The new Tamron super tele-zoom seems to have exceeded expectations for shooting static objects. A great value for those circumstances.
I'd like to dedicate this thread to BIF/Action Shooting only, as many folks are interested in this capability of the lens. Early results are not highly encouraging, but the sample size is still relatively small and perhaps not enough is known about the lens in this regard (yet).
Please post your BIF/Action Shooting with this lens here. It will make a nice single place to look for information on this very important single topic for the new Tamron. Happy shooting!
I posted this in the other thread. Just copying here
Some of the BIF shots from Sunday. It was a cloudy day with very little light to work with. Not ideal for this lens
I used both Canon 5D3 and 7D
For 5D:
I started with Zone Auto Focus (Center Zone) - It did NOT go very well. Unless the subject is hitting the center point of the zone... Camera/Lens was missing the subject (absolute no movements)
I resorted back to the Center Focus Point and this seems to be the most reliable option for bird in flight. Camera/Lens was able to focus - I guess it was comparable to my Canon 400mm 5.6 with 1.4x III extender (which is not bad I guess)
My setting for AI Serve, Continuous Hight Speed shooting, Center Focus Point, Case 4 in the AutoFocus settings, Lens drive when AF impossible = ON
For 7D:
I started with the zone autofocus and camera continuous focus on the subject but subject stays out of focus in most of the shots (probably require Micro Adjust)
I did not get the chance to try with only the center point but guess that should work fine - its just the zone autofocus had some issues.
Still early days, I am still trying to understand the lens behavior in these situations. I am OK if the behavior is predictable as I can plan for but things gets messy when it's random.
Here is one of a BIF. The over exposure was my fault, I had dialed in a + exposure for a previous shot and forgot to re-adjust when I found this guy flying overhead
Canon EOS 7D ,Tamron 150-600mm
1/1000s f/7.1 at 600.0mm iso800
the last few shots here seem to have decent IQ.. but how fast.. or slow was the AF to lock on?.. i'd like to have something in this zoom range that could AF as fast as the 400mm f/5.6
kmunroe wrote:
the last few shots here seem to have decent IQ.. but how fast.. or slow was the AF to lock on?.. i'd like to have something in this zoom range that could AF as fast as the 400mm f/5.6
Without getting all my lenses out and timing them the Tamron is slower then the 400 f/5.6L and seems about the same as my 70-300L. I didn't try with the focus limiter on but I don't think that will make that much of a difference when compared with the 400 f/5.6 (which is my fastest lens to AF along with my 70-200 f/2.8 L (non IS) )
I am finding that in AI Servo, the camera will focus on a distant subject, but if I keep the shutter button depressed it will not focus when I aim at a closer subject. The same happens when I focus on a near subject then try to focus on a distant subject.
How many others are experiencing this faulty AF tracking in AI Servo?
AF INCONSISTENCY
The Tamron AF system on this *sample piece* is inconsistent and often stalls at between focal lengths from 250-600 in the field. I found it impossible to lock a bird in flight in the sky. Both my Canons did not have focus issues with the Canon 400mm F5.6L that I carried along. Setting the camera at the 15m limiter didn't help either. There were odd occasions when it did work - but only in a flash. The AF sort of leaps forward and retracts backwards, and then stalls.
The tracking did work well when a subject is nailed in focus. Because of its frequent inability (this sample copy) to lock onto subject at the 250-600 end, a subject moving toward the camera was manually overridden until it is in focus and with the AF on the camera pressed. That way, the AF tracking works. "To kick start it" so as speak and to wake it up from its sleep. That way, tracking works. By itself, the lens' AF at these focal lengths would very often freeze.
AF LOST DURING ZOOMING
Inability to maintain focus while zooming. When I AF a heron in the sky at 150mm then start to zoom in, all AF was lost.
CENTER POINT AF
In my sample copy, the AF works consistently only with the center point (both 5D MK3 and 70D). Using zone focus out in the field appears to throw the AF into confusion and stalls the lens.
Interestingly, in indoor situations, the focus is consistent at all focal lengths with the single point AF. It didn't have any issues locking into peoples' faces when I was in a large hall that could contain over 300 people. Strange....
IF A GREAT MOMENT IN PHOTOGRAPHY COMES BUT ONCE IN A LIFETIME, YOU WANT TO BE SURE THAT YOUR EQUIPMENT WILL NOT FAIL YOU AT THE CRUCIAL MOMENT.
But regarding the inconsistent AF, I was not able to establish whether this was due to a faulty copy of the Tamron sample or if this issue is found in all copies. And if it was in the latter's case, whether or not a firmware update might be able to fix this AF inconsistency.
The Canon 400mm F5.6, on the other hand, feels reliable and gives confidence. You know that the AF will work. With the Tamron, the security is not there as you have the worry that the AF might just stalls at the crucial moment. Theses problems need to be clarified whether it is just an isolated case or something that is present in current models, the question therefore arises if a firmware might be able to resolve if it was the latter. We shall wait and see.
Issue Taken Note
I could not establish whether this AF focus issue was due to a faulty copy of the Tamron sample or if this problem is inherent in all copies. And if indeed this issue is present in the current batch; whether it could be resolved with a firmware update. The matter was brought to the attention of the two camera representatives present and they have said that this problem will be reported back to Tamron in Japan.
kmunroe wrote:
the last few shots here seem to have decent IQ.. but how fast.. or slow was the AF to lock on?.. i'd like to have something in this zoom range that could AF as fast as the 400mm f/5.6
Such a lens exists but it will cost you a wee bit more than this Tamron....
