| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: September, 2013 Location: Saskatoon Posts: 3,229
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 19, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $389.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | sharp, nice bokeh, faster than my zoom, almost half the price of the DFA 100 WR | | Cons: | switching from AF to MF, focus hunting | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 4
Value: 8
Camera Used: K-30
| |
I wanted to link a picture taken with normal magnification, but this is my first 1:1 macro, and I'll be using it primarily for that. The only other time I'll use the Tamron over the DA 18-135 DC zoom is when I want a faster aperture than f5.6 at this focal length. I've got an A 50 f1.7 for portraits, which only puts 10 feet between the camera and the subject instead of 20. On an APS-C camera, this isn't practical as a portrait lens. It has an aperture ring, so I could use it with my Super Program film camera, and I'll take my last roll of Velvia film with this lens. It would be nice to have something like quick shift, you need to set the lens and camera to MF and leave it that way, but for macro photography I prefer manual focus anyway. Considering that the DFA 100 WR is almost twice as expensive, I am more than happy with this lens.
| | | | | | | Forum Member Registered: February, 2012 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 63
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 23, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $399.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharp, fast, contrast, color, handling | | Cons: | I can't find any | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
| |
Outstanding portraits, closeups, product shots, candids, macro... so many uses for this lens and it does them all brilliantly. I've done side-by-side comparisons shooting this lens with other Pentax primes like the FA 43 Limited, DA 70 Limited, and DA 100 macro. This one is just as good or better shooting the same scenes on the same camera.
Should be higher priced than it is. I bought it used and will probably keep it forever.
So easy to get shots like these.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2013 Posts: 3
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 1, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Extremely sharp close-up, comfortably soft from 1,5m to infinity, handling and build quality are perfect. | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
| |
I liked this lens for macro, but now I mostly use it for portraits.
AF with focusing limiter switch on is even faster than on KIT lens and almost never misses on both GX-20 and K-3.
There is one great feature - this lens become slightly softer at long range. Just soft enough for non-oversharpening portraits.
Bokeh is really good at all ranges.
It's my standard lens for daily use. Through 4 years of expeditions and daily usage didn't find any problems at all.
| | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2013 Posts: 5
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 5, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Razor sharp, value | | Cons: | non | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
| |
This is simply the best lens I have. It had cost around 450 USD, if I remember correctly, and for this little money it offers perfect images. Very good IQ, ultra sharp, nice colors and contrast, smooth bokeh. What else could you want..? Sure, the shift-ring for the AF is a bit of a strange thing, but hey, does not bothers me at all. One could say it is not easy to clean the lens as the optics are badly reachable. But on the other hand there is no lose part such as a crappy lens hood and if you shoot something like raindrop-macros on your balcony, you do not have to bother with drying and cleaning your front-lens every 3 seconds 
This lens is very usable on all openings. Right away from 2.8 down to what you may just need. Always quality ! Beautiful portraits are possible as well but remember the sharpness of that thing. Not always nice what you see on someones face when too sharp 
A bit of a surprise for me was that 90mm experience on my DSLR's. You must take a bus and drive a bit if you wanted to make a photo of something bigger than a flower. For a portrait you will be already in some distance to get the full head on your photo.
This is in any way my lens where I have most confidence in. If I go out to shoot with this lens, it's sure that I will come back home with something nice on my SD-card. Highly recommended.
 | | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: September, 2013 Posts: 306
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 22, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp,colors,contrast,iq | | Cons: | When focus lens extends,light in macro not f2.8 | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 9
| |
Very good macro lens. I do not like lens extnding when i focus very close cos lens front element go so near target. I alsodo not like at all that even i keep aperture same when focusing very near 1:1 macro i must also change shutter speed or flash power, this is very irritating sometimes. Lens have somekind of buildin macro tubes for closeup work and this cause this light variating problem. But can live woth it. Very very good lens for macro and portrait work.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: October, 2012 Posts: 28
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 14, 2013 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, good auto focus, well built. | | Cons: | None so far. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
| |
I take a fair number of macro shots using fairly old macro lens. I bought this lens at a great price and in mint condition, everything about the look of the lens, box and printed instructions was in pristine condition and told me that the lens had not been used.to any [if any] great degree. I already have a Tamron 90mm f2.5 SP 52B which has been my work horse in macro and is, for me, a bench mark in sharpness and ease to use which I use with my K5.. I've also fitted the front and back adaptors of a extension tube to the 52B to give me 10% more magnification without any appreciable loss of light. But I was curious to see how the f2.8 90mm SP AF di lens would compare and so I added it to the collection. It is an extremely sharp and easy to use lens once you know about the pull and push mechanism of the auto/manual focus. I confess I was initially trying to find a "proper" switch for the auto/focus and as the accompanying instructions aren't exactly clear about the operation it took me a few minutes to realise where it was!! [Well, we all have our "doh" moments!!
I'm not a pixel peeper so my comparisons between the Tamron 52B and the SP di are purely as I feel, see, and what my gut tells me.when I see the images produced. So far, to be honest, it's very difficult to say which is the sharper between the 52B and the SP AF di when the latter is used in the manual mode. I think the heavier build of the 52B helps to hold the kit steady when using it close in, but using the aufo focus with the SP AF di is, for me, a pleasure as I find it to be fast even in low light conditions. A bit more usage of the SP AF di will help me evaluate whether there is any great difference in sharpness between the two lenses. Either way the SP AF di is, in my opinion, a great lens and the AF has added to the ability to focus fast on macro mode.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 285
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 16, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great clarity | | Cons: | loud | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
| |
This lens is the sharpest, cleanest and best picture taking lens I have. I have four other lenses and this takes the best all around pictures. Yes it is narrow compared to all of my other lenses but the quality is just fantastic. The bokeh is great and it is extremely sharp. It yields great color and it just a pleasure to use. It is not complicated like other lenses. You just have to have plenty of distance from your subject to get it in the frame. Or if you are shooting macro, it is a great performer there too. I can't complain about it. The focus is loud but moves pretty quick. It is a fantastic portraiture lens coupled with the K-5 IIs you can see all there is to see on some one's face.
other lenses I have used: kit lens 18-55mm which is very sharp with this camera. Pentax 12-24mm, very good, Promaster 28-135mm 30 year old lens that is pretty nice. Tamron 10-24mm, not as good as the Pentax 12-24 mm, very old sigma 70-210mm, not much fun with my digital camera. To sensitive and very difficult to focus.
The Tamron 90mm takes the best, sharpest and all around pictures of my lenses.
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2013 Posts: 3
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 11, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $360.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, macro 1:1,color,contrast | | Cons: | Autofocus | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 9
| |
Very good lens, the sharpness is impressive.
Compact lens, easy to use in macro mode.
Macro at f/7.1
Bokeh & sharpness at f/2.8
More examples here | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2012 Posts: 1
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 20, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $379.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very compact, not heavy, price | | Cons: | AF/MF swich, deep first glas, AF | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
| |
Wonderful lens. If you want very sharp and small prime lent and do not mind about absence USM AF - this is lens for you. I mean this is the best lens (top painting) which i own now.
Some Photos for example:
Prety Fly
Spring
View
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8058/8199893057_7329b28002_h.jpg | | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2012 Posts: 18
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 24, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $480.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, 1:1 macro, very light for handheld macro, good for portraits | | Cons: | Deep set front element can be hard to clean | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
| |
Needs no further praise really - it's the best -available new- macro out there for Pentax, certainly given the money compared to the Pentax options.
I gave the negative of the deep set from element but all macros I've used have this. It can be hard to clean but it's great for protection.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: January, 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Posts: 6,622
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 13, 2012 | Not Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | decent macro IQ | | Cons: | Stuck aperture! | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 6
Value: 8
| |
I wanted to wait until i had taken several shots with this lens before i added my review, BUT, after buying it used from a forumite, I used it one time before the aperture locked up. I've read several cases of this issue with Tamron lenses and feel i should warn you that if you are remotely considering buying a Tamron lens, buy it new for the warranty.
It has been months and i never got around to sending in my lens nor am i thrilled with the thought of having to pay a repair on a defective lens since mine is not on warranty.
Just be careful folks.
[EDIT: so i did send it to Tamron and they wanted something like $160 to repair their own defect which I shall not pay...this paperweight sits in a drawer]
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2011 Location: LODINGEN, Northern Norway Posts: 275
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 5, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $666.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, inexpensive | | Cons: | MF/AF switch si stupid. No quick shift | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 6
Value: 9
| |
Very sharp, and with nice bokeh.
The limiter is handy.
What on earth do Tamron think with this stupid MF/AF switch?
Made of plastic, but it feels ok.
If I have to buy a new macro lens around 100mm, I would tried the D Fa 100 WR first.
The MF/AF switch is useless. You have to decide to use MF or AF. So I use MF when taking macros, and AF when I use it as a tele.
 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: April, 2012 Location: Belgium Posts: 72 | | Review Date: June 5, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $335.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness,AF,macro 1:1,price,built quality,color,contrast | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
| |
Nothing else to say:it's a great lens!
This is my first Macro lens and it's amazing to use it in nature with my K5.
It produces natural colors & excellent contrast (almost no post processing in PS).
Good work Tamron!
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: October, 2010 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 327
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 20, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharp sharp sharp, great bokeh, focus delimiter | | Cons: | AF/MF clutch, for non macro subjects AF can hunt at times | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
| |
like it's competitors, its extremely sharp and has great bokeh
i tend to use it only for macro in which i use MF only, but have at times used it for portraits in AF mode which i found hunted a fair bit and was slow - to be honest this is what most macro lenses are like
once tried to use it for sports when i didnt have other lenses around but it was a complete failure with the AF speed which is obviously not what it was designed for 
otherwise, if using it for portraits and have time, and obviously close up macro subjects, this is the perfect lens in terms of value + IQ
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: July, 2008 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 66
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 23, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $430.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Can you say SHARP? Add great bokeh, no distortions. | | Cons: | A bit heavy but it's a full-frame lens, what do you expect? | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
| |
I bought this lens because it was consistently rated very close to the Pentax SMC-FA 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, one of the sharpest macros around. The Pentax cost almost twice as much and, as you may remember, was quite the tank of a piece of glass.
I'm very pleased with the Tamron 90mm. The image quality is superb, as is the bokeh and lack of distortions. The focus limiter is nice to have when using it as a street lens. I enjoy having the option of using this lens with my film body MXs.
BAB
| | |
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
