| Author: | | New Member Registered: February, 2016 Posts: 3 | | Review Date: April 2, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Fantastic sharpness, colours and incredibly good macro | | Cons: | A little clunky macro mode. Focus ring could be more precise | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: Canon 600d, Sony A3000
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For 50 euros this lens has to be the bargain of a lifetime. Sharpness and bokeh, especially shooting macro, is up there with dedicated macro glass. Colours are fabulous and contrast is very decent even wide open. I absolutely adore it. Tamron adaptall, as a whole line, has to be the label with the most stellar affordable lenses. Thank you Tamron.
I also own a Minolta Md 35-70 f4 macro, which might even better this Tamron 01 for sharpness wide open (I have yet to perform some head to head tests) but Tamron 's macro is miles ahead, so all in all I' d pick the Tamron, although having both is fantastic!
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2022 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: May 12, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $65.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Nice sharpness, cool bubble bokeh, character, build quality | | Cons: | Bad focus peaking on XT-30, loosing contrast at incoming light | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 6
Value: 8
Camera Used: Fujifilm XT-30
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Nice lens and if I haven`t had a 17a 35-70 f/3,5 I would leave it for myself.
My lens is in a great shape, except one piece of dirt inside that shows up a little in a bokeh bubbles.
It produces lovely bokeh and picture, and I like the 01a much more than 17a about the pure bokeh.
But this lens wide open makes a wide "in focus" zone where you can not predict the exact DOF position and 17a is much better at this, just mega easy to point the focus. And those f/2.8 on a wide angle doesn`t matter much because if you want a portrait, it is better to get it at 80mm. Here is the example
https://disk.yandex.ru/i/GO-VxmOzJubgLA
Bokeh at 35mm wide open
https://disk.yandex.ru/i/EHOkNdT6lyUTHQ
Bokeh at 80mm wide open
https://disk.yandex.ru/i/1-dhd5GJEoO6aQ
Also lens looses contrast really hard when light source is in front of it, 17a doesn`t that badly.
Light at my back
https://disk.yandex.ru/i/FDknDl-XW1xpQA
Light at my front
https://disk.yandex.ru/i/NksRokHIZS7Rbw
And this lens is much more soft at macro mode compare to 17a.
So overall I can agree with review before, 17a wins 01a by a complex of factors, and 01a is a bit bigger and heavier.
Plus work with focus peaking is inferior to 17a, at least with my copy of 01.
So I think this one is less desirable than 17a for overall use, but really nice for portraits and lovely bokeh I personally love. Maybe my variant has some issues with light haze and this causes the focus peaking to work not so nice.
But if I was have to leave only one lens from my adaptall collection (17a, 01a, 52b, 04b, 19ah, sold 40a) it would be the 01a or 19ah for bokeh and character.
Anyway i have 52b for a mega bokes, so selling this little one and leaving the 17a.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: September, 2019 Posts: 34 | | Review Date: November 16, 2021 | Not Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Useful macro magnification, sharp when stopped down | | Cons: | Not sharp at 70mm until f5.6 | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 8
Camera Used: Sony a99
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The 01A is actually pretty poor wide open at 70mm to 50mm. It gets a lot sharper stopped down to f5.6 though & CA is pretty well controlled. Wide open at 35mm it is a bit sharper though, but still not as good as the 17a wide open. IMO the 17a seems to be a better overall walk around lens than the 01a since it is more usable across the aperture range, but it seems not quite as sharp stopped down and suffers from CA problems. The tests I made are a bit analytical & at infinity focus, maybe the lens has some magic that I've yet to discover since I've only just acquired it.
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2021 Posts: 3 | | Review Date: February 5, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Great image quality for vintage zoom | | Cons: | Sharpness at wide end | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 8
Camera Used: Sony A7
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Great vintage zoom lens. That said I believe that there is some hype going around with this lens since the Sony FE 28-70 kit lens that ships with A7 is sharper and has better contrast, and can be had for not much more than the Tamron. Interestingly enough the Sony kit is usually said to not be that good and Tamron is praised and I think that is because Sony is usually compared to new Zeiss glass while Tamron is compared to Vivitar Series 1 and similar vintage glass.
So, these are the results testing at 3.5 and comparing to Sony SEL2870:
- 70mm - Tamron is a the winner here, mostly due to corner sharpness. Not by much.
- 50mm - Almost a tie but Sony is a bit ahead in sharpness and contrast
- 35mm - Clear win for Sony as Tamron loses quite a bit of sharpness, esp. in corners.
Tamron is a clear winner for macro tho simply because Sony does not have any macro capability, but then the kit has OSS and AF.
So I would recommend Tamron if you plan to use it at its long end where it is quite sharp.
I know I am comparing apples to oranges here but I wanted to give some context to users of modern zoom lens.
And lastly, there is a major issue with the colors and contrast washing out with any sun coming from the front. Lens hood is a must and even then if it sees direct sunlight image just washes out.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2015 Posts: 11 | | Review Date: January 31, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $165.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Perfect allround multipurpose lens: Sharp at f/4; Flexible; Macro | | Cons: | Bit soft at f/2.8, CA | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 3
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-S2
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If there is one lens you want to use all the time then this is it! Tamron’s flexible continuous focus (CF) system is very convenient. Makes you forget about focal length, and lets you focus on the subject.
One of the best lenses for Macro work. From F/4 this lens is sharp. Unlike many other lenses that have macro function on a fixed focal length, this lens has macro 1:1.25 on ALL focal lengths. From 35mm to 80mm. Very flexible.
Wide open, there is a bit haze and it is soft. CA is a problem on this lens.
| | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2018 Posts: 1
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 27, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, Built, Look, Macro, Focus precision | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Nikon D600
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Just got one in great conditions on Ebay, the only thing i can say is: What a beautiful lens! Very sharp from f4 (but even wide open ain't bad), very well built, super easy to use, great Macro capability, and it looks so cool mounted on camera, which doesnt hurt. Im in love with it!
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2017 Posts: 3 | | Review Date: March 15, 2017 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, sharpness, sharpness | | Cons: | none so far | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Nikon D3
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An absolutely "stonking" lens. Learn how to master MF on your camera (any brand) and you wil be bowled over by what this lens can capture
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: May, 2015 Location: Hampshire Posts: 892 | | Review Date: December 22, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Close focussing, fast, changeable mounts. | | Cons: | Gets a little stiff when zooming through FL's | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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A great purchase, came with a Contax/Yashica mount but the "Adaptall" means I can fit my P-KA adapter on it.
I compared it to my recent purchase of a Pentax-M 35-70mm F2.8-3.5 and was just as pleased with the images it provides. The "A" setting makes it slightly easier to use and it is much closer focussing and with a little extra length on the long end. Build quality and cosmetic appearance seem to favour the Pentax as might be expected.
Others have mentioned some downsides in their reviews but I cannot help liking it. My one downside is the zoom ring gets a bit stiff when zooming between the ends of the focal lengths. Maybe it will free up a bit with use...or get worse.
As usual, a good SP lens at a great price!
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2012 Posts: 17 | | Review Date: May 27, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Fast, sharp, very well made, handles well, very good close up, hardly ever any CA | | Cons: | No so good out-doors towards infinity; flare? | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: Samsung GX20, Pentax K-x
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I have had this lens (purchased with a PK/M adapter attached for £23 on eBay) for 6 months now, and have tried hard to like it, but I'm still unsure.
The Good
No aberrations to speak of, colours like the Pentax kit lenses close up, rich yet natural, really good contrast, excellent Macro mode. Sharp from wide open and easy to focus at all focal lengths, the 01A gets obviously sharper as it goes longer (and slower). Indoors, and in and around my pocket-handkerchief back garden, I have nothing to complain about.
The Not So Good
Outdoors, at distances from a few metres upwards, the colours seem to get washed out. I would have said it was flare, and flare is certainly an issue when the sun is close to the frame, but even using a deep screw-in rubber hood and with the sun behind me, the colours are less pleasing than in pictures taken with the Pentax FA 28-105mm f4-5.6 Powerzoom. This isn't the case indoors, or close-up outdoors. No question but that the images are still super sharp, pixel by pixel, but when the images should have saturated colours they seem to lack something. It's not noticeable when the subject is more or less monochrome, such as the courtyard at Somerset House in London, but next door, Kings College London, where there is greenery and brickwork as well, it's obvious.
Bokeh is not obtrusive but nothing special.
The older Tamron Adaptall QZ-35M is technically inferior in almost every respect, and it is harder to focus accurately, but it makes the townscapes look retro whilst the 01A tends to make them look as though I shouldn't have bothered to take the picture in the first place! The QZ-35M also boasts an A/M switch, so Aperture Priority works without a PK/A adapter.
I prefer the Pentax-M 35-70mm f2.8-3.5 outdoors also. And it is faster than the 01A for the most part. But there is no possibility of Aperture Priority, it doesn't go as long (though the claimed 80mm for the 01A is more like 75mm), and it lacks the excellent macro capability of the 01A.
I tend to take the 01A rather than the Cosina 28-105mm f2.8-3.8; this is down to the smaller size and superior handling of the Tamron 01A, and its macro mode.
The Tamron 18-50mm f2.8 AF is better, period, over the range it has in common with the 01A, if the focus is right.
To conclude, the 01A is excellent in an intimate setting, but I won't be taking it hiking in the great out-doors.
You might think an 8 is rather harsh considering the individual scores above, and the scores I have given some other lenses, but I'm marking it down for the flare.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Posts: 18,076 | | Review Date: December 21, 2013 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ, build, size/range, f2.8 ... | | Cons: | Flare ... | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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Bonjour,
A great AD-2 lens that I am now happy to have... Purchased at the annual Tours, France, expo/swap meet with a somewhat aged and battered original case, an original front cap, an FD mount with end cap, plus a Vivitar filter ... it was a good deal for the price.
All test shots thus far have been quite good and the "01A" is living up to its reputation in my books. Need to do more test shoots outdoors when the weather clears up a bit ... thus,more samples to come, but here's a p0rn shot on the K-5 with a PKA adapter ...
Allez et salut, John le Green Frog
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: January, 2012 Posts: 38 | | Review Date: March 31, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $25.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ, build quality, easy to focus | | Cons: | relatively prone to flare | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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This lens is really nice, it feels very nice,
IQ seems good. I tried some shots at best f/stop and they don't seem too bad
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94523933@N02/8606412464/in/photostream
No post processing applied.
Nowadays, it costs next to nothing. The price paid included also a nice film camera, an unused flash, a bag...
Ciao,
Stefano
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: January, 2008 Location: Paris, TN Posts: 3,349 | | Review Date: May 22, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Consistent performer, sharp across all FLs | | Cons: | little protection for front element | |
I've accumulated two of these over the years. A good description would be 'consistently above average to excellent in all respects'.
Just for fun, I ran both lenses through the full range of apertures at 35, 40, 60, 70 and 80 mm and at three distances. (Thanks to digital photography this becomes both practicable and economically feasible today.)
From f 5.6 to f 11 and 40~70mm about the only practical variation in the image is what's dependent on the general optical laws for aperture and focal length. There's noticeable fall-off in sharpness and contrast at the extremes but no more than expected and often less. At 35mm/f 2.8 the lens still appears relatively sharp but there is a noticeable luminous 'bloom' that softens the overall image.
IMO, this is one of the very best Adaptall SP lenses and equally suitable for both film and digital bodies. With 10 - 36mm of extension tubes it serves quite well for close-up and near macro photography in the field but isn't quite up to the standard of the various Tamron90mm macro lenses as an all around macro solution.
I use the O-ME 53 optical viewfinder and a micro-prism split image screen and never miss auto-focus with this lens.
H2
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2011 Location: Dorset , UK Posts: 6 | | Review Date: April 11, 2011 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Very sharp at 80mm f5.8/f8 | | Cons: | less good overall at 35mm | |
Done more test on this lens,using a lens chart.
This is a zoom lens,quite a few years old and manual focus,nevertheless if you are looking at portrait or macro lens for your Pentax digitial camera I would go for this one ! AT 80mm and f5.6/f8 and down to f16 this is super sharp,especially at closer focussing distance which is really unusual.
I use it almost like a fixed lens at 80mm.
At wider angles (35-50mm) it needs also closing down but doesnt deliver quite the same resolution.Its still more than usable,just not as sharp as at 80mm.
Image quality at 80mm = 10
at 35-50mm = 5
build = 9
= 8 overall (for me)
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: July, 2010 Location: Sydney Posts: 77 | | Review Date: August 7, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, contrasty, light, fast.... | | Cons: | rotating front element, zoom ring can stick with poorly maintained copies | |
An excellent performer for an older standard zoom. Starts a little long on my DSLR but all in all 35-80mm is a good range! My manager was once a wedding photographer, and says he used to swear by this one back in the day...
The cam changes direction when zooming, which as the lens ages can cause it to stick at that point. Appart from that ergonomics are pretty nice! I love the big spherical front element as well!
The rotating front element is an issue, but I never use it for landscapes so don't have a PL filter for this one.
As with all adaptall lenses on Pentax it really depends if you have the PKA mount. If you do, you don't lose much funcitonality.
Its fast, very very sharp, and its nice to walk around with older class on your lens sometimes! For an old zoom this one really does come up with the goods.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2010 Location: Stockholm Posts: 634
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 8, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $25.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp and fast zoom. Nice sharp macro and smooth bokeh. | | Cons: | No Auto Fokus. | |
I found this in a very bad shape at a flee-market for 10usd.
The Zoom was almost stuck and it was hard to see the numbers cause it was so dirty but I bought it as a fun thing to try to fix.
After taking it apart, cleaning it and back together again I did some test shots and was blown away by its sharpness and smooth bokeh.
The macro capabillities is another big bonus and for portraits it has been great too.
I keep putting it back on my Kx even though I have so many other choices that have autofokus or better macro or weighs half of what this one does.
As for now this one is the best lens I have for most situations I find myself in.
If I need a zoom or better macro I have to use something else but for everyday photos its great.
I just whish that the Kx had the old fokus style so it would be easier to use.
Focusing is quite hard and I seem to always fokus slightly behind but thats not the lens. Thats me 
If you see it. GET IT.
Update: I like this one so much I had to get a second copy....
My first copy had some problems with the Aparture lever that I couldnt fix.
I found someone selling a copy with an Adaptall M42 mount for 25usd so I bought that one and it was in much better shape then my old one. Ill keep the old one for parts 
Here are a couple of images I took with my first copy last weekend.
I had to edit the pictures to get a width of 800 to fit the forum and in the process I added some sharpness to parts of the images + level adjustments.
I love the bokeh and soft, dreamy feeling I get with this lens.
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