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Tamron Autofocus 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon DSLR Cameras | List Price: $636.95
Discount Price: Too low to display
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Brand: Tamron
Binding: Electronics
Features: - Super fast f 2.8 constant aperature throughout the entire zoom range.
- XR glass for breakthrough in compact design
- Includes front and rear lens cap and a lens case
- Zoom lock for convenience
- 67mm filter diameter
Best midrange zoom I've used [Posted on 2007-02-21]
I was shocked to see this lens with a low average score. Obviously the initial reviewer either had a bad lens or doesn't know the best practices of his camera. Well, it's his loss, cause this lens is one of the best I've used and my all-time favorite of my current kit.
I decided to give this lens a try after having good luck with other Tamron lenses and checking out the quality images my friend got with the same lens on a Canon camera. It was on my short-list for awhile, and I was thrilled when I finally had a chance to buy it.
Pros:
* size and weight - this lens is great if you want to travel and don't want to sacrifice quality. it is light, as are most Tamron lenses I've tried, but well built and easy to work with.
* color and sharpness - no problems with sharpness here, and color is superb. I find this lens provides better quality than the Tamron 18-200 that I started out with, and far above the Nikon 18-70.
* bokeh (out-of-focus background rendering) - beautiful, which can be said for every Tamron lens I've used so far. they handle the bokeh perfectly and produce some of the best results when shooting shallow depth of field.
* price - this lens falls at a nice price compared to similar Nikon models, and it covers more range than some of the 2.8 Nikon lenses.
* zoom lock - I love this feature on the Tamron lenses. I always lock it when I'm not shooting or before it goes back in the bag. I hated pulling the Nikon 18-70 out and having it fully extend every time because the sides of the bag just barely held onto the lens hood.
* will work with non APS-C size cameras. Nikon doesn't have a full-frame digital available yet, but who knows what will happen in the future. If they do release one, it's nice knowing you can use this lens on it as well. Same if you want to shoot film now and then, since the "digital only" lenses cannot be used on those cameras.
Cons:
* 28mm is not at all wide on a APS-C size sensor, which all Nikon models currently use. I would prefer 18, 20, or at least 24mm. My wide angle is a Sigma 10-20, so that leaves quite a gap in the wide range, unfortunately. It does go up to 75 rather than 70, but I've found that if 70 isn't enough, 75 isn't enough either, in most cases. I'd prefer that extra range on the wide end instead.
* auto-focus can hunt in low-contrast situations. again, this is a trait I've found with all my Tamron lenses, and it is easily overcome by switching to manual when needed.
That's the long and short of it. I don't think I will ever need to replace this lens, and for now it is the default lens on my camera whenever I go somewhere. Great performance all-around, nice bright image in the view-finder, and a nice price from Amazon. I would recommend this lens to anyone looking for a higher quality over their original kit lens.
The Perfect Midrange Zoom! [Posted on 2007-07-11]
This is my first non-Nikon lens, and for the price you can't do any better for a walkaround lens. I wanted to wait to write my review after a substantial test of this lens, which I did at a friend's wedding. I took along all of my usual gear just in case, including a 50mm f/1.8 Nikkor prime and a 70-300mm Nikkor zoom--neither of which I ever touched the whole evening. I managed to get every single picture using just this lens, including shots taken in full sunlight, shade, sunset, and indoors with minor assistance from a fill-in flash (SB-800). Over 90% of my pictures came out tack-sharp and exactly as I hoped they would, with the other 10% just being the result of poor planning or user-error. In my opinion, I never got anywhere close to this kind of quality with my kit 18-55mm Nikkor (which is what I intended to replace with this lens). I did a lot of research between this lens and a similar model by Sigma, but this lens had much higher praise--and I can certainly see why.
Sharp, sharp, sharpity sharp! [Posted on 2007-12-03]
I am thoroughly pleased with this moderately priced lens. For an outlay that does not break the bank, I am amply rewarded with sharpness and superb color rendition. I own three Tamron lenses: this one, the 90mm macro, and the 70-300mm macro zoom. I would call the 90mm the sharpest and put this one at a close second. Given the fact that the 90mm is a legend, that's high praise indeed. If you're concerned about quality but can't stomach the cost of a Nikon or Canon standard range zoom, try this one. I rented a copy and was so thrilled by how it handled, and how well it balanced on my Nikon D50, that I ordered my own copy after only a few days of use.
Dissapointed [Posted on 2008-01-27]
I chose this product because so many people in the wedding business recommended it for low light situations. The 2.8 aperture was nice but this lens was not sharp. Every single one of my shots was the same. Very soft in the center. Even my mother who knows NOTHING about photography and lenses noticed it. I sent it back. I've heard some people say that they bought this lens and it was sharp....I guess it's hit or miss....good luck!
Definitely A Keeper [Posted on 2008-04-11]
I too am surprised to see this lens rated across the range. My copy is very sharp, and in fact, I tend to side with those who say it's as sharp as L lenses for Canon. Other review sites show the same range of opinions, which would only lead one to believe that there may be a lot of variations between copies. It is unfortunate that this is the case because those who have good copies truly have excellent results. If you really like the lens and have gotten a "soft" copy, I would not hesitate in returning it for another, or you can send it away to Tamron since they have a 6 year USA warranty. If you're in doubt, go to a local dealer where you can "test drive" one and see the results, and if you're lucky enough to have a dealer who has a liberal return policy, take it home and put it to the test. I would not let the bad reviews scare you away from trying out this lens.
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