Originally Posted by Blue 
I am having to make do with my Tammy 180mm (63B) as well.
Is that an Adaptall modell or AF? (Sorry, I am not Tamron lens designation conventions literate, though I have a 60B). The three Tamrons I have (the 90mm macro, the 300/2.8 of old and a 18-200 for the K-m of my partner) are all very competent performers, especially the primes. So I would expect even better from the 180.
Ben