For lovers, skeptics, and everyone else in between, here is the Tamron SP 17/3.5 thread.
For some reason this lens has been the centre of ongoing controversy. This is due to sample variation, in my opinion. Apparently there are some people (not necessarily FMers) who state this is the worst UWA ever made. I couldn't disagree more. Apparently, they have bad samples (or extremely poor skills?)
Please feel free to contribute your images, etc.
I'll begin showing why I love this lens so much. A good copy should perform like this (ie.right in line with Modern Photo's Test results).
- It is sharp as hell in the centre, wide open.
- It is sharp as hell in all but the most extreme corners at f11.
- The colour is very neutral but very saturated.
- The contrast is nice and punchy.
- It is small and light.
- Its dedicated clamp-on flower-petal hood is very effective.
- It cost me $150.
Many years ago I purchased a Tamron zoom (70-200?? - I forget) and after a short while I sold it as I found the IQ and the feel lousy as all heck. I was used to a wide range of great Pentax "A" series primes at the time. After that I bought a Sigma 14mm ultra wide (Canon EF mount) that also sucked big time. I then vowed never to wonder into the off-brand lens camp ever again...
But yours and other samples do indicate that there are decent offerings out there...
Τhanks for singlehandedly bumping the price of this lens
(joking)
Thanks for that Paul, I've been looking for samples from a good copy for a while, it looks good!
After trying three copies of this lens, all in great condition, I gave up on it. The corners just aren't good enough for me, and the contrast and colors were lacking. I have a couple of the original Tamron EOS adaptall adapters, so it wasn't an adapter issue. I even tried it with Oly and Nikon adaptalls with another adapter for the EOS mount - no difference.
Spyro P. wrote:
Ôhanks for singlehandedly bumping the price of this lens
(joking)
Thanks for that Paul, I've been looking for samples from a good copy for a while, it looks good!
Darn, I too feel a price increase coming ... unless of course Paul wants to sell me his copy for $150
Gotta agree with Paul on the Tamron SP 17mm f3.5. The size, price, and performance are simply impressive on this lens. I got mine brand new - Although I did pay a lot more than Paul did
I have been very pleased with my copy - very sharp and the typical Tamron SP colors - not sure if mine is the first or second version. Since I have the the original Adaptall Nikon mount on my D700 and with a Olympus OM or Canon EF adaptall mount on the Canon system - works fine with both systems.
mawz wrote:
I'm rather fond of the SP 17 myself. I've got the same version as Paul. It's proved an excellent performer on film, DX crop digital and micro-4/3rds.
Simply install an adaptall mount of any flavour that is adaptable to 4/3rds mount.
For instance, with an Olympus OM Adaptall mount installed, the lens functions exactly as a native Oly OM lens. Stick an OM to 4/3rds adapter on there and you are good to go.
terranaut wrote:
Excuse my ignorance here but how do I get this lens to work on mircro four thirds?
Paul's got the gist of it.
For specifics, what I do is use a Nikon or Contax Adaptall-2 mount, which is then mounted to the appropriate 4/3rds mount adapter (Either a Contax/Yashica to 4/3rds or a Nikon F to 4/3rds which are the two adapters I happen to own) which is then mounted to a Panasonic DMW-MA1 4/3rds to micro 4/3rds adapter. It's a large package and not exactly ideal for handling, but the results are quite good.
Looks alot better than my Tokina 17/3.5 RMC in the corners, but the Tokina is just as sharp in the middle. I think I'll have to disassemble it (again), because it is slightly decentered. That could also be the cause of the inferior corner sharpness.
