[pcarfan]

Well, I just received the Tamron 28-75 and did some rough testing at 28mm, 50mm, 70mm at f2.8 f4 and f5.6.

Overall the FA* has much better rendering, sharper and the bokeh is never nervous, The Tamron is very good (even better than the FA* at 70mm at f2.8 wherer the FA* zoom is very very weak), but lags behind the FA* zoom slightly. The Tamron is less sharp, the bokeh at times can be a bit nervous but still very good. Overall pictures do look better with the FA*.



Here are a couple of sample shots at f2.8 and f4 at 50mm.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR FULL RESOLUTION

Tamron 50mm f2.8 (Focus on the puppet's left eye)



Pentax 50mm f2.8



Tamron 50mm f4 (I took a shot of the glass, as fine lenses like the limiteds and the FA* render glass to look like real glass)



Pentax 50mm f4

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Last edited by pcarfan; 05-19-2010 at 06:29 PM.

[Peter Zack]

I've also had both lenses and have the Tamron only now. For all intents and purposes, the Tamron is easily just as good. Like you mentioned, the bokeh is smoother with the Pentax. I also had the FA*80-200mm and Sigma 70-200 EX (older version -none macro) and the 2 are very much the same. I still have the Sigma.

The FA*'s are able to render better backgrounds but overall the IQ is very similar with the Tamron 28-75 and the Sigma 70-200. Certainly close enough that I think the FA*'s are over valued by more than double.

[philbaum]

pcarfan,

I noticed in the second example that the clock face that you focused on (i assume) was sharper on the Pentax picture than the Tamron picture. However, if you look at the Stooges box in front of the clock, the Tamron picture is sharper than the Pentax picture.

Which i think means that this specific Tamron lens is front-focusing. If you have a K20 or K7, it would be interesting to throw a 3,4 or5 correction for the front focusing and then see how they do.

I have the Tamron which i purchased about 2 months ago and have been happy with the sharpness and rendering. I purchased it after reading the rave reviews in the database. By all accounts the Pentax is nice as well, but i don't have any personal experience with it to judge.

Best wishes for your selection,

[pcarfan]

pcarfan,

I noticed in the second example that the clock face that you focused on (i assume) was sharper on the Pentax picture than the Tamron picture. However, if you look at the Stooges box in front of the clock, the Tamron picture is sharper than the Pentax picture.

Which i think means that this specific Tamron lens is front-focusing. If you have a K20 or K7, it would be interesting to throw a 3,4 or5 correction for the front focusing and then see how they do.

I have the Tamron which i purchased about 2 months ago and have been happy with the sharpness and rendering. I purchased it after reading the rave reviews in the database. By all accounts the Pentax is nice as well, but i don't have any personal experience with it to judge.

Best wishes for your selection,

Phil, I saw that. However, if you check the dust on the top of the box on which the clock is placed it shows that the focus is only very slightly front focused. I used MF with LV anyways for my tests and at times AF and chose the best. But, I did notice the front focusing.

But, these tests are painful when it comes down to that single image posted. I based my conclusion from the 20-30 odd shots I took, not just these two. I just uploaded these for posting.

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Last edited by pcarfan; 05-19-2010 at 07:05 PM.

[pcarfan]

I've also had both lenses and have the Tamron only now. For all intents and purposes, the Tamron is easily just as good. Like you mentioned, the bokeh is smoother with the Pentax. I also had the FA*80-200mm and Sigma 70-200 EX (older version -none macro) and the 2 are very much the same. I still have the Sigma.

The FA*'s are able to render better backgrounds but overall the IQ is very similar with the Tamron 28-75 and the Sigma 70-200. Certainly close enough that I think the FA*'s are over valued by more than double.

It is close in the testing, but the FA* is better in almost all aspects. is it worth the price difference ?, only time will tell.

Even the Pentax FA 77 takes a lot to fully exploit it's advantage. When I get it right, the FA 77 can do what no other lens can even dream of doing....only time will tell whether in general use the FA* can produce something stellar that a consumer lens may never can..... these minor differences already makes even the mundane shot look better overall, I think the FA* has some tricks up it's sleeve, as I see it in some of my tests.....I need to use it now and see.....

[HermanLee]

It is close in the testing, but the FA* is better in almost all aspects. is it worth the price difference ?, only time will tell.

Even the Pentax FA 77 takes a lot to fully exploit it's advantage. When I get it right, the FA 77 can do what no other lens can even dream of doing....only time will tell whether in general use the FA* can produce something stellar that a consumer lens may never can..... these minor differences already makes even the mundane shot look better overall, I think the FA* has some tricks up it's sleeve, as I see it in some of my tests.....I need to use it now and see.....

Thank you for posting this. I can see that Tamron 28-75 is a very good lens indeed but there is something that make Pentax 28-70 more pleasant to my eyes. Also it seems the photos from Pentax is a little bit brighter with the same setting.

Anyway, I'm more interested to your exploitation of FA77
Since I just got this lens and comparing it to DA70, what are the tricks that you've learned to optimize this lens? Thanks.

[philbaum]

Phil, I saw that. However, if you check the dust on the top of the box on which the clock is placed it shows that the focus is only very slightly front focused. I used MF with LV anyways for my tests and at times AF and chose the best. But, I did notice the front focusing.

But, these tests are painful when it comes down to that single image posted. I based my conclusion from the 20-30 odd shots I took, not just these two. I just uploaded these for posting.

I can easily buy that reasoning, lens tests are very complex to do. Another thing that tests typically don't address is the long-term durability of the lenses. I wouldn't be surprised if the FA is out in front in that area as well.

Best of luck,

[pcarfan]

Thank you for posting this. I can see that Tamron 28-75 is a very good lens indeed but there is something that make Pentax 28-70 more pleasant to my eyes. Also it seems the photos from Pentax is a little bit brighter with the same setting.

Anyway, I'm more interested to your exploitation of FA77
Since I just got this lens and comparing it to DA70, what are the tricks that you've learned to optimize this lens? Thanks.

HermanLee,

The Pentax is not brighter. The Tamron was consistently a bit brighter, and as brightness influence the appearance of the image, I PP to equalize the exposure based on the histogram. It is my error and the Tamron is the brighter lens.

I've had the 77 for almost 2 years but I don't have any tricks. When everything clicks the image is truly amazing, I wish I know how to consistently do it, it's hit and miss for me.

[pcarfan]

Here is a brick image at an angle to avoid the FF/BF issue and a crop

Pentax (click on the image for full res.)



Tamron (click on the image for full res.)



100% crops (Pentax on the top)

[pcarfan]

FA* (Click on the image for full res.)



Tamron



100% crops (Pentax on top)




P.S: DANG! THE PENTAX IS AT 31MM AND NOT 28...I ZOOMED AS WIDE AS POSSIBLE BUT THE POWER ZOOM DIDN'T GO ALL THE WAY...OH!WELL.

[pcarfan]

At f2.8 the FA* is useless, so did this at F4 where it almost catches up to the tamron, but still a little soft.

Pentax (Click on the image for full res.)



Tamron (Click on the umage for full res.)



100% crop (Pentax on the top)

[pcarfan]

Pentax (click on the image for full res.)



Tamron



100% crops (Pentax on the top)

[bollicina31]

Hello everyone, I wanted to know from you, if yours too, FA * 28-70, lose definition to 70 mm f/2.8.
I have noticed that by 60 you 70 mm, the lens loses much definition, I must close at f/4, to get good photos.
tkx

[summonbaka]

Can you shoot some flowers or greens in an outside matter whenever possible? I want to see the FA* in this environment. It doesn't need to be a new photo, do you have one from before?

[pcarfan]

Hello everyone, I wanted to know from you, if yours too, FA * 28-70, lose definition to 70 mm f/2.8.
I have noticed that by 60 you 70 mm, the lens loses much definition, I must close at f/4, to get good photos.
tkx

Absolutely.

It is unusable at f2.8 and 70mm, but by F4 it is fine.