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Tamron AF XR Di II LD Aspherical IF Macro 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Review RSS Feed

Tamron AF XR Di II LD Aspherical IF Macro 18-200mm F3.5-6.3

Sharpness 
 7.3
Aberrations 
 7.3
Bokeh 
 6.8
Handling 
 8.5
Value 
 9.2
Reviews Views Date of last review
32 134,482 Sat July 7, 2018
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
91% of reviewers $183.65 7.66
Tamron AF XR Di II LD Aspherical IF Macro 18-200mm F3.5-6.3
supersize


Description:
Aperture: f/3.5-6.3
Minimum Aperture: 22
Construction: 15 Elements-13 Groups
Angle of View: 75-8 degrees.
Minimum Focus: 0.45 m
Filter Size: 62 mm
Length: 83.7 mm
Weight: 398 grams
Macro Ratio: 1:3.7
Coating: Multi-coated
Focus System: Automatic
Price History:



Add Review of Tamron AF XR Di II LD Aspherical IF Macro 18-200mm F3.5-6.3
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Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-15 of 32
Veteran Member

Registered: December, 2013
Posts: 796

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: July 7, 2018 Not Recommended | Price: $60.00 | Rating: 7 

 
Pros: Good zoom range
Cons: poor IQ, bad build quality
Sharpness: 5    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 7    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-30   

This lens has a good zoom range, it's very versatile. The image quality isn't so good, but acceptable. I would not recommend this lens, except as an upgrade from the kit lens for the zoom range. It's price makes it ideal to learn photography and composition, but the image quality and lens speed will be limiting. The build quality bad of this lens, it feels cheap.

Here are some images taken with it:
IMG0856_141102 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr

IMG0002_141003 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr

IMGP7826 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr

IMGP7891 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr

IMGP4051 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr

IMGP3340 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr

IMGP1593 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr

IMGP0425 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr

IMGP8919 by Benjámin Czétényi, on Flickr
   
New Member

Registered: January, 2018
Posts: 3

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: February 3, 2018 Recommended | Price: $90.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Light weight and ease of use, sharp, great color/contrast
Cons: none at present
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: Pentax K-S1   

I reviewed this lens when I had the Pentax K-50 and though it was very very good. This lens is even better used on my K-S1. Color, contrast, bokeh is good. Sharpness is excellent using the finder and exceptional using live view and focus peeking. It has been raining like crazy since I purchased this camera and I will update some pictures when I can get out of the house and stay dry. I used the Tamron 28-105 lens on this camera and it was very very good also. I just wanted to have a carry only lens to use and this Tamron fills the bill perfectly. The only minor short comming is it will hunt in the dark for focus. I carry a tactical light to help focus (even with the flash is engaged). It finds focus quickly when I use the tac light.
Mike
   
Veteran Member

Registered: June, 2017
Location: Indiana, U.S.
Posts: 4,845

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: October 22, 2017 Recommended | Price: $80.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Lightweight, Good AF, Fair macro, good colors
Cons: Not Pentax vivid
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-50   

Very good value in a super zoom. Picked mine up used for $80.00 and have used it as a walk around lens multiple times.
I almost always use it as an auto focus lens because it tracks small items such as ladybugs very well.

Pictures are quite sharp in my estimation since I just did a little close up examination of some statuary photos I took earlier this week.
Both are extreme crops taken at 200mm with the Tamron, straight out of camera .jpg.

As I use this lens more I would pay 100.00 to 150.00 to replace it with another good copy. A good walking around lens that can take nice Macro shots also.
   
New Member

Registered: February, 2012
Posts: 17

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: October 22, 2017 Recommended | Price: $65.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Kit lens quality in a single package from 18-200mm
Cons: Kit lens quality in a single package from 18-200mm
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: Samsung GX10, GX20, Pentax K-x   

I found this in a charity shop. It has obviously been used, and at some point it had lost a small piece off the mount that serves to keep out dust, but since I wiped its terminals with a lens cloth it has functioned perfectly.

The autofocus is accurate at the 80-200mm focal lengths. At short focal lengths (18 to 40 or so) I have to be careful to ensure that it hasn't locked on to the background.

Handling is similar to that of the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8, whose form it closely resembles; good.

I found that:
  1. Between 18 and 50 mm the images are obviously inferior to those from the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8; there's less detail
  2. Between 18 and 55 mm the images are hard to distinguish from the Pentax 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 DAL-WR
  3. Between 80 and 200 mm the images are hard to distinguish from the Pentax FA 80-200 mm 4.7-5.6, though the Tamron is about 1/2 a stop slower. (The Pentax lens is rated 5.6 on this site, rather poor, but the optically identical Pentax F 80-200mm f4.7-5.6 is rated 8.17, and I think my copy is good)
  4. The images were sharper, showed more detail, and had fewer aberrations than those I could get from a beautiful-looking Super-Takumar 150mm f4 prime that the shop also had for sale.
To my utter amazement, it autofocuses with the Kenko Teleplus/Tamron-F MC4 Pz-AF DG 2x teleconverter at all focal lengths if the target is contrast-y. The conclusion I have come to is that the MC4 works well with Internal Focus lenses.

So my conclusion is, the lens is optically equivalent to kit lenses. It isn't an upgrade, but it can save on baggage and lens changes. So good for walking around, street photography and should you need to travel light.
   
Loyal Site Supporter

Registered: April, 2012
Location: Dartmouth Nova Scotia Canada
Posts: 1,020
Review Date: July 20, 2017 Recommended | Price: $150.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Light weight, inexpensive, Zoom Lock
Cons: noisy, slow to focus in low light
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: K100, K500 & K70   

I've been using this lens for about 2 years as a Walk Around/Travel lens and I've had little or no trouble with it.
I did however find the lens not to be as sharp on the K70 as the K500 & K100 but a small adjustment of the Front Focus corrected that.
I found that the lens works well in a Macro Setting above F-8 and does a good job with high speed motion catch in focus at maximum zoom such as capturing large Birds in flight
It also works well at wide angle with long exposure night time shots such as fireworks
Shot doe with the K100

K500

K70
   
Pentaxian

Registered: November, 2015
Location: Connacht, Ireland
Posts: 458

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: June 27, 2017 Recommended | Price: $250.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Light, compact, great range, good image quality, relatively inexpensive
Cons: Noisy focus, CA at wide aperture, short manual focus throw
Sharpness: 7    Aberrations: 5    Bokeh: 5    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-x, K-30, K-5   

After nearly eight years of using this lens with three digital bodies and with a 1.4x converter on a film body, I thought it only decent to add my $0.02 worth here. Now that it appears Tamron (like all the rest of the current third-party lens suppliers) is moving away from offering lenses in KAF mount, it's probably on the edge of its twilight.

First, I will say that this lens has been exceptional value. I bought it in 2009 specifically to go along with my then-new K-x to Egypt. I didn't want to switch lenses in places that I anticipated would be dirty/sandy and it fit the bill. Interestingly, my K-x was sold with the DA-L 18-55 kit lens (which never worked very well on that body in terms of focus) and the Tamron turned out to be a more reliable lens for focus than I would have ever expected. After using the Tamron 18-200 on the K-x, I literally never used the 18-55 DA-L again until I bought my K-30 (on which the DA-L worked great and continues to work great on my K-5. Go figga.). Anyway, I used the Tamron as a "one-lens" travel solution on a number of trips and it never let me down. On the K-30 and K-5, the Tamron is a stronger performer, yet.

It's not perfect, however (as superzooms never are). My biggest complaint with this lens is strong magenta/green CA, especially when the lens is nearly wide open and at the shortest end. It is manageable in PP, but it's not something that can be left alone without being obvious in contrasty images. The lens is quite noisy while focusing, too. In fact, it's louder than most of my screw-drive lenses by a good margin. However, it's actually not that much different audibly than the original version of the DA 55-300 on closer inspection.

Would I recommend this lens? Absolutely. New ones still pop up online and in camera shops and used specimens can be had at a low price. If one needs a superzoom on the cheap, this is a tough choice to beat.

I have put a bunch of images made with this lens here: http://www.jaredgerlach.com/Tamron-18-200-Samples/n-R4NMp5/

All in all, while it's definitely not as good as the newest superzoom offerings from Sigma (which are still available in KAF mount), it's a good lens that can return good results with attention to inherent limitations. My "8" rating is tiny bit generous, perhaps, but I'm rating it an 8 as a superzoom and while taking cost/performance ratio into account.
   
Junior Member

Registered: February, 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 34
Review Date: April 10, 2016 Recommended | Price: $180.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Good Travel Lens with Macro
Cons: Build Quality
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: K10D   

This was the first lens i ever used on my first Pentax the K10D. I used on several Holidays as my only Lens and i took some wonderful images, It's not the fastest focusing lens i've used and certainly not the quietest. The Bokeh is pleasant enough to separate a subject, It produces nice colours and is Sharp enough for a beginner looking to learn and develop. Aberrations seemed well controlled in most scenes and is great Value given it's current low prices. I gave the lens to my mother who after a few years dropped her K10 the camera was fine but the lens was written off but had no hesitation buying a new one as a replacement. If i really could only have one lens i'd be happy using it.

Only real concern was after a few years it had sucked in a lot of dust but had been to the beach many times and it was never kept in a bag.
   
Junior Member

Registered: May, 2015
Posts: 33

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: April 1, 2016 Recommended | Price: $150.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: very good price, ideal for vacantions
Cons:
Sharpness: 7    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-X   

Bought this lens at promotion last year. Is a good all around/zoom lens for vacations and free time if you are an amateur. Compared to kit lens 18-55 DA-LII, i would say that the 18-55 is more brighter and have less noise at 100% zoom, but the Tamron is more precise . For 150$ is a great lens. Maybe the best lens you can buy.

   
New Member

Registered: July, 2015
Posts: 2

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: July 30, 2015 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: compact and allround
Cons: none
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: k-r   

I bought this lens together with my k-r from ebay Germany.
First I was a bit disappointed about the sharpness but I regulated sharpness in the camera menu and when I use f/8 or f/11 the result is very satisfactory.
I wanted to know the difference between this Tamron, the kit lens and the old prime lens 28mm and tested them.
Between the prime lens 28 and the Tamron 18-200 I can harly find any difference in sharpness. The colours are brighter with the Tamron, seem more naturally.
In comparison with the 18-55-lens I found the kit lens a whisker less sharp but only in the direct comparison. Generally the kit lens delivers good quality.
As the Tamron has also a macro function and the lens is not very expensive it can only be recommended as a walkaround lens.


Let me add that this is a brilliant forum which I did not find in the same quality in Germany.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: July, 2014
Location: Nagoya
Posts: 577

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: May 10, 2015 Recommended | Price: $180.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Price, versatility, sharpness when stopped down
Cons: CA at wide apertures
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-01   

For what it is, this lens is brilliant. I bought it because I really wanted a walkaround lens for unplanned shots, and this fits the bill perfectly. As mention in other reviews, it's not the lens you'd choose for some planned beauty shots, but as a walkaround lens it's hard to fault.

It's not that sharp wide open and it has CA issues, but stop down a little and it sorts itself out. Keep it at f/11 and it's as sharp as you could wish for throughout the zoom range. Take it on walks, take it on holiday, enjoy being able to get the shot you want 98% of the time. It's not for specialist circumstances but as long as you use it right, you can get great results.
   
New Member

Registered: November, 2014
Posts: 20

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: April 25, 2015 Recommended | Price: $133.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Zoom range and size
Cons: Uneven zoom feel
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 6    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-50   

I bought this lens after a visit to a botanic garden and found that I was swapping lenses a lot, seems as though the 35 to 100+ focal lengths were needed most for taking photos of whole plants and scenes, then the flowers in them. I am planning a couple vacations that will have similar scenery and decided to pick up an inexpensive walk-about lens to avoid the constant swapping, especially considering that the kit lenses (18-55 and 55-300) have plastic mounts.

Bought used in excellent condition, although new prices are not that bad. My first couple walkabouts (home garden and a zoo) gave good results. At the edges of the field there is purple fringing, buy barely noticeable unless zoomed. When viewed on an HD TV display, it looks fine.

From the prior reviews I was a little concerned about focusing, but mine works well with a K-50, always focused fast. For those conditions where autofocus is not very good (shooting a zoo animal through a wire fence), manual focus was easy, although the throw is a bit short, making fine focus sensitive. The focus squares did show, indicating where it was in focus.

The least good thing about the lens if the feel of the zoom ring, tends to bind a little around 100 mm, although this is not consistent. The lens looked new; maybe it needs some time on it to smooth out. For the money, I consider I have a good solution to my vacation lens needs. I will take the 18-55 Pentax kit lens along in case there is inclement weather and I need a water resistant package. Maybe if I am feeling flush, I will get a Pentax 18-270, depends on how happy I am with vacation results.
   
New Member

Registered: November, 2014
Posts: 9

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: April 16, 2015 Recommended | Price: $90.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: sharpness, relative quick to focus, easy to carry
Cons: none
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: Pentax K-50   

[IMG][/IMG] I previously had a sigma 70-210 that was good but not great and had a chance to purchase this lens as my main walk around lens. This lens is superior to the 18-55 WR kit and the Sigma 70-210 and I sold both of the other lens. Focus is quick, and spot on. The lens is sharp from 18-200 usually from 5.6-11.0. color and contrast on the K-50 is excellent. My copy has no lens creep at the present time. The only pictures I have available are one with my grandchildren in them and my kids don't want their pictures on the internet so I will amend this later with some landscapes next week. My back up lens is the Tamron 28-105 and it is exceptionally sharp and the focus is slightly quicker then the 18-200. I used the 18-200 with flash indoors to take pictures of a birthday party for the grandchildren and they processed very very well. I have not found this lens weakness yet but I did rate the CA at 7 but with the lens hood and filter I would rate it no higher than a four.
   
New Member

Registered: November, 2014
Posts: 3

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: February 17, 2015 Recommended | Price: $125.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Price, Convenience
Cons: Noisy. Not WR.
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-30   

I snapped this up when the price dipped on Amazon (115 euros) so its "value" rating is really good.

As said by others, this is a great "walk about" lens. I specifically bought it for a weekend trip which included 2 nature parks, historic town center and a wedding. Luckily it was a very sunny few days, so most photos were taken well within the optimum f-stops of this lens across the very usable zoom range. A very satisfying set of photos. Even the indoors shots at the Wedding reception were really good where the ISO was through the roof, so we are not talking razor sharp here anyway, (fortunately the camera was more in control than I was).

I don't use this lens for "planned" shots, where I select a prime or more appropriate zoom lens for the intended subjects, It is great for opportunist photography in fine or windy weather where you don't want to change lens. This lens would be almost perfect if it had the same WR specs as the Pentax range.

   
Veteran Member

Registered: July, 2014
Location: Paris
Posts: 1,939
Review Date: October 12, 2014 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Cheap, small for the range, good for travel
Cons: bokeh
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 8    Value: 8   

A good lens for travel, sharpness is ok, color is good, very small and light, so ideal for travel
The 17-50 is much sharper with good bokeh and not more expensive, so I recommend the 17-50 over this lens as a kit lens
   
New Member

Registered: February, 2013
Posts: 2
Review Date: October 13, 2013 Recommended | Price: $200.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Price
Cons: non yet
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 8    Value: 8   

Model airplane at full crop so 100, f10, 1/400
Add Review of Tamron AF XR Di II LD Aspherical IF Macro 18-200mm F3.5-6.3



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