Tamron 28-75mm

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Archive 2008 · Tamron 28-75mm

weekh
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p.1 #1 · Tamron 28-75mm

Anybody using this lens? Picked one up for about $250. Sharp in the center and pretty decent in the corners on the 5D MK2. The corners are as good, if not better, than many EF or alternate lenses.

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Dec 19, 2008 at 02:13 PM

shirozina
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p.1 #2 · Tamron 28-75mm

IMO it's one of the best 'alternative' lenses out there. At the wide end it embarrases may primes and at the long end the bokeh is super smooth making it ideal for portraits. Tamron will also calbrate and optimise it for free to either full frame or APS sensor sizes. It's a bit flimsy compared to L glass but as it's so cheap you can't realy get too worked up about this. It is a true giant killer.

Dec 19, 2008 at 03:00 PM

prashant
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p.1 #3 · Tamron 28-75mm

Tamron will also calbrate and optimise it for free to either full frame or APS sensor sizes. It's a bit flimsy compared to L glass but as it's so cheap you can't realy get too worked up about this. It is a true giant killer. >>
unfortunately my experience is not so good. It is very sharp at the focussed plane but not so sharp otherwise.
Where can one get it calibrated in Europe?And for how much?

Dec 19, 2008 at 03:02 PM

David Clapp
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p.1 #4 · Tamron 28-75mm

I had one and the only reason I sold it was to get a 24-105 with IS, otherwise I would still have it now. It was very sharp, a little warm looking, but a qaulity product and the best value lens I have yet to come across with AF.

Dec 19, 2008 at 03:10 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #5 · Tamron 28-75mm

prashant wrote:
It is very sharp at the focussed plane but not so sharp otherwise.

I have been assuming all along that this is an aspect of every lens ever made. What am I missing here?

Dec 19, 2008 at 03:22 PM

G. Thomas
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p.1 #6 · Tamron 28-75mm

My 50mm f/1.0 isn't "sharp" in the center no matter how you focus!

Dec 19, 2008 at 03:33 PM

dpart
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p.1 #7 · Tamron 28-75mm

I have this lens and love it! I use it on a cropped sensor and it produces incredibly sharp images at f/4 and very good, usable images even wide open at 2.8! That's great to see that it is a solid performer on a full frame as well

. I think I'll be keeping this lens until the end of its life!

Dec 19, 2008 at 03:48 PM

prashant
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p.1 #8 · Tamron 28-75mm

cogitech wrote:
prashant wrote:
It is very sharp at the focussed plane but not so sharp otherwise.

I have been assuming all along that this is an aspect of every lens ever made. What am I missing here?

Well, I do not have any image to show, and have not really tried to a lot. However, when compared to Oly 24mm or 28mm (both 3.5 and 2.0) sharpness does not extend beyond the plane of focus even stopped down. May be I need to test it again...will post some shots this weekend.

ps: any address in Europe to calibrate it?

Dec 19, 2008 at 03:53 PM

jabog6
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p.1 #9 · Tamron 28-75mm

It's funny you mention this - I have the "crop" equivalent of this lens, the 17-50, which I find very sharp on my 20D, even compared to "decent" EF primes. The aspect of it that I like less is the bokeh at 50mm (i.e. for portraits). It always seems very busy, much more so for example than my adapted Yashica 50mm f/1.7 (at comparable apertures). I find it does not handle tricky OOF backgrounds (branches, etc) well at all.

Perhaps the 17-50 and 28-75 are very different in this respect, which in my mind is the only weakness of the 17-50. That would make the 28-75 even more appealing to FF users, I would think.

shirozina wrote:
at the long end the bokeh is super smooth making it ideal for portraits.

Dec 19, 2008 at 04:16 PM

shirozina
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p.1 #10 · Tamron 28-75mm

the 75mm end on a crop sensor would make a nice portarit lens on a crop sensor also

Dec 19, 2008 at 04:22 PM

CKrueger
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p.1 #11 · Tamron 28-75mm

I can't say I have a favorite lens, cause some lenses are perfect and wonderful for some task but not for others (ie: my 100/2.8 for closeups or my 300/2.8IS for wildlife). But if you forced me to sell all my lenses but one, I have to say my most-used and most versatile is my 28-75. I'd keep this one.

Plusses:

It's very sharp, at any aperture and focal length... sharpness improves very slightly at f/4, but otherwise it doesn't matter what you do to the lens. Even the corners are sharp.
Its flare and ghosting is unremarkable in that you won't notice it.
It barely loses contrast in harsh light, and does so gradually and in a recoverable manner.
It has no fringing to speak of.
No significant light falloff on FF.
Its bokeh is smooth and film-like... not quite up to a 85/1.2, but better than an 85/1.8.
AF is very accurate, and fairly quiet.
It's small and light compared to other f/2.8 zooms.
Its hood is very compact. Ahem, Mr 24-70L!
It performs well close up with extension tubes.
Much cheaper than the Canon alternatives.

Minuses:

Its AF ring turns when AF is engaged. Keep your fingers away!
No full-time manual focus. I use this a LOT. I'd rebuy this lens for twice the price if they added a USM-equivalent.
AF speed is good, but not great. Think 28-135, not 85/1.8.
Uncommon 67mm filter size cost me a few bucks.
I've heard some complain of problems with focus at around 20ft, but haven't experienced that myself.

I compared my 28-75 to two copies of the 24-70L. The 28-75 beat them both in every regard except AF speed. Most notably better was its wide open corner performance. The 24-70L is a great lens, but I'm happier with the 28-75 because it's smaller and does at least as good a job so long as the job isn't shooting sports or action. (And I don't do that at 75mm.)

This lens is an absolute workhorse. Paired with a 5D it made my primes accumulate dust in the closet, not just for its superior convenience, but for its excellent IQ and character of its images as well. Even though I've sold my 5D for a 40D and find the 28-75's focal range much less versatile than before, it's still a great portrait maker, and well worth its cost.

I hope that didn't sound gushing... it's tough to be objective and not sound gushing when a lens is this good. I sure hope I don't lead people astray if my copy is somehow a super-sample.

Dec 19, 2008 at 04:53 PM

ShaneEngelking
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p.1 #12 · Tamron 28-75mm

I have owned a 24-70L as well as the Tamron, and sold the 24-70L, because,

1.Tamron is sharper, mine is very sharp wide open at all focal lengths.
2.Tamron is a LOT lighter and more discreet
3. Tamron is a LOT cheaper.

L had better color and tougher build, but was just so darn big for a standard zoom that i felt uncomfortable using it for anything but professional work.

I can't think of a better value in a lens.

Not the greatest portrait, but it shows the smooth quality of this lens bokeh.

2012 © ShaneEngelking

Canon EOS 5D 75 mm f/2.8 1/640 sec 100 ISO 0.0 EV

Dec 19, 2008 at 05:13 PM

jaetie
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p.1 #13 · Tamron 28-75mm

shirozina wrote:
IMO it's one of the best 'alternative' lenses out there.. It is a true giant killer.

it has the same optical formula as the minolta 28-75mm G.

i hardly consider mine as a 'tamron' 28-75, but instead a 'minolta' 28-75 with an EF mount.

Dec 19, 2008 at 06:21 PM

drew.bowser
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p.1 #14 · Tamron 28-75mm

CKrueger wrote:
I've heard some complain of problems with focus at around 20ft, but haven't experienced that myself.

This is very true. Mine is back at tamron right now getting fixed. It will not focus past 15ft all the way to infinity. I am pretty rough on my gear so it is probably my fault

Dec 19, 2008 at 06:28 PM

Craig Gillette
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p.1 #15 · Tamron 28-75mm

No, it's not the 28-70/2.8 G optical formula. There is/was a Minolta version and in some ways it might be better than the G, like close focus distance and focus speed but they aren't the same optically. Not to say it's not a good lens and the Tamron/KM (not sure if Sony rebadged the KM) is certainly an excellent value, it would be a good economical alternative to the used Gs out there.

Dec 19, 2008 at 06:38 PM

mawz
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p.1 #16 · Tamron 28-75mm

28-75 D (not G) is the Minolta version. Several of the D lenses were rebadged Tamrons (the 17-35 D being the other notable example)

Dec 19, 2008 at 07:09 PM

s23chang
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p.1 #17 · Tamron 28-75mm

This little 28-75mm 2.8 is a great lens when AF speed is not needed. I also like the Tamron 28-105mm 2.8. Great all around lens.

Dec 19, 2008 at 07:32 PM

kenyee
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p.1 #18 · Tamron 28-75mm

Their QC is horrible though. I had one w/ horrible sharpness issues at 75mm (visible in portraits), another one w/ horrible backfocus at 28mm, and a 3rd that backfocused at 28 and was slightly fuzzy at 70mm. Returned all 3 in Pentax mount and am waiting to see whether the new Sigma 24-70 HSM is a better alternative before going back to Tamron roulette....

Dec 19, 2008 at 10:05 PM

weekh
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p.1 #19 · Tamron 28-75mm

It is day time now and I able to shoot it in day light.
Image improves simply stopping down to a stop. Extreme corner sharpness right that the edge is soft at f2.8 but gets very good once stopped down to f5.6. It gets even better at f8.

I might just replace the bulky 24-105 with this lens.

If only Tamron could have an updated version with a little wider zoom range,

Dec 19, 2008 at 11:30 PM

weekh
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p.1 #20 · Tamron 28-75mm

Oh no!
Just realised that my copy mis-focus badly with regular focusing, while nailing down precisely with live-view focus.

Dec 20, 2008 at 12:02 AM

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