's 28-300mm zoom lens now features our "Di" design, making it the ideal lens for use with both digital and film cameras. The "Di" design is achieved by applying a new optical design to its coated surfaces, and by further enhancing our already stringent quality control system. Whether you shoot film or digital, the lens provides high image quality for both platforms. When used with APS-C size digital SLR cameras, the lens provides an angle of view equivalent to approximately 44-465mm, covering the standard to ultra telephoto range with no sacrifice of quality or aperture range.

Low Dispersion (LD)
Low dispersion (LD) glass elements in a lens help reduce chromatic aberration; the tendency of light of different colors to come to different points of focus at the image plane. Chromatic aberration reduces the sharpness of an image, but glass with an extremely lowdispersion index, has less of a tendency to separate (defract) a ray of light into a rainbow of colors. This characteristic allows the lens designer to effectively compensate for chromatic aberration at the center of the field (on axis), a particular problem at long focal lengths (the telephoto end of the zoom range), and for lateral chromatic aberration (towards the edges of the field) that often occurs at short focal lengths (the wide-angle end of the zoom range.)

Low Dispersion (LD) Glass for Greater Lens Sharpness

Anomalous Dispersion (AD) for Better Color Correction
Anomalous dispersion (AD) glass is a special type of optical glass that is used to achieve more precise control of chromatic aberrations, thereby enhancing overall imaging performance. Glass of this type provides an abnormally large partial dispersion ratio (amount of diffraction) for light of specific wavelength ranges (colors) within the visible spectrum. By combining AD glass having these special characteristics with elements made of normal glass having different dispersion characteristics, it is possible to control the dispersion factors of a specific wavelength. This enhanced level of control results in much lower levels of on-axis (central) chromatic aberration for telephoto lenses (or zooms used at tele-photo settings) and a significant reduction of lateral (peripheral) chromatic aber-ration for wide-angle lenses (or zooms used at wide-angle settings.)

Anomalous Dispersion

Extra Refractive Index Glass (XR)
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.

Special glass for better performance and more compact lens designs

Aspherical Elements (ASL) Provide the Ultimate in Image Quality and Compactness)
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 elemen tcan 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.

Achieve the ultimate in image quality with Asperical (ASL) lenses

Internal Focus (IF)
Internal focusing (IF) 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.

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

Tamron's Di lenses featuring optical systems for use with both digital and film cameras have been highly evaluated by users around the world since the introduction of the first Di lens, SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 (Model A09), in 2003. Many users strongly suggested that Tamron make the existing non-SP high power and compact 28-300mm lens they are using with their film cameras available in the Di design in order to realize the same convenience and quality images with digital cameras. Tamron has redesigned the conventional AF28-300mm zoom (A06) to feature the Di design in order to meet the demand of those photographers. Main Features: High Image Quality by Virtue of Di (Digitally Integrated) Design: The "Di" design is achieved by first improving our BBAR coatings to a new multi-coating that encompasses all of the benefits of the original but now further reduces the ghosting and flare caused by aberrations, and secondly by further enhancing our already stringent quality control system. The new AF28-300mm Di is redesigned as a high power zoom lens now ideal for use with interchangeable-lens digital cameras as well as film cameras. Changes 1. Improved Coating: Newly developed Multi-coating ideal for digital imaging to reduce ghosting and flare caused by aberrations and to increase contrast 2. Enhanced Quality Control: Ensure mechanical and and optical meet new standard 3. Exterior design: Di lo

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, January 8, 2009

By 

Hugo Flores - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Ultra Zoom Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I recently purchased this lens after realizing I need an all in one for an event coming up. After hooking it up on a Sony Alpha 100 I was pretty disappointed, took about 20 test shots and everything seemed fine while viewing them on the computer until I looked at the actual size. Ghosting all over the images, blades of grass blurred and lost quite a bit of detail. Further tests all got the same result, slowing down and speeding up the shutter didn't help. Just to make sure my camera hadn't just broken I put on a 70-210mm Minolta lens and experienced none of that blurriness associated with the Tamron.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Small and light lens; bright and clear images, November 21, 2006

By 

E. Wisekal "OCD on my good days" (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Ultra Zoom Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

This lens measures up to my expectations. It is more expensive than some other lenses with similar zoom, but is more compact and produces really excellent photographs. It is my favorite all-around lens.

Owing to the built-in antishake technology in the Sony Alpha 100, the lens can be zoomed to 300mm without a tripod in normal lighting.

I do not plan to use this on a 35mm film camera (my old Minolta uses a different bayonet mount) but its nice to know it can be used on one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Lens for the Price - Light, Fast & Accurate, November 9, 2011

By 

Anna Bright (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Ultra Zoom Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I bought this lens initially to replace and older Tamron 28-300mm film lens that I had been using on my Sony Digital SLR. The film lens was my best and favorite all around lens. The configuration of the newer lens was the same, so I decided to step up to the digital model. This lens is FABULOUS. This newer model is much shorter and lighter than the older model, and the focusing is fast and accurate. I loved it so much that I bought a second one for my other digital SLR. Now my husband and I shoot the same lens on both of our cameras. The macro feature is a definite plus. Being able to get in close for product shots, etc. is a real bonus in a lens. We love Tamron lenses and especially this 28-300mm for all around range and versatility.