Tammmy 17-50mm 2.8 with built in motor! This lens caught my attention the other day and I can't find any info (other than the normal specs) about it let alone reviews. I discounted the original tamron 17-50mm 2.8 for being a typical tamron AF system ( SLOW AND SO FREaKIN LOUD). So, the one with a built in motor has me going. For use on a D300 but... Well.. is it faster, silent? Heck there's no pictures of what it looks like?!? Does anyone know of any info about this lens? I am very interested, thanks.
"The Tamron SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Lens made for the Nikon SLR system incorporates a motor built into the lens itself, which gives it the capability to autofocus with all Nikon DSLR cameras (including the D40 and D40x). In addition, with the motor built into the lens, focusing will be quieter and more responsive."
In addition, with the motor built into the lens, focusing will be quieter and more responsive."[/i]
:-P, of course theyre going to say that! I'll wait for a third party test before claiming that it actually is faster...
I'll probably order it tomorrow.. I will keep this thread alive by posting my first impression.
*if all the reviews are true and this one just has a better AF system then.. we might have a true GEM! (except for overall build quality)
I really wanted the Tammy but I can stand their AF system, the new af system gives me a lot of hope for the Tammy... This caught my eye, I want to at least give it a try before going for the 16-85.
So, I got the Tammy with a built in motor a few days ago and just wanted to share my opinion.
I will skip all the usual crap and skip the the auto focus part....
It is slow but a little faster than the Nikon 18-55mm 3.5-5.6II. And about a forth of the speed of the 50 1.8D. The AF sounds like a 50mm 1.8D while wearing earplugs, and smooth until it's almost focused then it stu-stutters into focus.
It does suffer from purple fringing, and low contrast at 2.8.
I also want to note: despite some front focus (thank Nikon for fine tune focusing +17) this lens is hands down sharper than the Nikon 17-55mm 2.8mm at all apertures and FL! And seems to have MUCH better out-of-focus blur than the 50mm 1.8mm D and the Nikon 17-55mm 2.8.
I am not sure if I want to keep it, unless I find a real easy way to fix purple fringing with NX.
there was a lot of people reporting that the AF works fast then micro skips into place. The micro skips is what it made Veeeerrrrrrrrryyyyy sl0o0o0o0w, go into a dimly lit room and see what how long it takes to acquire focus. Mine took as much as 6 seconds, like I said before, in good lighting it is fast. In low light the micro skips makes this lens unusable for event shooting. (and no there is nothing wrong with my camera, and I DID get the tammy with the built in motor)
Purple fringing is manageable, there isn't that much, only when 17-24mm wide open it might be a problem.
Just got the lens... Focus is VERY VERY fast on my D90!!!!!!
anyone complaining about slow focus either has the old one with no motor, or well.. has something wrong with their camera... =P
Or you've never used a fast focusing lens, because my friend's 17-50 f/2.8 II, while quiet(er), focuses about as quickly as my old 300mm f/4 AF. Which, let me tell you, doesn't win any awards.
Every lens has its limitations. And like Eric said, you get what you pay for. And it is good to learn and be happy with what you can afford until you get to the next level. Example: I love my 70-300mm VR because that all I can afford for now. The day I will get a 70-200 2.8, I will 'up' my expectations and criticize the 70-300VR. But for now, 70-300 is what I love. It is good to know how to be happy with what you have. Whats wrong with that? Dont ruin someone's content just because you have got more. I dont want to distract from the topic, but not knowing how to live within ones means caused much of the current economic problems. True that!
Eric, please share some pics.. very curious to see the results:-)
I'm out for the day, but tonight or tomorrow morning I'm going to toss a stuio together and take some headshots with the lens...
I don't have a filter for it yet (on order) so it won't leave my house till I get one... outside pics will have to wait...
yea... I'm a sucker for filters... now, all my primes never have filters... primes are meant to be sharp, so they have NO filter on them...
BUT all my zoom lenses always have filters on them... UNLESS I'm doing long exposure night shots...
And I agree, I had a 70-300mm VR lens (just sold it on ebay) and it's a wicked lens for teh price you pay!!! Where are you going to get another 300mm lens with VR for that price!!!???
And like Prash said... OBVIOUSLY the 70-200mm VR BLOWS that lens away, BUT it costs 4 times as much!!!
lenses should be compaired in the PRICE category first, before the quality category...
now, as was brought up by prash in the other thread, Tamron lenses can have bad coppies (as with any lens manufacturer... can anyone tell me anything to look out for??? any way to test it out and see???
the focus seems fine, the lens feels solid, zoom feels snug, is there anything I should look out for?
I DID buy it throught a dealer, so it can be swapped,... what should I be looking for to be sure I have a good copy?
I think you got yourself a great copy! I usually test my new lenses by using a tripod to focus on a well defined grid pattern (like the front mesh-ed panel of a speaker). I do a full auto focus first, and take a snapshot. Then I use live view to zoom in and manually focus for the same settings, and take another shot. Then I compare the two at 100%.
