| Author: | | Forum Member Registered: June, 2018 Posts: 99
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 16, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $800.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp as brass tacks. Gorgous Bokeh. Price. | | Cons: | Build quality won't compare to a DFA* 70-200 | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K7
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Fantastic lens, they kept telling me it's a giant killer and I can absolutely confirm that. I've had it about 8 months (Wow has it been that long?!) though I purchased it and the had to build me a copy in Japan to meet UK supply.
I love it. I literally cannot praise it enough, in terms of cost versus quality, yes of course you're losing build quality and it's not WR but my goodness it delivers! It can be a touch soft at 2.8 but you dont buy a 800 dollar lens to just shot at 2.8. Once you're up at 4.5 it's just sublime.
F5
F5
F4.5
Wide open
 | | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2015 Location: South West UK Posts: 1,493
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 22, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $420.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ | | Cons: | Silly AF Clutch | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-3II
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Wow.
Fantastic value. Extremely good lens, optically.
I use this lens a lot for dog photography, it's perfect for long range action candids and narrow DoF portraits while being able to stand back, out of their 'zone of interest'. Also fantastic for head and shoulders portraits, but you'd need to be in the next county for a full length shot. Also useful for garden birds and not-too-distant, not-too-speedy, sports work.
AF is fairly fast and accurate on my K-3II although it was a little disappointing on my old K-50. It is screwdrive, so is a bit noisy compared to a DC/SDM type...not that bad though.
Enough has already been said about the AF clutch switch - just silly, but you do get used to it and you're not likely to be switching that often to be too much of a problem.
All in all, for the price you are hard pushed to fault this lens.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: December, 2008 Location: NJ, USA Posts: 428
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 14, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $550.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp wide open. | | Cons: | handling with tripod col. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K3 and K5
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This is a great lens for concert and event shooting. It has a great range and is fast at a constant f2.8 Since it is very sharp, I do not hesitate to shoot wide open...
Event shoot is very demanding. I shoot my daughters marching band in daylight and under night lighting. Under lighting I need to shoot wide open and need to push out to 200mm quite often. The lens never fails to deliver on IQ. Given the action of a marching band, and my need to move from subject to subject, I put a lot of demand on the AF system. In most cases I hit but there are some misses.
It is a noisy AF system, but for the price it is fine.
I want to go back to IQ. The IQ wide open is impressive, and It seems to meet the demands of the k3 with 24Mpixels without an AA.
I find little CA and post processing for CA, or other aberrations, is not necessary. I find the IQ on par with the DA 50-135.
The price is great as well.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: February, 2015 Posts: 12,237
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 6, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $570.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Fast, IQ, Price | | Cons: | Focus breathing, does not AF with LV | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K200,K-5,K-3
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The best Autofocus, IF , 70-200 f2.8 full frame lens you can buy for $570. Beside its relatively cheap price, what you can do with this lens is really great. It is a bit soft and not so contrasty @ f2.8 but quickly becomes sharp and contrasty (on a 16 or 24Mpixel APSC sensors...) when stopped down a bit @f3.5 , sharp at f4 and very sharp at F5.6. Even when used at f5.6 / 200mm + x1.4TC for birding , it's almost as good as the Pentax DA* 300. For photographers who wonder about the difference between a 55-300 and a Tamron 70-200, the Tamron is of a different category; it's faster, sharper, more contrasty, full frame compatible (and also heavier and larger). For me, together with the Tamron 17-50, the 70-200 is a must have.
Pros:
- Sharpness
- Contrast
- f2.8 aperture
- works on full frame
- price/value
- reliable AF
- AF works fine with HD x1.4 TC
- 5 year guarantee from Tamron
Cons:
- A bit big, a bit heavy (lot of good glass inside)
- LV CDAF does not work on K-3 (works on K-5)
- Plastic
- AF not so speedy in AF-C mode (faster with K-3 than K-5)
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2011 Posts: 4,873
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 30, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $800.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, Bokeh, Cost | | Cons: | No WR, No quick shift | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-5
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Don't believe the reviews you see online about generic Tamron's, tested on Canon or Nikon. Pentax's screwdrive is more powerful than on those brands.
The autofocus of this lens is as fast as any telephoto available for Pentax.
Sharp, great bokeh, cheap. Excellent value and the best telephoto available for Pentax.
| | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2013 Location: Port Orchard, WA Posts: 10
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 20, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $700.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Super Sharp, solid, accurate, fast aperture. | | Cons: | Lens is large. | |
This lens is amazing if you take the time to make your photos accurate. This is easily the sharpest lens that I own. It is sharp straight from 2.8 and remains sharp all the way to 200mm. I have read that there is some falloff in detail at 200mm/2.8, but I haven't seen that pixel peeping in my own photos. In terms of sharp, I would rather use this lens than my Pentax 50/1.7, as I have to do less work removing CA and working to make the lens sharp. The AF is fast, especially considering the amount of large glass it is moving. It is also extremely accurate. I would say that it is accurate to a fault as it seems to use tighter circles around the focus points than the Pentax 18-135 does. I'm not sure how this happens, but both this lens and my 17-50 exhibit this behavior. To me, this only shows that the lens is accurate and requires me to pay attention a little more to my focus points when using this lens.
The lens is large. Large enough that I have had to purchase a new bag, but I will still likely take this lens on occasion as a walk-around. It is not so heavy that I mind carrying it around for a few hours. My 500mm is about the same girth, slightly shorter, and quite a bit lighter and I have no issues taking that to the streets once in a while. The tripod mount is solid and handy.
Minor complaints: My only complaint is that it is not WR. I have no issues with the 2 step MF process, and considering the large size and throw of the focus ring, it allows for real accurate tuning of focus when in MF mode. The lens is as solid as any of my other lenses and I don't feel like I have to baby it at all. I will probably still baby it, because I just don't have the money to replace it. I don't really have any issues with the AF noise on this lens, because I like the solid sound and feel of the camera's drive system. It gives me confidence that I shouldn't have to replace some cheap tiny sonic motor.
This is currently my favorite lens, and will be on my camera when I am taking portraits or I need the throw (provided it isn't raining). Otherwise, I will have my Tammy 17-50 on there.
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2013 Posts: 4
2 users found this helpful
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: July, 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 283
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 8, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $550.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Fast and sharp with good color rendition | | Cons: | AF a tad noisy | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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I bought this as a "Like New minus" from a US dealer, and received an excellent lens without a mark on it. As others have said, this lens is well-built and optically excellent. The only two negatives are the noisy screw-drive autofocus and the manual quick-shift. The latter can be worked around by depressing the camera lens release button while manual focusing - actually a lot easier than it sounds.
Although I would have preferred a lens with a quiet SDM system, these are all double the price and the Tamron represents the best value.
Mike
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: November, 2009 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 147
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 21, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $769.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, IQ, F2.8, Best value, Light for its class | | Cons: | Focus can hunt | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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I did a lot of researching between this lens, the Sigma, and the Pentax DA 200mm and 300mm primes. People really blast this lens for the screw-mount focus. I don't find it to be that big a deal as long as the focal point is contrasty. It focuses as fast as any of my other non-SDM Pentax lenses.
Everything else is listed in the number ratings. I am really enjoying this lens. It is a few hundred bucks less than the Sigma and Pentax versions. If the SDM focus is that important to you then go for it but I'm perfectly happy with this lens the way it is.
A sample below:
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2011 Location: Eastern Oregon Posts: 856
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 5, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $770.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ, Price, Build | | Cons: | AF/MF mechanism | |
Considering the price ($1700 cheaper then Canon or Nikon 70-200mm 2.8) the total package is a bargain. The screw drive AF on the K-5 is FAST! (I am sure the micro motor in the Canon and Nikon versions is probably pretty bad.)
The IQ is as good as any lens, even those much more expensive ones.
The only 2 things you lose are:
1.) No weather sealing.
2.) Switching from AF to MF is a pain. The lens mechanism is good, but it doesn't also disconnect the screw drive, you have to turn the AF off on the camera as well.
You gain: $1700 in your pocket. The images look the same.
Unless you shoot for SI, save your cash. Hey, if SI calls and wants you to work for them, you can always get a 1DIV and a EF 70-200mm!  Untill then enjoy the Tamron and make great images!
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: August, 2008 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 141
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 24, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $629.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great Picture quality & close up ability My Favorite Lens | | Cons: | Slow autofocus | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
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Is this a perfect lens? No. Will you sometimes be frustrated by the autofocus? Yes. Will you be blown away by the great pictures it takes? Yes, probably 98% of the time. Can you get better optical quality? Not on any other Pentax compatible lens I've ever seen.
Every lens represents a compromise of some sort and so does this one. However, with this Tamron I feel you are actually getting more than you pay for.
The only other 70-200 f2.8 lenses available are the two Sigma variations and from everything I've read optically both of them simply fall short of what a 70-200 f2.8 should be today. I've not compared the lens to the older Pentax 70-200 f2.8, but as those lenses are older, I doubt they surpass the picture quality of this Tamron.
I have decent, though not fully professional glass, and optically I think this lens shines in a way nothing else in my kit does. Colors are very rich and bokeh is nothing short of exceptional. This lens isn't a true macro lens, but it will focus a lot closer than anything else in the category and the results are nothing short of spectacular.
I've had the lens for nearly 24 months now and anytime I'm taking a picture of something requiring a telephoto lens, this is the first lens I go to. It's also the lens I nearly always reach for when I'm shooting close ups as well.
With this lens the problem that everyone talks about is autofocus speed. It's a legitimate complaint, but for someone who doesn't do a lot of sports photography it's also a constraint with which I can live.
If someone were to steal my camera bag, I would buy a new walk around lens first and this lens would be next. It's versatile, dependable and takes incredible pictures. As I said in the positive aspects above... it's my favorite lens. 
 | | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2010 Location: St. Paul, MN Posts: 7
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 11, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, bokeh, build, IQ generally, very little CA, close focus, IZ/IF, lens hood, bag | | Cons: | Size (what do you expect at f/2.8, IZ, IF?), AF not the fastest | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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I really love this lens. It's the sharpest telephoto I've used (I just bought the PENTAX-DA* 300mm f/4, (literally, I've had it two days) so we'll see how that compares with time.) I love the IQ, it's just gorgeous and eye-popping. Great sharpness corner to corner (it's a full-frame lens, so this isn't too surprising), contrast, from f/2.8 right on up through f/8 or f/11. The bokeh is fantastic in my estimation. The only lens I have with better bokeh is the PENTAX-DA 70mm f/2.4 Limited.
This lens beats any of my old A-Series PENTAX teles hands-down. Beats my old TOKINA ATX 80-200 f/2.8 (which was a very sharp lens with Kodachrome 64), hands down.
Flare is really well controlled -- never been an issue. Essentially no chromatic aberration. Just a hint of yellow/blue at high contrast edges in maximum closeups and wide open, and it never is bothersome. (The great CA control is what made be choose this lens over the SIGMA 70-200 f/2.8 and the PENTAX-DA 50-135 (well, also the zoom range of the PENTAX, 70-200 is the perfect mid-tele zoom range (APS-C), IMO.) The shot linked below (it's a dumb-ed down shot) shows the worst CA I've seen -- no big deal:
http://www.berettaconsulting.com/barbarossa/PandJ-Family/2010/2010-04-12/Bloodroot%203.jpg
(look at the edges of the petals, also note the sharp rendering of the pollen and the specular reflections in the petals -- love it.)
I love the packaging of this lens: Everything is handy and works and feels really well. Very accurate and reasonably quick AF. (Noisy though, as always with the screw drive. First time I used the 300mm DA* SDM, I thought the AF was broken!  ) I really like the lens hood: easy to use and stow, quick to mount and hasn't gotten loose with a lot of usage; and very effective. The tripod mount is well balanced and works nicely, very solid.
I just love this lens and I never leave it at home unless I'm going super light. The best non-PENTAX lens I've ever owned.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2007 Posts: 8,237
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 20, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $699.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, colors and contrast, no CA to speak of | | Cons: | AF is not the speediest, huge | |
This lens is exceptional, especially considering the price. IQ is equivalent to the wonderful Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, and nearly as good as the Pentax DA* 50-135 f/2.8.
The sharpness at f/3.5 or higher is great, with very good results even at f/2.8. The colors and contrast are outstanding.
It renders OOF areas wonderfully at f/4 and below - a very pleasing bokeh. The
1:3 macro is more than acceptable, especially for a zoom of this range.
It is very long & heavy, but that's to be expected for an f/2.8 long zoom.
The AF speed is acceptable, better than the Tamron 70-300, bt slower than any non-macro prime.
Overall, a very, very good zoom, super fun to own.
| | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2020 Posts: 1
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 19, 2020 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | optical quality | | Cons: | screw drive focus | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Kp
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A crisp clear lens with really excellent optical quality. However the autofocus is a bit lost with this lens, and the screw drive is sloooooow.
Excellent results in astrophotography
 | | | | | Junior Member Registered: October, 2015 Posts: 36
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 23, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Image quality | | Cons: | Heavy, | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K3
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I bought this lens during my 4 month trip in Japan, and I have tested it there.
It adds me a lot of weight, but it was totally worth it: the image quality is just awesome. The handling might be hard, specially when I want to switch to manual focus. But for the price I payed (60000 Japanese Yen), I can forgive some small issues.
I would definitely recomand it.
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