| Latest Review Posted | Tamron Adaptall-2 SP (26A) 35-210mm F3.5-4.2
I purchased this lens in early 2011 as a possible replacement for my Tamron 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 because I prefer using MF lenses and have had great experiences with the Adaptall-2 SP series. Well, I ended up keeping and using both. My thoughts:
Pros
- Exceptional build quality and very good handling for a large, heavy lens.
- Very fast for a 6X zoom.
- Decently sharp throughout the zoom range, with modest purple fringing for a lens of this age and class.
- Fixed 1:3.8 macro mode for added versatility.
Cons
- Minimum focus distance (not including macro mode) of nearly two meters.
- 35mm not wide enough (for me) for an all-purpose lens on APS-C.
- Somewhat prone to flare and reduced contrast when used without a hood.
Bottom Line:
I originally thought its speed would make this lens useful indoors, but it's minumum focus distance and focal length really restrict things in tight quarters. If these two drawbacks aren't significant to you, and if you really like old-school, manual focus lenses with great build quality, this is a good and very inexpensive option. Otherwise, you might be better off with a modern (and more expensive) 18-2XX zoom.
- Mike |
