Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

by Tamron

Product Details

• Item Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000AP7O6
• Item model number: AFB01N-700
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 8, 2005

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

This unique high-performance telephoto macro lens is equally at home in the field and in the studio, providing outstanding image quality at all distances, plus an extra-long working distance for unsurpassed subject access. An advanced optical design incorporating special LD glass and internal focusing (IF), it has a handy Filter Effect Control (FEC) ring for adjusting polarizing filters and an AF/MF ring for easier switching from manual to auto-focus.

Focus fast & easy with Internal Focus (IF)

SP AF180mm F/3.5 Di Features

Di
Digitally Integrated Design (Di), is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to meet the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras.

Enhance the ease of your polarizing filter use

Filter Effect Control (FEC)to Enhance the Operational Ease of your Polarizing Filter Use
The Filter Effect Control is designed to rotate the filter to the desired position while the hood is attached. This is accomplished by turning the FEC ring that in turn rotates the portion of the filter mount where the filter is mounted.

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.

Super Performance (SP) for Discriminating Shooters
Tamron SP (Super Performance) series is a line of ultra-high-performance lenses designed and manufactured to the exacting specifications demanded by professionals and others who require the highest possible image quality. In creating SP lenses Tamron’s optical designers put their foremost priority on achieving superior performance parameters—they are all designed to a higher standard with little regard for cost constraints. As a result, Tamron lenses bearing the SP designation feature impressive and innovative designs that have established an enviable reputation for excellence among those knowledgeable photographers that demand the very best.

Low Dispersion (LD) glass reduces chromatic aberration

Low Dispersion (LD) Glass for Greater Lens Sharpness
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.)

Auto-focus/Manual-focus (AF/MF) Switch Mechanism on the Focus Ring
The ability to switch quickly between auto-focus (AF) and manual-focus (MF) is a great asset in many types of shooting, especially sports and nature photography. This is easily accomplished with Tamron’s ingenious AF/MF system. By simply sliding the focus ring back and forth between the two positions you can select either the AF or MF focusing position. In manual-focus mode Tamron lenses provide smooth, precise manual focusing by turning their wide, well-textured focusing rings.

Quicly switch between auto-focus (AF) and manual-focus (MF)

Product Description

Emulating the design merits of the Tamron SP 90mm Macro, renowned and trusted by professional and amateur photographers throughout the world, the new SP AF180mm f3.5 LD (IF) Macro 1:1 is a mid-range telephoto lens that gives the user a longer working distance needed for some macro subjects. In addition, to meet the needs of this dual-format world (silver-halide and digital), the optical system of the lens is designed to provide optimum performance when used with the latest digital SLR cameras as well as film cameras.

Digitally Integrated Design, is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to meet the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras.

This lens employs an IF (internal focusing) system that maintains the overall length of the lens during focusing. Uses two LD (low-dispersion) glass elements that effectively compensate for chromatic aberration. Provides high-contrast, outstanding image quality and a soft out-of-focus background effect. The Super Performance (SP) lens series provides high performance through outstanding design specifications.

FEC (Filter Effect Control): Features the new FEC (Filter Effect Control) function that enhances operational ease of polarizing filter use. The new Filter Effect Control is designed to rotate the filter to the desired position while the hood is attached. This is accomplished by turning the FEC ring that in turn rotates the portion of the filter mount where the filter is mounted.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great close up lens, November 7, 2009

By 

Rupert T. Yen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

This lens is amazing, I am a commercial shooter specializing in medical, and have been a pro since 1980. My philosophy is real simple, buy the best lens for the purpose, and the money is an important part of this. This lens is sharper then the Nikkor 85 mm 2.8 shift lens, ( I have owned 2 of these lenses). Actually sharper then any Nikkor lens I have owned.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent tele-macro lens, February 8, 2007

By 

Rakesh Malik (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

This is a superb lens, with a good solid build and a smooth manual focus. Because it's made from polycarbonate rather than metal, it's also surprisingly lightweight. The tripod collar is easy to remove but solid. The filter effect control is a nice convenience.

The automatic focus is not particularly fast, but this is not much of a disadvantage since most photographers use manual focus in macro work anyway.

Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Price vs Quality = Worth it, August 4, 2010

By 

Mohamed A. Baaqil (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I am using the lens with a Nikon D80 Camera.
As its been reviewed by others, it is a well-made lens. If you don't mind the extra weight (usually you will use the tripod so I don't think the weight would be an issue), this lens is highly recommended. Just be aware that the lens is a little bit slow when it's in AF mode. I mostly use the manual focus when doing macro so that was not an issue for me.

I have tried Tamron before and after using the 180mm Macro, I could safely say Tamron is one of the best companies when it comes to lenses. When you weigh the quality verse the price, Tamron differently would be a winner. No wonder most of its lenses are award winners.

Thumbs up :)