[marcusBMG]

Very nice ducks luftlus - with the 65B I believe..

Another 360B 300mm f2.8 came up for auction, that makes two in a year. Naturally I parked the listing in my watch list and couldn't resist bidding. To my surprise the bidding didn't shoot up at the end and so now I have two - and this one was quite a bit less than the first!!
The lens is a nice one, but looks like it might have an iffy history. It didn't have the hood, cap or any of the other usual tamron accessories, and someone has scratched the serial number. No reason to doubt the seller however.
Making a hood proved straightforward, some 5"/125mm plastic pipe is just the right size to diy from (short length very cheap from Toolstation). Pic of the lens + hood and a couple of sample shots from a first outing - KS2.









So of course I was intrigued to see if there would be any difference in performance. So far - not really. These are crops straight off the RAW so they look a little rough. K3-ii, my heavy tripod, cable release etc.



I took both over to the Spinnies (sssh don't tell the lockdown stasi). Every time I go there I end up asking myself is it really so hard to take pics of birds at feeders? ans: yes it is, they move fast, twitch fast, swing on the feeder in and out of focus. However I was in luck because the kingfisher was very cooperative. K3-ii, full sized 1:1 crop. Old 360B top, f11; new 360B bottom, f9.





I am coming to the conclusion that the main issue with the 360B is focus errors due to the distinctly too light, and ticklish focus movement.

[luftfluss]

You're correct, Marcus - 65B. I'll fix the typo.

Yes, the 360B focus ring is too light, IMO... and even worse when using with a TC attached.

[UlrichSchiegg]

You seems to collect these 300mm F2.8. Would you have a comparison of the 360B to the 60B or point me to one?

[marcusBMG]

Would you have a comparison of the 360B to the 60B or point me to one?

Well I have posted some comparison pics here previously. I shall in due course post reviews, but don't wait on that...

I would say the lenses are pretty similar optically. I can suggest that other factors may well be more significant than supposed optical improvement of 360B over 60B. Handling for one: 360B handles more nicely but in terms of results I do better with the focus on 60B.

Sample variation and condition for another.
PS good review of 60B here.

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Last edited by marcusBMG; 03-04-2021 at 02:21 PM.

[UlrichSchiegg]

Well I have posted some comparison pics here previously. I shall in due course post reviews, but don't wait on that...

I would say the lenses are pretty similar optically. I can suggest that other factors may well be more significant than supposed optical improvement of 360B over 60B. Handling for one: 360B handles more nicely but in terms of results I do better with the focus on 60B.

Sample variation and condition for another.
PS good review of 60B here.

Thanks

[UlrichSchiegg]

60B Model. I use it for some years.

[LeCat]

I don't have a lot of opportunities to take pictures these days, so I'm curious to any collected wisdom the viewers of this thread might offer.

Years ago, when LBA was incurable, I bought two Adaptall lenses, the 103A (80-210) and 58A(70-210). I also managed to get two adapters - a PK/A and P/U (m42). The PK/A was a little flaky and the 58A's only feature was it's size, but it couldn't compete with my Pentax A70-210/4. So I sold the 58A as a lens cap for the adapter, and the 103A has largely been unused since the m42 adapter was somewhat awkward.

I managed to find a 40A (35-135) with a PK/A that seems to be in excellent shape for a great price. It is a bit of a weird focal range for APS-C, but I'm curious to see how this lens performs. There are far fewer posts here on the 40A than the 103A, but they all seem to be quite positive about the lens.

So I'm open to suggestions on which lens to try out first, things that I might want to consider when testing it out, whether either needs a hood or easily flares etc. Eventually I'll play with both, but I don't know how often I want to swap the adapter back and forth since I know they can be a little fragile.

Any and all thoughts welcome. Thanks.

Hi MSL,

About 40A of which I think I have 3, I was struck a few years back when I tried them at how sharp this model is ,even wide open. Problem is, it was plagued with humongous purple fringing and that deterred me from using it on a regular basis. I got very nice shots inside a mall with no direct sunlight and the colors were very nice. My goto adaptall zoom now on K-i is 26A which a wrote a review about. Anyhow I found 40A superior to 28-135 28A.

Cheers

[MSL]

Hi MSL,About 40A of which I think I have 3, I was struck a few years back when I tried them at how sharp this model is ,even wide open. Problem is, it was plagued with humongous purple fringing and that deterred me from using it on a regular basis. I got very nice shots inside a mall with no direct sunlight and the colors were very nice. My goto adaptall zoom now on K-i is 26A which a wrote a review about. Anyhow I found 40A superior to 28-135 28A.Cheers

Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad to have confirmation that the sharpness I was seeing wide open wasn't just me being hopeful. If I get a chance I'll post a couple of the test images here. I've been waiting to take it out for a proper field test. Sounds like I should try a range of apertures to look for aberrations if I'm in sharp sunlight. It also sounds like a hood would be a good idea, and both it and the 103A have the same filter size it could be a reasonable investment.

[Richard & Sheila]

I just bought one of those lenses. I hope it performs as well as yours though there's a fair amount of skill involved in getting such a lovely shot so I'll settle for almost as good as yours

Thanks for your generous comment. Do make sure to use a lens hood with this lens. I used to have problems with the purple patch in the centre of the image that is sometimes seen with it until I realised that a hood would prevent it. I use an old hood intended for a 50mm lens, so it obviously doesn't need to be particularly narrow angled. Have fun with your 'new' lens.

[moggi1964]

Thanks for your generous comment. Do make sure to use a lens hood with this lens. I used to have problems with the purple patch in the centre of the image that is sometimes seen with it until I realised that a hood would prevent it. I use an old hood intended for a 50mm lens, so it obviously doesn't need to be particularly narrow angled. Have fun with your 'new' lens.

Thanks for the advice, it won't ship with one so I'll get something on order.

In the meantime I managed to break my 35-70mm F/3.5 when taking apart the rear section to get at the glass. Something went 'ping' and I'm certain there was a spring in there that is nowhere to be found. I think it related to the little chrome release switch that you press when you want to remove the adaptall adapter. Quite how that would result in me no longer being able to zoom or change the aperture I don't know so maybe I put something back together incorrectly. You know when you tell yourself it's a simple task so I won't bother taking pictures of it whilst I go along...........

So I cleaned the glass I could get to (did the front elements too), put her back together and now I have a fixed focal length (35mm) and fixed aperture (looks about F/8) lens with cleaner glass than when I got it I'll find a role for her I'm sure.

[dadipentak]

In the meantime I managed to break my 35-70mm F/3.5 when taking apart the rear section to get at the glass. Something went 'ping'...

Ooof! I do admire you guys who even attempt such things.

[moggi1964]

Ooof! I do admire you guys who even attempt such things.

Misplaced admiration in this instance I would suggest

Maybe I'll turn it into a lamp or something

[Uponnothing]

Went for a walk with the SP 28-135mm today and found it pretty rough around the edges on my full frame Sony A7ii. Shame as it is such a great focal length and such a lovely lens to use. It also has a weird almost rainbow like colour cast at 28mm on the right hand side, something I've not seen before in any Tamron lens. It does have some light fungus, so maybe that is causing some issues.

I think I will be selling this one on as it just isn't sharp enough across the frame for landscape, certainly at the wide end.

Some samples:





For the full album look here: Tamron Adaptall 2 SP 28-135mm f4-4.5 (28A) | Flickr

I will have to try the 35-135 40a as I already have the hood ready and it might be a bit better based on opinions here...

[marcusBMG]

there was a spring in there that is nowhere to be found. I think it related to the little chrome release switch

There is indeed a small leaf spring that spring loads that. I can probably provide you with another one - I have 3 or 4 adaptalls in my junk box. However that has nothing to do with the zoom and focus. These 17A's are actually quite mechanically complicated, modelled off the 01A, with its intricate linkage between the zoom and the close focus mode. Certainly you haven't reassembled correctly. I haven't disassembled these but I am aware that the trick is a custom tool that unscrews a locking ring that allows the front end to come off.

isn't sharp enough across the frame for landscape, certainly at the wide end.

That tends to be my experience also - it's not bad, as your pics show actually, but is definitely better at the other end of the zoom. I'l try to take some comparison pics 28A against 40A tomorrow since thats a current discussion.

[moggi1964]

There is indeed a small leaf spring that spring loads that. I can probably provide you with another one - I have 3 or 4 adaptalls in my junk box. However that has nothing to do with the zoom and focus. These 17A's are actually quite mechanically complicated, modelled off the 01A, with its intricate linkage between the zoom and the close focus mode. Certainly you haven't reassembled correctly. I haven't disassembled these but I am aware that the trick is a custom tool that unscrews a locking ring that allows the front end to come off.

That's very kind of you to offer. I'll likely just pick up another copy either a better one or a junker. If the latter I'll carefully open it up and see what I may have done wrong.