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Archive 2015 · Tamron 15-30 2.8
  
 
indusphoto
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


I have had two Tokina 16-28, and currently have Nikon 16-35. Tamron 15-30 (which I ended up returning) was sharper than all. However compared to Nikon 16-35 it has considerably higher flare.

The good about this lenses are

1. Great saturated and warm colors with excellent contrast.
2. Sharp from corner to corner.
3. Excellent VC.

Not so good
1. Weight
2. Size (huge, bigger than 14-24)
3. Flare
4. No filters

Basically I recommend this to anyone who does not need to use filters (or can wait and afford for third party systems to show up) and is not bothered with size/weight.
May 16, 2015 at 02:09 AM
Frogfish
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


A little bit more on the Tokina 16-28/2.8.

Worth noting if you read about issues with the cap staying on (early models) this has now been resolved and it now covers all of the hood petals and clicks/locks into place - so almost no chance of losing it unless it's by user error.

I've done a lot of reading in this last 24 hrs and most reports show the emphasis on very low distortion (at 16mm), excellent sharpness across the frame and colour. The negatives are weaker corners at f2.8 (though I've still found plenty of good Astro shots) and the possibility of flare - though it was exceedingly difficult to elicit it today in open sky (there is a little on the house in the 2nd 'Sky' shot) though it appeared in 2 out of 5 shots of the sun taken through bamboo, so it may appear only in very specific situations and then not always.

These are straight screen crops using the iMac's screen cropper - command+shift+4 - (so don't expect the highest IQ) - absolutely nothing has been done to the files **at all** bar opening RAWs in View-NXi and screen grabs.

I imagine once I've got these into LR 5 and applied some sharpening and contrast they'll show outstanding sharpness.

Sharpness - 100% at MFD


Sharpness - subject


Sharpness - 100% Crop


Bamboo - Flare Test (this flare appeared in 2 of the 5 shots taken through the bamboo with the sun at a 45-75 degrees tangent).


Bamboo - Flare Test - 100% Crop


Flare Test - Open Sky 1


Flare Test - Open Sky 2


Flare Test - Open Sky 3
May 16, 2015 at 04:37 AM
Frogfish
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


Adding this old quote from the highly respected Roger Cicala on the Tokina that I've just come across :

Tokina has made some fine wide-angle lenses at good prices for crop sensor cameras: the 11-16 is unique in offering a wide fixed aperture DX lens, and the 12-24 f/4 PRO was also very good. They were obviously practicing to get ready for a wide angle FX lens. You can read the rest if you want, but the bottom line is this lens rocks. Its a very good lens at any price, and amazingly good at this price.

You’ve already heard the obvious: it’s quite sharp even wide open, the new autofocus motor and system work quickly and efficiently. How sharp? Very, very sharp. About as sharp at f/2.8 as the 16-35 f/4 VR is at f/4. How’s that? I know you’re going to ask if its as sharp as the 14-24 f/2.8 and I won’t make the call. But its close enough that it will be a hard call to make, at least in the center. Its not bad in the corners even wide open and excellent at f/4. And its good throughout the zoom range.

It does vignette a bit wide open, but not badly and its gone by f/4. I don’t notice any significant distortion at either end. Not saying there’s not a bit, but its not obvious unless you’re shooting a grid, which I haven’t done. But nothing as noticeable as the barrel distortion at the wide end of the 16-35 f/4 VR.

Overall, this is a home run lens. If you don’t have a full-frame wide angle you can’t go wrong here. Just buy it if you can. Don’t worry about us, we’ll rent all we can get, I’m sure.
May 19, 2015 at 05:04 AM
vindex1963
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


Maybe you should start a tokina thread.
May 19, 2015 at 07:32 AM
Frogfish
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


vindex1963 wrote:
Maybe you should start a tokina thread.

I probably should ! However people are comparing the 15-30 with 14-24, 16-35 etc. so since I was planning on buying the 15-30 but somehow ended up with the 16-28 I thought others may also be interested in the comparison since this lens is rarely mentioned.
May 19, 2015 at 08:20 AM
Aztatlan
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


Anyone know any USA-based retailers for the Haida filter holder for the 15-30?


Jul 06, 2015 at 10:27 PM
Andrew Pece Photography
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


Any more input on this lens?


Dec 31, 2015 at 12:15 PM
SSISteve
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


I just ordered the Tamron 15-30mm an dhope to have it any day. It's a better deal than the Nikon 14-24mm and I ended up getting it out of Canada for $858 new which was too good of a price to pass up.
Dec 31, 2015 at 01:20 PM
Andrew Pece Photography
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


SSISteve wrote:
I just ordered the Tamron 15-30mm an dhope to have it any day. It's a better deal than the Nikon 14-24mm and I ended up getting it out of Canada for $858 new which was too good of a price to pass up.


I'd like to go get a feel for one but the electronics stores like Best Buy don't have them and there aren't many camera stores anymore.

858 is amazing.

I'm still considering between the Tammy, the tokina 16 to 28 and the Nikon 16 to 35. Need quite a bit of funds before even thinking about purchasing though.


Dec 31, 2015 at 04:45 PM
paloika
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


Here's more info:
Dec 31, 2015 at 05:24 PM
Aztatlan
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


I picked up the Tamron 15-30 a couple of weeks ago, and although at this busy time of year I have yet to find the time to take it out on a 'proper' shoot, my test shots have demonstrated that it is an exceptional lens.

Razor sharp in the centre at f2.8 and even the corners are excellent at this aperture although do benefit a little from stopping down. At landscape apertures (f8-f11) the lens delivers superb edge-to-edge sharpness right into the extreme corners. In terms of centre sharpness, the lens is actually a better performer at f2.8 than at f11 due to diffraction - something I personally have not seen in many UWA lenses, which typically benefit significantly from stopping down.

Probably the biggest weakness I have observed is some fairly noticeable CA on the edges of the frame, and although it is correctable I have observed that the default CA correction in Camera Raw is not always adequate to get all of it, sometimes requiring some further manual tweaking.

From my tests I would probably only recommend going as far as 24mm on the lens for good quality; it's definitely optimised for the wide end of the focal range and does deteriorate significantly towards the end of the zoom. From my unscientific testing, my 16-35 is sharper at 24-30mm while the Tamron is (much) sharper on the wide end.

I picked up the Haida filter holder for it which is quite a good piece of kit for the money.



Dec 31, 2015 at 07:37 PM
PLHarper
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


SSISteve wrote:
I just ordered the Tamron 15-30mm an dhope to have it any day. It's a better deal than the Nikon 14-24mm and I ended up getting it out of Canada for $858 new which was too good of a price to pass up.


Which retailer did you use?
Dec 31, 2015 at 09:15 PM
SSISteve
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


PLHarper wrote:
Which retailer did you use?

I used Camera Canada. I think their sale price went back up last week.
Dec 31, 2015 at 09:31 PM
PLHarper
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


SSISteve wrote:
I used Camera Canada. I think their sale price went back up last week.



Yeah, they raised the price up fast. I just the pulled the trigger and bought one at royalphoto.com for 772.00 shipped.
Dec 31, 2015 at 10:35 PM
Andrew Pece Photography
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


PLHarper wrote:
Yeah, they raised the price up fast. I just the pulled the trigger and bought one at royalphoto.com for 772.00 shipped.



Thanks. Just checked that out. Didn't buy but this price is seriously making me consider selling gear and buying this. It came to 1039 cad for me, shipped.

Anybody interested in a tokina 12 to 28? Haha... No, seriously.


Jan 01, 2016 at 11:23 AM
Ryder
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Tamron 15-30 2.8


Apparently Royal Photo raised their price too. It is $1019 now as far as I can tell.
Jan 01, 2016 at 11:45 AM