Is it worth upgrading from kit lens to Tamron 17-50?

Mike M. · 11-29-2011, 01:17 PM

I own a nice copy of the SMC Pentax DA 18-55 F3.5-5.6 AL II kit lens. I like the size and weight and am generally happy with the performance of the lens. Would I see a marked increase in the quality of my photos (sharpness, bokeh, color rendering) if I were to upgrade to Tamron's AF 17-50mm F2.8 XR LD Aspherical IF SP lens?

In your opinion, would this be a worthwhile upgrade?

Mike

Adam · 11-29-2011, 01:22 PM

Most definitely, especially considering the $424 deal.

Check our our review:
DA* 16-50mm vs. Sigma and Tamron 17-50mm Comparison - Introduction

**Deimos** · 11-29-2011, 01:28 PM

Yes, the Tamron 17-50 is excellent and a great price you cant go wrong. Better in every way than the kit, not too much larger, a bit heavier, it will be a very noticeable upgrade

RioRico · 11-29-2011, 01:38 PM

I'm torn about this. The Tamron 17-50/2.8 is indeed a better lens. Is it 300-400+ bucks better? I can't say; it's your budget, not mine.

Another factor: I'm allergic to 'upgrading'. I try to supplement instead. My original K20D kit included the DA10-17, DA18-250, and FA50/1.4. I haven't 'upgraded' any of those. Instead, I supplemented the 10-17 with a Tamron 10-24, and the FA50 with a K50/1.2, and the 18-250 with an old F35-70 and FA100-300 and some fast manual primes at critical focal lengths. I also added a DA18-55 and use it mostly to hang filters, optical adapters, other experimental stuff. It's my test-bed.

Basic lens-buying questions: What do you want to do that you can't do with what you already have? Where do you want to go, what will get you there, and how much does satisfaction cost? If you want crisper shots in the kit.lens range, then definitely buy the Tammy. If you want to do more, think about other possibilities. Cheers!

**Mapleleaf-Mick** · 11-29-2011, 01:42 PM

I notice the Sigma has a higher score. 8.0 versus 7.7 for the Tamron. Prices here in Canada are $390.00 for the Tamron and $699.00 for the Sigma. Is there enough difference to justify the difference in cost? As well, would I notice any difference between the two lens?

Thanks for reading my post.

Mike Cash · 11-29-2011, 01:51 PM

Is it a better lens? Yes. It's not even a contest.

The kit lens has a maximum aperture of f5.6 on the long end, while the Tamron is a constant f2.8, for one thing.

Is that worth the dough? I thought so.

The kit lens that came with my K-5 back in January is still in its box, which I never even bothered removing from the kit box.

**montman** · 11-29-2011, 02:27 PM

If you are doing landscape I would be very happy with the kit lens. If you want to do portraits or event work go with the 2.8 Tamron.
I like very fast primes for portrait and event work so I use my kit lens for landscape ane my primes for everything else, but thats me.

**Mapleleaf-Mick** · 11-29-2011, 02:50 PM

Is the Sigma worth $310.00 more than the Tammy. There is a slight differece in the score but I can't relate to how much of a difference .3 is. Is there $310.00 difference in the two lenses?

darrenleow · 11-29-2011, 03:06 PM

Quick question before I send in my 17-50 to Tamron for servicing. Is it normal to have quite severe front focus at 17mm? I have this behavior with a K-5 and K20D, so the workaround is to zoom in to 50mm, focus, then zoom back out to 17mm. Not sure if it's a fault of the Pentax AF system or the lens.

**Deimos** · 11-29-2011, 03:08 PM

Originally posted by Mapleleaf-Mick

Is the Sigma worth $310.00 more than the Tammy. There is a slight differece in the score but I can't relate to how much of a difference .3 is. Is there $310.00 difference in the two lenses?

I highly doubt it. The Tammy is excellent, save your money and buy a nice prime or something

You may also be reading a review of the newer Sigma with HSM which differs from the orig Pentax mount version

**Deimos** · 11-29-2011, 03:09 PM

Originally posted by darrenleow

Quick question before I send in my 17-50 to Tamron for servicing. Is it normal to have quite severe front focus at 17mm? I have this behavior with a K-5 and K20D, so the workaround is to zoom in to 50mm, focus, then zoom back out to 17mm. Not sure if it's a fault of the Pentax AF system or the lens.

What kind of light? All?

Have you tried AF adjust on the K-5?

darrenleow · 11-29-2011, 04:00 PM

Originally posted by Deimos

What kind of light? All?

Have you tried AF adjust on the K-5?

All, indoors, outdoors, group shots, landscapes.

Tried AF adjust but only seems to affect AF accuracy at the long end. The wide end seems to always front focus.

Mike M. · 11-29-2011, 07:00 PM

Thank you all for your replies -- I guess I'll have to open my wallet and buy myself a Christmas present!

Mike

pentup · 11-29-2011, 07:24 PM

My dilemma is choosing between the Tamron 17-50 2.8 and the 28-75 2.8.
The range of the former is more convenient for walking around, but with the latter I could make up part of the difference at the wide end by carrying the DA 21 ltd around too. (it fits in a pocket, after all.) And the the 28-75 might forestall some LBA I have for the DA 70 ltd.

May I hijack the thread a bit and ask what people's opinions are between the two Tamron zooms, in terms of IQ?

As for the kit lens -- I'm happy to have it for when it's raining.

Sol Invictus · 11-29-2011, 08:05 PM

Originally posted by pentup

My dilemma is choosing between the Tamron 17-50 2.8 and the 28-75 2.8.
The range of the former is more convenient for walking around, but with the latter I could make up part of the difference at the wide end by carrying the DA 21 ltd around too. (it fits in a pocket, after all.) And the the 28-75 might forestall some LBA I have for the DA 70 ltd.

May I hijack the thread a bit and ask what people's opinions are between the two Tamron zooms, in terms of IQ?

As for the kit lens -- I'm happy to have it for when it's raining.

I have the 17-50mm and love it. I don't see myself replacing it with anything from Sigma or Pentax, but in your case I say go with the 28-75mm. If you need anything wider use your 21mm or even get the 15mm.

IQ is supposed to be at the same level as the 17-50mm.

In my case I was always planning on getting the 15mm so I opted to get the 17-50mm to have something relatively fast in that range and the flexibility of a zoom.

11-29-2011, 01:17 PM	#1
Mike M. Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: oregon Posts: 24	Is it worth upgrading from kit lens to Tamron 17-50? I own a nice copy of the SMC Pentax DA 18-55 F3.5-5.6 AL II kit lens. I like the size and weight and am generally happy with the performance of the lens. Would I see a marked increase in the quality of my photos (sharpness, bokeh, color rendering) if I were to upgrade to Tamron's AF 17-50mm F2.8 XR LD Aspherical IF SP lens? In your opinion, would this be a worthwhile upgrade? Mike

11-29-2011, 01:22 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,594	Most definitely, especially considering the $424 deal. Check our our review: DA* 16-50mm vs. Sigma and Tamron 17-50mm Comparison - Introduction Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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11-29-2011, 01:28 PM	#3
Deimos Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Kingdom of Wonder Posts: 1,777	Yes, the Tamron 17-50 is excellent and a great price you cant go wrong. Better in every way than the kit, not too much larger, a bit heavier, it will be a very noticeable upgrade

11-29-2011, 01:38 PM	#4
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	I'm torn about this. The Tamron 17-50/2.8 is indeed a better lens. Is it 300-400+ bucks better? I can't say; it's your budget, not mine. Another factor: I'm allergic to 'upgrading'. I try to supplement instead. My original K20D kit included the DA10-17, DA18-250, and FA50/1.4. I haven't 'upgraded' any of those. Instead, I supplemented the 10-17 with a Tamron 10-24, and the FA50 with a K50/1.2, and the 18-250 with an old F35-70 and FA100-300 and some fast manual primes at critical focal lengths. I also added a DA18-55 and use it mostly to hang filters, optical adapters, other experimental stuff. It's my test-bed. Basic lens-buying questions: What do you want to do that you can't do with what you already have? Where do you want to go, what will get you there, and how much does satisfaction cost? If you want crisper shots in the kit.lens range, then definitely buy the Tammy. If you want to do more, think about other possibilities. Cheers!

11-29-2011, 01:42 PM	#5
Mapleleaf-Mick Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 299	I notice the Sigma has a higher score. 8.0 versus 7.7 for the Tamron. Prices here in Canada are $390.00 for the Tamron and $699.00 for the Sigma. Is there enough difference to justify the difference in cost? As well, would I notice any difference between the two lens? Thanks for reading my post.

11-29-2011, 01:51 PM	#6
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Is it a better lens? Yes. It's not even a contest. The kit lens has a maximum aperture of f5.6 on the long end, while the Tamron is a constant f2.8, for one thing. Is that worth the dough? I thought so. The kit lens that came with my K-5 back in January is still in its box, which I never even bothered removing from the kit box.

11-29-2011, 02:27 PM	#7
montman Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kansas City Photos: Gallery Posts: 576	If you are doing landscape I would be very happy with the kit lens. If you want to do portraits or event work go with the 2.8 Tamron. I like very fast primes for portrait and event work so I use my kit lens for landscape ane my primes for everything else, but thats me.

11-29-2011, 02:50 PM	#8
Mapleleaf-Mick Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 299	Is the Sigma worth $310.00 more than the Tammy. There is a slight differece in the score but I can't relate to how much of a difference .3 is. Is there $310.00 difference in the two lenses?

11-29-2011, 03:06 PM	#9
darrenleow Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chicago Photos: Gallery Posts: 541	Quick question before I send in my 17-50 to Tamron for servicing. Is it normal to have quite severe front focus at 17mm? I have this behavior with a K-5 and K20D, so the workaround is to zoom in to 50mm, focus, then zoom back out to 17mm. Not sure if it's a fault of the Pentax AF system or the lens.

11-29-2011, 03:08 PM	#10
Deimos Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Kingdom of Wonder Posts: 1,777	Originally posted by Mapleleaf-Mick Is the Sigma worth $310.00 more than the Tammy. There is a slight differece in the score but I can't relate to how much of a difference .3 is. Is there $310.00 difference in the two lenses? I highly doubt it. The Tammy is excellent, save your money and buy a nice prime or something You may also be reading a review of the newer Sigma with HSM which differs from the orig Pentax mount version

11-29-2011, 03:09 PM	#11
Deimos Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Kingdom of Wonder Posts: 1,777	Originally posted by darrenleow Quick question before I send in my 17-50 to Tamron for servicing. Is it normal to have quite severe front focus at 17mm? I have this behavior with a K-5 and K20D, so the workaround is to zoom in to 50mm, focus, then zoom back out to 17mm. Not sure if it's a fault of the Pentax AF system or the lens. What kind of light? All? Have you tried AF adjust on the K-5?

11-29-2011, 04:00 PM	#12
darrenleow Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chicago Photos: Gallery Posts: 541	Originally posted by Deimos What kind of light? All? Have you tried AF adjust on the K-5? All, indoors, outdoors, group shots, landscapes. Tried AF adjust but only seems to affect AF accuracy at the long end. The wide end seems to always front focus.

11-29-2011, 07:00 PM	#13
Mike M. Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: oregon Posts: 24 Original Poster	Thank you all for your replies -- I guess I'll have to open my wallet and buy myself a Christmas present! Mike

11-29-2011, 07:24 PM	#14
pentup Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Flushing NY Photos: Albums Posts: 413	My dilemma is choosing between the Tamron 17-50 2.8 and the 28-75 2.8. The range of the former is more convenient for walking around, but with the latter I could make up part of the difference at the wide end by carrying the DA 21 ltd around too. (it fits in a pocket, after all.) And the the 28-75 might forestall some LBA I have for the DA 70 ltd. May I hijack the thread a bit and ask what people's opinions are between the two Tamron zooms, in terms of IQ? As for the kit lens -- I'm happy to have it for when it's raining.

11-29-2011, 08:05 PM	#15
Sol Invictus Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Calgary, Alberta Photos: Gallery Posts: 392	Originally posted by pentup My dilemma is choosing between the Tamron 17-50 2.8 and the 28-75 2.8. The range of the former is more convenient for walking around, but with the latter I could make up part of the difference at the wide end by carrying the DA 21 ltd around too. (it fits in a pocket, after all.) And the the 28-75 might forestall some LBA I have for the DA 70 ltd. May I hijack the thread a bit and ask what people's opinions are between the two Tamron zooms, in terms of IQ? As for the kit lens -- I'm happy to have it for when it's raining. I have the 17-50mm and love it. I don't see myself replacing it with anything from Sigma or Pentax, but in your case I say go with the 28-75mm. If you need anything wider use your 21mm or even get the 15mm. IQ is supposed to be at the same level as the 17-50mm. In my case I was always planning on getting the 15mm so I opted to get the 17-50mm to have something relatively fast in that range and the flexibility of a zoom.