- Excellent optics, especially for this price. Images are exploitable from 2.8 and the truly outstanding dive from 4.0. A large opening it offers a nice bokeh, a little "hard" but perfectly suited to enhance the subject. Most readable tests on the net give the optical neck and neck and sometimes better than the famous 70,200 reference Canon, half or a quarter of the price! you can see pictures of insects crops on the same page, taken in 4.0: when you have the point, really incredibly sharp on the subject, with relatively little loss to the edges.
- Autofocus quite satisfactory under favorable light conditions, fast and accurate, but performance degrades when the subject is poorly lit, or with insufficient contrast. Moreover, it is really noisy when it pumps to find the point in the low light. The manual passage is fortunately very easy and fast, and the focus ring is flexible; a skilled photographer therefore find a way to fully exploit this beautiful view in somewhat fair conditions. One might regret the absence of stabilization, but the price difference would have placed the product in direct competition with Canon optics, which suggests that the situation wanted by Tamron is legitimate and perfectly competitive.
The black color was the relatively discreet makes the Canon white; the finish is very good, solid, inspires confidence. The blue ring, which appears in manual MAP is surprising but that's a detail.
This zoom is rather to avoid if you want to photograph weddings or any other situation where discretion is absolutely necessary; in other cases, go for it, you probably will rediscover some ways to make images! Buying a monopod is the logical, think about it when you order. Similarly, your tripod will do well to learn to wear a slightly above normal weight.
Most Tamron: a foot clamp (solid and well done), an efficient sun visor, a carrying case and a 5 year warranty!
