[BigMac]

Hi all,

Just got it, I right away test some quick shots at 7:45 PM, just a few minutes before sun down. Hand held at easy P mode, +0.5 EV, 18mm 1/45, 50mm 1/30, 120mm 1/20 & 250mm 1/15. I like this traveler lens, very quick responds, fast focus even in evening.

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[Bob Wallace]

I would find it really helpful if you could post some comparison shots.

I'm particularly interested in how it performs compared to the Pentax 18-55 and 50-200.

[frank]

Congrats on the new lens. I'm wondering if I should get the Sigma 18200, it's priced very well here in a local shop ...

[BigMac]

I would find it really helpful if you could post some comparison shots.

I'm particularly interested in how it performs compared to the Pentax 18-55 and 50-200.

Hi Bob,

I don't have the Pentax 50-200 to compare it with, there are lots of happy owners out there, I think the 50-200 is a very fine Pentax DA lens, I myself was very happy with the Pentax kit lens 18-55 until I replace it with the Sigma 18-50 F2.8 Macro a few days ago. As far as build quality, this Tamron feels nice over all, it reacts very quickly and smoothly, it performs better & Quieter then the 18-55 DA kit lens. As far as image quality, I couldn't tell much of the diffences compare it to my Pentax kit lens at 18mm & 50mm shots, the Tamron 250mm shot at 1/15 looks OK to me for travel use, that was the only reason that I bought this lens for my July Asia trip, I would say it is a fine lens, not a great lens. I rather let another Tamron 18-250 owner do the detail comparation for us..... My vision is not that sharp anymore.

[Bob Wallace]

I have the 18-55 and 50-200. I spent 2.5 months traveling around Asia with them this winter. Lens changing can be a PITA at times. And potential shots are missed when one has the incorrect lens mounted.

I'm willing to sacrifice some image quality for convenience, otherwise I probably would be shooting primes. My question is how much quality one might have to sacrifice for additional convenience in moving from two zooms to one zoom.

It really would be nice if there were a data base where one could select any number of lenses and see side by side examples from each.

In the meantime I suppose we have to hope that people that own two or more of the lenses in question will post comparitive samples.

[Alfisti]

Can you please post the apetures. You have SERIOUS vigneting even at longer lengths so i hope, i really hope these are shot wide open.

[Lazar]

2 reviews of this lens: Tamron 18-250 Review: Tamron 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 AF Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro and Tamron 18-250mm zoom

Vignetting seems to be a real issue (at 18mm even at f8)!

One of the review also says that the AF is pretty slow (that was already the case with the 18-200mm), that's just the opposite of what BigMac reported... would like to have more input on this!

[BigMac]

Can you please post the apetures. You have SERIOUS vigneting even at longer lengths so i hope, i really hope these are shot wide open.

Hi Alfisti,

Yes, all wide open, 18mm @ F3.5, 50mm @ F4.5, 110mm @ F5.6 and 250mm @ F6.3. I mounted the lens on to the K10D without lens hood, shooting JPG Bright, turned to easy P mode let the Pentax communicates with the new Tamron lens. All shots were decided by Pentax P mode wide open, no stoping down or play with DOF by human, all I did was center focus at SEL, then shoot. I think this is the correct way to show the strenght and weakness of the new lens. According to Popphoto, half to 1 stop down would limit vigneting to 0.1%.

[BigMac]

2 reviews of this lens: Tamron 18-250 Review: Tamron 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 AF Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro and Tamron 18-250mm zoom

Vignetting seems to be a real issue (at 18mm even at f8)!

One of the review also says that the AF is pretty slow (that was already the case with the 18-200mm), that's just the opposite of what BigMac reported... would like to have more input on this!

The lens reviewer of PhotoClubAlpha was not using Pentax camera, I believed he was using a Sony Alpha 100 or may be Minolta 5D ? Even though the Pentax uses or shares Sony's sensor, but they both have different metering system, different focus design system. I could understand why he complained the focus was slow, he wasn't test it on a Pentax.

At PopPhoto, the reviewer was using a Canon XTi, he says the focus was fast & quiet ..... Just exactly how I felt when I tried it on my Pentax. Here is the link Lens Test: Tamron 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II Macro - - PopPhotoMay 2007

[Bob Wallace]

The lens reviewer of that site was not using Pentax camera, I belived he was using a Sony Alpha 100 or may be Minolta 5D ? Even though the Pentax uses or shares Sony's sensor, but they both have different metering system, different focus design system. I could understand why he complained the focus was slow, he wasn't test it on a Pentax.

At PopPhoto, the reviewer was using a Canon XTi, he says the focus was fast & quiet ..... Just exactly how I feel when I tried it on Pentax. Here is the link Lens Test: Tamron 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II Macro - - PopPhotoMay 2007

Correct. I exchanged emails with the reviewer who complained about the lens being slow to focus. He was using a Sony A100 and has noticed similar problems with slow focusing with other Tamron lenses on the Sony mount.

That slowness has not been reported with Canon, Nikon, or Pentax mounts.

Here's a quote from the ProPhoto review using a Canon.

"Because of the AF18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 lens' internal focus mechanism, manual focusing with the lens was fast and crisp, but I rarely used it that way because the autofocus with both EOS bodies was fast and crisp."

http://prophoto.typepad.com/bonus/2007/04/pro_review_tamr.htm

[BigMac]

Congrats on the new lens. I'm wondering if I should get the Sigma 18200, it's priced very well here in a local shop ...

Thank you Frank, the Sigma 18-200 is selling at between $350.00 to $400.00 here in the US. I read some comments from the owners, majority (Nikon & Canon) owners are OK with it, so, do yourself a favor, always try it first before you make a purchase, this lens was released 2 & half year ago, there are few more newer & Longer vacation lenses coming in the next few weeks in your country..... Unless you are planing to take a long trip some where, otherwise, use what you have for now and try the Tamron 18-250 when it is available, you gain the extra 50mm tele for paying just a little more, and this lens rated quite high so far.

We will stop by the world's cleanest city Singapore (Your home town) this July for a few days, if the Tamron still not available by then, you can hook up with us, I let you try mine.

[BigMac]

Correct. I exchanged emails with the reviewer who complained about the lens being slow to focus. He was using a Sony A100 and has noticed similar problems with slow focusing with other Tamron lenses on the Sony mount.

That slowness has not been reported with Canon, Nikon, or Pentax mounts.

Bob,

Thank you very much for contacting the reviewer of PhotoClubAlpha to clarify my thought, I think everyone in this lens forum appreciate your afford.... That extra step that you took saves us lots of negative viewpoint of a fine vacation lens. Thanks again.