Tamron 70-180 mm f/2.8 Di III VXD

[JonathanF2]

And how has the Tamron 17-28 worked out for you - optically and focal-range-wise? I ask because I have the Sony 16-35 f/4 and I am thinking about making the swap.

I haven't bought it. I gave up on zooms at the wide end and currently use a Samyang 14mm 2.8 FE when I need to go ultra wide and the Sam 18mm 2.8 FE for most walk around shooting. I originally was just going to stick with the 18mm, but I came across a cheap copy of the 14mm 2.8 which was too good to pass up. I also owned the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 awhile back, but that lens didn't really do anything for me, so I sold it.

 

[Richard Crowe]

The reason that I won't buy the 70-180mm f/2.8 Tamron is that I own both the Sony 70-200mm f/4 G OSS and Sony 85mm f/1.8. At the used prices for these lenses, I would have to sell both to purchase the Tamron 70-180mm. I am not prepared to do that!

The 70-180mm "might" replace both of these lenses but, I am quite satisfied with their performance as is!

 

[Richard Crowe]

I agree with Biro, above... However, IMO, if Tamron could possibly have added a 1.5x TC capability to this lens, it would have made it even more desirable. Imagine additionally having an equivalent 105-270mm f/4 lens with the addition of the TC... Or, an equivalent 132.5-405mm f/4 with a TC on an APSC crop camera

I have both the 70-200mm f/4 G OSS as well as the 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS lenses and "might" consider selling the 70-200mm G lens and replacing it with the 70-180mm. With its f/2.8 aperture and 9 blades, that lens "might" also replace my 85mm f/1.8 lens for portrait work. That would be a stretch but, a distinct possibility

Looking at the price I might get for the 70-200mm f/4 (about $700-750 USD) I would need to add another about $450-500 USD to switch to the Tamron. I decided to stick with the 70-200mm and 85mm f/1.8 rather than selling both lenses to get the 70-180mm Tamron...

 

[joele]

I have this lens, optically it is very good and quick focus etc except when you switch on "Live View Display: Setting Effect On" and not shooting at f2.8...

With that function off it works fine, with that function on and shooting at 2.8 it is fine, shoot f5.6+ and have that function on and it is like the aperture flicks open and closed a few times confused before it starts to focus and every time it runs the whole focus range, resulting in very slow hesitant focus...

Tried upgrading firmware and didn't help, not sure if it is a faulty lens or just problem in the series (my 17-28 Tamron does not do this).

So curious is this unique to my lens or others have this problem? haven't seen it in the reviews but maybe people don't use that function? I now have it mapped to a button so I can toggle it quickly and not have to deal with the issue with this particular lens.

 

[bdbits]

What you describe has been seen in other cases. Basically a lens stays wide open until it needs to focus, then it stops down to acquire focus at the shooting aperture, then opens back up. It could be reviewers were just used to that depending on other lenses they have used.

If past f8 the hunting would likely be due to the use of contrast detect instead of phase detect AF (CDAF vs PDAF), or I believe it is f11 on some of the latest bodies. But after f5.6 seems too low for that to be the explanation, so I am not sure. Maybe someone else has some ideas on that.

 

[serhan]

I have not stopped down mine much as I shot it with A&R III mostly indoors... It was following our cat playing/walking in low light with eye af. I found 70-180mm @ 180mm af is better than the Tamron 28-200 @ 200mm f5.6, most probably due the aperture/light differences... The lens might be opening/stopping down during af. I read that there is a selection to prevent that during af but I forgot...

There was also a recall on the lens that you can check it on the Tamron website:
https://www.dpreview.com/news/6131258070/tamron-issues-product-advisory-for-its-70-180mm-f-2-8-di-iii-vxd-lens#:~:text=Tamron has issued a product,result in decreased image quality.

I have this lens, optically it is very good and quick focus etc except when you switch on "Live View Display: Setting Effect On" and not shooting at f2.8...

With that function off it works fine, with that function on and shooting at 2.8 it is fine, shoot f5.6+ and have that function on and it is like the aperture flicks open and closed a few times confused before it starts to focus and every time it runs the whole focus range, resulting in very slow hesitant focus...

Tried upgrading firmware and didn't help, not sure if it is a faulty lens or just problem in the series (my 17-28 Tamron does not do this).

So curious is this unique to my lens or others have this problem? haven't seen it in the reviews but maybe people don't use that function? I now have it mapped to a button so I can toggle it quickly and not have to deal with the issue with this particular lens.

 

[joele]

Yeah checked the recall, mine isn't one, and I upgraded to firmware v2.. It's not the end of the world, I have just noticed it on any of my Sony lenses or the Tamron 17-28/2.8 and was a bit suprised, as I said I just toggle that feature off now in those situations and so i have a workaround..