Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

by Tamron

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 4.3 x 4.2 inches ; 14.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007WK8N0
• Item model number: Minolta AF
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 24, 2005

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Tamron's original development of proprietary core technologies such as Aspherical element production, Multiple Cam Mechanism and Integrated Focus Cam design lend to the creation of the world's lightest, most compact 11x zoom lens made for digital SLR cameras.

Zoom in for a macro shot

AF18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di II Highlights

Di II
Lenses are designed for exclusive use on digital cameras with smaller-size imagers and inherit all of the benefits of our Di products. These lenses are not designed for conventional cameras and digital cameras with image sensors larger than 24mm x 16mm.

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.

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

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
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 is proud to have introduced the concept of their high-power zoom lens with AF 18-200mm XR Di II -- for exclusive use with digital SLRs. Tamron s original development of proprietary core technologies such as Aspherical element production, Multiple Cam Mechanism and Integrated Focus Cam design lend to the creation of the world s lightest, most compact 11.1X zoom lens made for digital SLR cameras. The 18-200mm (28-300 when converted to 35mm) provides the digital photographer with the versatility of a true wide to ultra tele zoom in an amazingly easy to use design. Tamron s Di II lenses are designed for exclusive use on digital cameras with smaller-size imagers and inherit all of the benefits of their Di products. These lenses are not designed for conventional cameras and digital cameras with image sensors larger than 24mm x 16mm. Item Specifications: Product Description: Tamron A014 - zoom lens - 18 mm - 200 mm Manufacturer Warranty: 6 years warranty Weight: 14 oz Length: 3 in Min Focus Range: 17.7 in Lens System: Zoom lens Optical Zoom: 11.1 x Lens Aperture: F/3.5-6.3 Focus Adjustment: Automatic, manual Focal Length: 18 mm - 200 mm Mounting Type: Minolta A-type Lens Construction: 13 group(s) / 15 element(s) Filter Size: 62 mm Special Functions: Zoom

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent value for money, September 3, 2008

By 

LambertWM (UTRECHT, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I bought this lens to replace the kit lens that came with the Sony Alpha 300. I wanted an all-round lens so I wouldn't have to carry/change multiple lenses. I'm very happy with the results: excellent quality photo's, very easy to use because of the all-purpose 18-200 range.

Some observations:
- Although the lens doesn't feel overly heavy, if you point the camera down, the lens will "zoom in" due to gravity pulling it out. Understandable, but sometimes this feels clumsy. There is a zoom-lock switch btw.
- If you place the anti-direct-sunlight-cap-thingie backwards on the lens (to store it there), you cannot reach the manual focus ring anymore. Understandable, and documented, but still not practical.

Bottomline: very good buy, must-have if you choose to carry 1 lens max.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great all in one lens, June 9, 2009

By 

Ryoasuka (NewYork) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

Pro : so cheap
11x but compact size
nice image quality
Con : slow focus
noisy when focus

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great all-around lens, December 15, 2008

By 

Christopher P. Rodriguez - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I'm only a student of photography, so I'm not able to get too technical in my review. I bought this lens because like most, I wanted an all-in-one lens. A lens that would allow me to take close family shots and those distance shots; when I can't be as close as I'd like to be. I've only had this lens for a about a month now, but I must say I'm extremely happy with the lens. With that said, I'm very big on landscape photos and not heavy into sports or fast action shots. The photos I've taken with this lens so far (around 500) are very crisp and clean shots.

I did notice that the lens can be a little slow on the auto focus, so beware. If you plan to only use this lens for sports and/or action shots, you might be a little disappointed. Otherwise, this lens is great! Now, I can get rid of my three other lenses that this single lens has replaced.