Tamron 28-75 QC Issues

bob_00 · 06-08-2011, 07:24 AM

Good morning,

I am considering the Tamron 28-75 2.8, especially given some of the recent examples from it. Having read through all the review, it seems, at least for a time, it was somewhat plagued by BF/FF issues, requiring calibration. These reviews seem to go back a handful of years, and the more recent ones don't seem to reflect any issues. Does anyone know if BF/FF is still a problem with this lens or have the QC issues seemed to have been resolved?

Thanks

Jewelltrail · 06-08-2011, 08:43 AM

Originally posted by bob_00

Good morning,

I am considering the Tamron 28-75 2.8, especially given some of the recent examples from it. Having read through all the review, it seems, at least for a time, it was somewhat plagued by BF/FF issues, requiring calibration. These reviews seem to go back a handful of years, and the more recent ones don't seem to reflect any issues. Does anyone know if BF/FF is still a problem with this lens or have the QC issues seemed to have been resolved?

Thanks

BF/FF can rear its ugly head anytime, anywhere. Never count your lens a keeper until you have tested it first, carefully, in the real world. I highly recommend buying a copy from a dealer who will ensure your satisfaction--either online or locally. If you play your cards right, you will surely get a good copy of the lens. Best!

JT

yusuf · 06-08-2011, 08:58 AM

I agree, I am extremely happy with my copy. Many reported issues are due to misalignment which is difficult to be fixed using camera AF correction. Hence I suggest to buy with warranty or from market place here from someone having good copy.

bob_00 · 06-09-2011, 04:44 AM

Originally posted by yusuf

I agree, I am extremely happy with my copy. Many reported issues are due to misalignment which is difficult to be fixed using camera AF correction. Hence I suggest to buy with warranty or from market place here from someone having good copy.

So if the problem is caused by misalignment, does that mean there was a simply a bad time/batch of lenses produced, or is it simply luck of the draw... if most of the problems were noted 2008/2009, would tamron have rectified the problem by now? or is the rate of problematic copies so low that it is a matter of the vocal minority getting more attention in the reviews???

I have been skimming the internet for reviews, which seem to be resoundingly good for the 28-75, and it seems that the problems are heavily weighted towards the Pentax mount.... Am I wrong in that?

yusuf · 06-09-2011, 04:58 AM

Originally posted by bob_00

I have been skimming the internet for reviews, which seem to be resoundingly good for the 28-75, and it seems that the problems are heavily weighted towards the Pentax mount.... Am I wrong in that?

I doubt if this is specific to the Pentax mount since I heard about this in various forum however I might be wrong here. This one from my copy

28-75mm @75mm/f2.8

Jewelltrail · 06-09-2011, 08:18 AM

Quote:

bob 00: So if the problem is caused by misalignment, does that mean there was a simply a bad time/batch of lenses produced, or is it simply luck of the draw... if most of the problems were noted 2008/2009, would tamron have rectified the problem by now? or is the rate of problematic copies so low that it is a matter of the vocal minority getting more attention in the reviews???

I have been skimming the internet for reviews, which seem to be resoundingly good for the 28-75, and it seems thaAm I wrong in that?

Bob, neither Tamron nor other lens manufacturers, are going to release failure statisitics for their lenses. You make a good point, and ask good questions, but I do not think it is possible to know, beyond a doubt, if the ff/bf issues are better in 2011 than they were in 2008. There is no solid data to back any valid conclusions. However, you could call Tamron and ask them--they have always been helpful to me, though I never sought this kind of informtation from them. If you do call, please release anything you learn, here, at the forum.

I do think we can safely assume more 28-75s, & lenses in general, focus accurately on more DSLR bodies since Micro--AF adjusment has been implemented. Of course, this says nothing about whether or not actual lenses are controlled to higher standards of bf/ff. In fact, lens makers may actually spend less time with control of ff/bf since they know micro-af adjustment is becoming the norm. Sadly, & this is not just in photography, quality control is no longer a department in a company; rather, quality control has been passed on to the buyer.

I can't agree with this statement of yours: "the problems are heavily weighted towards the Pentax mount.... " If you look here, FM Reviews - Tamron AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR Di Zoom you will see 175 owner reviews, with an average score of 8.6 for C & N owners of the 28-75. If you check Pentax Forums here, Tamron Macro SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 XR Di LD Lens Reviews - Zoom Lenses - Pentax Third-Party Lens Review Database you'll see 35 reviews with an average score of 8.6 for Pentax owners of the 28-75. There is nothing statistically relevant which can be gleaned from crunching these numbers.

Anyway, all this philosophizing over the issue is better left by the wayside. If you really want a good 28-75 f 2.8 it is an easy thing to get. We are not searching for a rare coin here. You simply need buy from a dealer or seller who guarantees your satisfaction. Sure, you might get a bad copy, or 2, but you are sure to get a good copy if you pursue the issue. Important to keep in mind: 1 copy may focus fine on 1 DSLR body, but not on another body---the quality control is not just a factor in lenses.

Best of luck to you,

JT

bob_00 · 06-09-2011, 08:37 AM

Thanks JT..

I may be off base on my assessment re: Pentax mount problems, but as I have spent substantially more time reviewing Pentax resources than general Tamron reviews (for any lens mount), it is not unlikely that due to the higher volume of Pentax information I have sifted through, I have noted a higher number of problems with Pentax mounts, which may not be indicative of the actual rate of issues among all camera brands.

And as you mentioned, in the grand scheme, its not a real issue provided the dealer is reputable but if I am to buy from an online dealer, and end up with a problematic copy, it can be a hassle with RMAs and shipping ($$ & time)... So if it was realistic possibility of encountering a bad copy (which I understand is a risk with anything, and impossible to quantify), I would be more apt to put the breaks on and reconsider my options locally, which comes at a considerable premium....

Having noticed that the problems seemed to have occurred/been noted during one general span of time a few years ago, I was more asking if there was a general sense of improvement in the more recent past....

06-08-2011, 07:24 AM	#1
bob_00 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 32	Tamron 28-75 QC Issues Good morning, I am considering the Tamron 28-75 2.8, especially given some of the recent examples from it. Having read through all the review, it seems, at least for a time, it was somewhat plagued by BF/FF issues, requiring calibration. These reviews seem to go back a handful of years, and the more recent ones don't seem to reflect any issues. Does anyone know if BF/FF is still a problem with this lens or have the QC issues seemed to have been resolved? Thanks

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06-08-2011, 08:43 AM	#2
Jewelltrail Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Albums Posts: 4,180	Originally posted by bob_00 Good morning, I am considering the Tamron 28-75 2.8, especially given some of the recent examples from it. Having read through all the review, it seems, at least for a time, it was somewhat plagued by BF/FF issues, requiring calibration. These reviews seem to go back a handful of years, and the more recent ones don't seem to reflect any issues. Does anyone know if BF/FF is still a problem with this lens or have the QC issues seemed to have been resolved? Thanks BF/FF can rear its ugly head anytime, anywhere. Never count your lens a keeper until you have tested it first, carefully, in the real world. I highly recommend buying a copy from a dealer who will ensure your satisfaction--either online or locally. If you play your cards right, you will surely get a good copy of the lens. Best! JT

06-08-2011, 08:58 AM	#3
yusuf Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Palo Alto, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,497	I agree, I am extremely happy with my copy. Many reported issues are due to misalignment which is difficult to be fixed using camera AF correction. Hence I suggest to buy with warranty or from market place here from someone having good copy.

06-09-2011, 04:44 AM	#4
bob_00 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 32 Original Poster	Originally posted by yusuf I agree, I am extremely happy with my copy. Many reported issues are due to misalignment which is difficult to be fixed using camera AF correction. Hence I suggest to buy with warranty or from market place here from someone having good copy. So if the problem is caused by misalignment, does that mean there was a simply a bad time/batch of lenses produced, or is it simply luck of the draw... if most of the problems were noted 2008/2009, would tamron have rectified the problem by now? or is the rate of problematic copies so low that it is a matter of the vocal minority getting more attention in the reviews??? I have been skimming the internet for reviews, which seem to be resoundingly good for the 28-75, and it seems that the problems are heavily weighted towards the Pentax mount.... Am I wrong in that?

06-09-2011, 04:58 AM	#5
yusuf Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Palo Alto, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,497	Originally posted by bob_00 I have been skimming the internet for reviews, which seem to be resoundingly good for the 28-75, and it seems that the problems are heavily weighted towards the Pentax mount.... Am I wrong in that? I doubt if this is specific to the Pentax mount since I heard about this in various forum however I might be wrong here. This one from my copy 28-75mm @75mm/f2.8

06-09-2011, 08:18 AM	#6
Jewelltrail Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Albums Posts: 4,180	Quote: bob 00: So if the problem is caused by misalignment, does that mean there was a simply a bad time/batch of lenses produced, or is it simply luck of the draw... if most of the problems were noted 2008/2009, would tamron have rectified the problem by now? or is the rate of problematic copies so low that it is a matter of the vocal minority getting more attention in the reviews??? I have been skimming the internet for reviews, which seem to be resoundingly good for the 28-75, and it seems thaAm I wrong in that? Bob, neither Tamron nor other lens manufacturers, are going to release failure statisitics for their lenses. You make a good point, and ask good questions, but I do not think it is possible to know, beyond a doubt, if the ff/bf issues are better in 2011 than they were in 2008. There is no solid data to back any valid conclusions. However, you could call Tamron and ask them--they have always been helpful to me, though I never sought this kind of informtation from them. If you do call, please release anything you learn, here, at the forum. I do think we can safely assume more 28-75s, & lenses in general, focus accurately on more DSLR bodies since Micro--AF adjusment has been implemented. Of course, this says nothing about whether or not actual lenses are controlled to higher standards of bf/ff. In fact, lens makers may actually spend less time with control of ff/bf since they know micro-af adjustment is becoming the norm. Sadly, & this is not just in photography, quality control is no longer a department in a company; rather, quality control has been passed on to the buyer. I can't agree with this statement of yours: "the problems are heavily weighted towards the Pentax mount.... " If you look here, FM Reviews - Tamron AF 28-75mm f2.8 XR Di Zoom you will see 175 owner reviews, with an average score of 8.6 for C & N owners of the 28-75. If you check Pentax Forums here, Tamron Macro SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 XR Di LD Lens Reviews - Zoom Lenses - Pentax Third-Party Lens Review Database you'll see 35 reviews with an average score of 8.6 for Pentax owners of the 28-75. There is nothing statistically relevant which can be gleaned from crunching these numbers. Anyway, all this philosophizing over the issue is better left by the wayside. If you really want a good 28-75 f 2.8 it is an easy thing to get. We are not searching for a rare coin here. You simply need buy from a dealer or seller who guarantees your satisfaction. Sure, you might get a bad copy, or 2, but you are sure to get a good copy if you pursue the issue. Important to keep in mind: 1 copy may focus fine on 1 DSLR body, but not on another body---the quality control is not just a factor in lenses. Best of luck to you, JT

06-09-2011, 08:37 AM	#7
bob_00 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 32 Original Poster	Thanks JT.. I may be off base on my assessment re: Pentax mount problems, but as I have spent substantially more time reviewing Pentax resources than general Tamron reviews (for any lens mount), it is not unlikely that due to the higher volume of Pentax information I have sifted through, I have noted a higher number of problems with Pentax mounts, which may not be indicative of the actual rate of issues among all camera brands. And as you mentioned, in the grand scheme, its not a real issue provided the dealer is reputable but if I am to buy from an online dealer, and end up with a problematic copy, it can be a hassle with RMAs and shipping ($$ & time)... So if it was realistic possibility of encountering a bad copy (which I understand is a risk with anything, and impossible to quantify), I would be more apt to put the breaks on and reconsider my options locally, which comes at a considerable premium.... Having noticed that the problems seemed to have occurred/been noted during one general span of time a few years ago, I was more asking if there was a general sense of improvement in the more recent past....