Review - Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD with Pictures

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

The Tamron does a great job of retaining contrast and dynamic range when shooting into the sun.


Lead Me On by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

I used the lens in a way that I haven' done a lot of - I got a 6 stop ND filter and hand-blended (with luminosity masks) three bracketed exposures to produce this shot:


Still Winter, Still Beautiful by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

 

[bholliman]

Great review and follow-up pictures and comments here Dustin. This lens is next on my wish list (to replace my 24-105). I would love to have the Canon 24-70 2.8 II, but I would need to save considerably longer for that and would give up image stabilization.

Awesome landscapes by the way. I shot some of these same places in DC, but my shots are not as well conceived or composed. You have an excellent photographers eye, something I'm still trying to develop.

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Great review and follow-up pictures and comments here Dustin. This lens is next on my wish list (to replace my 24-105). I would love to have the Canon 24-70 2.8 II, but I would need to save considerably longer for that and would give up image stabilization.

Awesome landscapes by the way. I shot some of these same places in DC, but my shots are not as well conceived or composed. You have an excellent photographers eye, something I'm still trying to develop.

Thank you. You've got a nice kit, and the Tamron will fit in nicely. You may find, like I did, that the 24-105L gets squeezed out, but that nicely helps fund the Tamron anyway.

 

[Rienzphotoz]

A Slice of Virginia by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

AWESOME colors ... great image

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

A Slice of Virginia by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

AWESOME colors ... great image

Thank you. It's great when you have chance to be out shooting when lighting ISN'T a challenge!!

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Here's one from a trip to D.C. Great lens for capturing the monuments inside and out. VC allows for very low shutter speeds on something like that which isn't moving. Outside, the lens goes nicely wide, enough so to capture some tall things like this:


Renovating History by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

I did a head to head this morning with my 17-40L at the same aperture (f/11) and focal length for a big landscape with a deep depth of field. I expected the 17-40L to be much better at resolving distance and throughout the frame. Very surprised to find that not the case, and the Canon still exhibited some CA at f/11 (I find the low CA a real strength of the Tamron). This lens continues to impress. Here's one I took this morning (not the BIG shot)


Salute the Dawn by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

 

[pdirestajr]

@ Dustin Abbott, so I take it you like this lens and highly recommend it

Really impressive photos overall and you make a seriously strong case for this lens. Tamron should sponsor you

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

@ Dustin Abbott, so I take it you like this lens and highly recommend it

Really impressive photos overall and you make a seriously strong case for this lens. Tamron should sponsor you

I would like that And yes, I do like the lens a lot. I don't hang onto lenses that I am not crazy about or don't get used enough. I like trying new lenses and have owned quite a few. The Tamron has been a consistent winner in the various situations I have put it in, so I am very pleased with it. It is currently the only non-Canon modern lens in my bag, and one of the few non-L series lenses I own.

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Hard to not love the lens when it produces images like this 8)


My Heart Belongs to Just One by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

 

[smithy]

Hard to not love the lens when it produces images like this 8)

I think you give the lens too much credit here. You clearly have photographic and post-processing talent (don't let it go to your head), so I'm sure you could've achieved the same thing with a different lens.

IMHO, compositionally the top of this image is distracting - I can't stop looking at the leaves at the top. I'd suggest that you consider a landscape crop of the lower section containing the flowers. (Sorry I spend far too much time critiquing photos).

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Hard to not love the lens when it produces images like this 8)

I think you give the lens too much credit here. You clearly have photographic and post-processing talent (don't let it go to your head), so I'm sure you could've achieved the same thing with a different lens.

IMHO, compositionally the top of this image is distracting - I can't stop looking at the leaves at the top. I'd suggest that you consider a landscape crop of the lower section containing the flowers. (Sorry I spend far too much time critiquing photos).

I know what you are saying from a technical standpoint (and you are right), but the extra degree of in focus area including the leaves and the great color on them is part of what I personally like. I like the narrow DOF, but within the larger context of the plant itself. If I had wanted a more traditional macro I could have cropped in (there is plenty of detail there for a tight crop) ...and that credit does go to the lens 8), but in this case I was looking for a more contextual photo.

BTW, thanks for the nice compliment. It's true - I don't think that equipment makes a photographer. That being said - I have used lots of lenses and I do think that this one is pretty special.

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Is it just me, or is that some nice bokeh?


Light and Airy by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

 

[candyman]

It sure is.

Just yesterday I bought this lens.
I planned to buy the Canon 24-70 MKII. Friends would take it from the US that would save me some 400 euro. But they can't come on a transfer to Europe.

So I went to check the Canon and the Tamron yesterday since the Canon had 300 euro cashback and the Tamrom 50 euro cashback.
Now, I am not a pro. I found the IQ between the lenses very close. The Canon was sharper at f/2.8 in the corners. The Tamron had less accurate hits in AI Servo but still good. Vignetting was prominent in both lenses but nothing to worry about.
It was tempting.....to buy the Canon. But 950 euro versus 1650 euro (after cashback is a big difference.
My wallet did not want to pay a difference of 700 euro (Canon more expensive) with such close finish. So for my purpose of photography the Tamron fits very good. Feels good, build quality good, I like the stabilization.

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

It sure is.


Just yesterday I bought this lens.
I planned to buy the Canon 24-70 MKII of Canon. Friends would take it from the US that would save me some 400 euro. But they can't come on a transfer to Europe.


So I went to check the Canon and the Tamron yesterday since the Canon had 300 euro cashback and the Tamrom 50 euro cashback.
Now, I am not a pro. I found the IQ between the lenses very close. The Canon was sharper at f/2.8 in the corners. The Tamron had less accurate hits in AI Servo but still good. Vignetting was prominent in both lenses but nothing to worry about.
It was tempting.....to buy the Canon. But 950 euro versus 1650 euro (after cashback is a big difference.
My wallet did not want to pay a difference of 700 euro (Canon more expensive) with such close finish. So for my purpose of photography the Tamron fits very good. Feels good, build quality good, I like the stabilization.

If you ever need to shoot video with it, the stablization is just amazing! I wish I could post video here, but it is really like using a Glide cam.

 

[rdespy]

Here's my new Tamron latest pics. This is my third copy and i finally get this lens the way i want it to produces good result, the first one bought in amazon got a soft copy, return it get the second one, the VC is jumpy at times and also soft in corners, returned it again and bought one from National camera exchanges, the difference is night and day, here is some of the pics i took recently.

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

I have found the Tamron to be an indispensable tool for my event work. Great stabilization, IQ, and color means that I get striking images like this one...oh...and the bokeh doesn't hurt 8)


In the Sanctuary - Hammond by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

 

[wickidwombat]

Dustin your images are great as always and really sell the lens but I keep thinking it is in a large part your editing that is really making the images shine. I still cant get over my distrust of tamron quality but I really would like an IS lens in this range

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Dustin your images are great as always and really sell the lens but I keep thinking it is in a large part your editing that is really making the images shine. I still cant get over my distrust of tamron quality but I really would like an IS lens in this range

I won't gainsay that I have skills, but the truth of the matter is the last image was a 30 second edit. The lens is very, very good. I would say that as long as you buy it in such a way that you could exchange to get a copy that you really like, you will be pleased. Furthermore, the 6 year warranty (at least in North America) certainly reduces the risk. I have used Tamron's before, but this is the best yet. I've got a lot of great lenses, but this one gives up little to any of them. It consistently produces great images, processed or not.