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Archive 2009 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6

  
 
bob
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


I bought a used Tamron 200-400mm f5.6 lens Nikon mt. lens it is sharp from 200mm to 300mm at 400mm lens is not sharp. I called Tamron they said focus could be adjusted. Cost 169.00. My question is all reviews state lens is not sharp at 400mm. Is it worth sending back? Someone out there must have used or owned this lens. I am at a lose. The only thing I want to use the lens for is my grandsons football games. Most Tamron lenses I have used in the past have been reasonably sharp.. Thanks for the help in advance. Bob


Aug 13, 2009 at 09:35 AM
jasoncallen
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


Can you please post some examples so that we can see what you describe as "not sharp"? Sometimes soft images are just a factor of the lens they came out of, and can't be helped... other times, there is definitely a performance issue. Seeing is knowing the difference!


Aug 13, 2009 at 11:26 AM
bob
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


I have images but am unable to post. Please advise. Bob P>S> I don't think it is worth spending the money on the lens. I belive its a factor of the lens. Bob


Aug 13, 2009 at 11:48 AM
jamach
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


glad to hear your complaint, tho I think it is better if you send the verbal representation of your angst to Tamron.

Many here would be glad to help and discuss, and are owners of this lens, if only examples were provided.

Posting can be a problem, may require membership with FM for uploading, or a website from where a link could be posted in the thread or image embedded

Joe



Aug 13, 2009 at 11:53 AM
bob
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


I will uploaded pix to my website and put link on this page. I.ll get right to it. Thanks Bob


Aug 13, 2009 at 12:19 PM
bob
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


link to my web site: http://idophotography.net/tamron/
all images shot @ 1/1600 f5.6 using unipod iso 250 bob

Edited on Aug 14, 2009 at 03:46 PM · View previous versions



Aug 14, 2009 at 09:54 AM
tomb18
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


Looks like purely a focus issue to me


Aug 14, 2009 at 10:17 AM
bob
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


Meaning I should send lens back for focus adjustment? At 300mm or 200mm lens is tack sharp.


Aug 14, 2009 at 10:20 AM
---XR---
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


you get what you pay for, the reason it is not sharp @ 400mm is because it was cheaply made, that is the difference between a $150 tamron and a $5000 Nikkor.




Aug 14, 2009 at 07:37 PM
jon49erfan
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


Tamron 200-400 for $150?


Aug 14, 2009 at 07:59 PM
jamach
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


Bob, there does seem to be some issue, I am not sure where XR gets the Tamron for $150, but hey, the hood is a big place and boxes do fall out the back of trucks, as they say.

Is the focus the same at other focal lengths?

Does your camera have the focus adjustment? If so do you have a focus chart? Is the focus issue the same with other lenses?

What camera do you have?

Here is a focus chart link:
http://focustestchart.com/focus21.pdf

Joe



Aug 14, 2009 at 08:00 PM
---XR---
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


i had a friend buy one for $99 and i see them all the time on ebay for that, to get the record straight, they are not a high quality telephoto zoom, he loves his for the range he got for that price, but in no way are they high quality lenses and they shouldn't be expected to preform as such, so if it's not sharp @ 400mm, don't cry a river, if you want quality- pay the price it demands.





Aug 14, 2009 at 08:08 PM
Gene_C
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


bob wrote:
I bought a used Tamron 200-400mm f5.6 lens Nikon mt. lens it is sharp from 200mm to 300mm at 400mm lens is not sharp. I called Tamron they said focus could be adjusted. Cost 169.00. My question is all reviews state lens is not sharp at 400mm. Is it worth sending back? Someone out there must have used or owned this lens. I am at a lose. The only thing I want to use the lens for is my grandsons football games. Most Tamron lenses I have used in the past have been reasonably sharp.. Thanks for the help in
...Show more

I owned a Tammy 200-400 a long time ago. Mine was exactly as yours is. Personally I would not spend the $169. That lens is not known for sharpness at 400.

gene



Aug 14, 2009 at 08:10 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


IQ and construction of those lenses were never any good. 300/4 AF (non-D) even with TC-14B was noticeably better.

EBH



Aug 14, 2009 at 08:11 PM
jamach
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


WOW, sounds like some rich guys slamming a regular guy with a malcreant Tamron. To answer the OP with a solution like get a Nikkor $5000 lens if you want to take pictures sounds a bit snobbish imho.

How about a Bigma, or Nikkor 300mm with 1.7 or 1.4tc, or the 80-400mm. So, to limt the solution to a single FL is accurate, the pic would be about as good as it can be within the format, but seems to ignore other solutions.

So, are good pictures possible with anything but $5000 Nikkors?

I will add that there are several people who used that model Tamron with Canon gear and produced bleeding edge pictures with the thing. But their complaint was that it focused slowly. So, maybe there are other things going on here.

WOW, the constrcution must be some kinda good else the lens would not be a lens. So, perhaps it is not up to the level of a $5000 Nikkor.

Just trying to be helpful without using a fanboi emotional quotient...

Joe



Aug 14, 2009 at 09:07 PM
bob
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


I am using it on D90 - It is very sharp at 200mm & 300mm so I guess I will not send it back for adjustment. Thanks for all the help. This lens at B&H used in good condition is 375.00 I called the other day to check. Thanks again for all the help. Bob


Aug 14, 2009 at 09:08 PM
jamach
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


get the 300mm and tc 1.7

Joe



Aug 14, 2009 at 09:10 PM
ptys
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


Do you get sharper photos if you manually focus using live view? Some of those examples you posted seem to be focused behind (what seems to be) the target.

I had this lens for a couple of weeks in Canon mount. The internal motor drained the batteries amazingly fast. Within 30 mins of usage it would suck a battery dry on a canon XTi.



Aug 14, 2009 at 09:23 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


jamach wrote:
WOW, sounds like some rich guys slamming a regular guy with a malcreant Tamron. To answer the OP with a solution like get a Nikkor $5000 lens if you want to take pictures sounds a bit snobbish imho.


Some of us tried that lens long before there was a 200-400 VR (or even Nikon AF-S or VR), and the 200-400 MF version was rare and expensive. I've seen that lens split and break after dropping a couple of feet. You should see the innards.

Anyway, the 80-400 would be a modern comparison, but it is no comparison.

EBH



Aug 14, 2009 at 09:23 PM
---XR---
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Tamron 200-400mm f5.6


jamach wrote:
WOW, sounds like some rich guys slamming a regular guy with a malcreant Tamron. To answer the OP with a solution like get a Nikkor $5000 lens if you want to take pictures sounds a bit snobbish imho.


not trying to be snobbish, but i've had experience with some of these tamron zooms, and i have not be amused by the quality, priceing was great though.

my comment was not that the soulution was to buy a nikkor 200-400, but to not expect to much from the tamron 200-400, i know i never did from other tamron of similar quailty/IQ/aperture.

there are many other zooms that can be looked at that will give better results @ 400mm, on the other end of this- they will cost more than a couple hundred bucks, some may be over $500 some may be $5000, the point is most people who accpet photography as a hobby eventually reliaze it is expensive and people who want a high resoultion, sharp, and detailed image at a long focal length many times choose to invest in lenses that will do so.

to the OP-

an older manual focus nikkor like a 400mm F5.6 AIS, will fit your needs perfectly if you want a sharp but cheap 400mmm image, they run about $300-400 used, i found them impressive.



Aug 14, 2009 at 11:23 PM
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