| Tamron now offers a lightweight, compact, high-image-quality telephoto zoom lens with macro capability of 1:2 that can be used with digital cameras. This lens is a Di type lens using an optical system with improved multi-coating designed to function with digital SLR cameras as well as film cameras. With this 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens, flipping a macro switch in the focal length range of 180mm to 300mm obtains a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2 at a minimum focus distance as short as 37.4, enabling close-up shots of flowers, insects, and other objects that normally require the use of a specially designed macro lens. Moreover, this is a zoom lens that casually offers the distant capture and foreshortening effect pleasures of the 300mm ultra-telephoto world. |
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 Does better than the more expensive lens |
| Review Date: December 10, 2006 |
| Reviewer: G. Parkinson, Holladay, UT |
This lens is great. Don't let the price fool you, it's a great performer with quality components. Unlike some other lenses making claimes of quality, Tamron continues to deliver. Japanese parts, glass, electronics. Unlike the other guys, Tamron actually licenses the Minolta/Sony software so they can program good compatible and reliable code that works perfectly with Konica/Minolta/Sony (also Cannon and Olympus) cameras. The other top sellers reverse engineer their code, so who knows what you are getting. The other reviewer gives a good description of the DI and 'close-up' mode, which works extremely well. Check out his review.
Important, this lens does come with a good solid metal mount to attach it to the camera body.
This lens is great, it's worth much more than $200. Sony isn't selling the new Zeiss 70-300mm lens yet and the current lens is just a repackaged Minolta Maxim lens which is still a great lens, but I don't like it as well as this one. |
Awesome lens at a bargain price
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| Review Date: December 11, 2007 |
| Reviewer: L. Smith, Florida |
| When my old Sigma 70-300mm lens died this summer, I wondered if I'd be able to replace it with anything I liked as well. I'd used it with my Minolta SLR camera for years, and then for a couple of months with my new Sony DSLR, and it had performed beautifully. But this Tamron lens far exceeded my expectations. It is relatively lightweight, yet feels sturdy enough to stand up to hard use. The focus is sharp and quick, and it works very well with Sony's Super Steady Shot feature (essential for me since I don't use a tripod). Pictures shot in macro mode are gorgeous, once I got used to the minimum focal distance. And the price of the Tamron lens is a real bargain when compared to other lenses that work with Sony DSLRs. I'm a pretty good amateur photographer, and I'm picky about the quality of my equipment, but I don't want to spend more than I need to. This lens is just what I needed. |
roygod
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| Review Date: August 8, 2007 |
| Reviewer: High Plains Driftee, Grant, NE United States |
| The Tamron AF70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 lives up to product spec listed. Better than I expected, crisp clear 300mm & good macro both AF & MF. The lens shown on the ad has the AF/MF selector switch on the lens which this one doesn't since it's made for the alpha 100 camera which has the AF/MF on the camera body. The price was so good I was able to afford to just order the Sony flash, I hope it's as good. |
Great dual function lens
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| Review Date: January 14, 2008 |
| Reviewer: J. Winkenwerder, Shiner, TX |
| I wanted a new macro and telephoto lens for my Sony Alpha 100 but couldn't afford to buy both. But with this lens, a flip of the switch allows you to take some very nice close-up shots and the telephoto focus is very clear for a 300mm. I am very pleased with the performance and the price. I will try other Tamron lens now that I have seen what this one is capable of. |
Excellent lens for the price
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| Review Date: August 15, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Matthew Jude Brown, Anaheim, CA USA |
This is an excellent lens for its price. It's plastic-bodied, but of good quality plastic, miles better than any kit lens. The use of plastic also means it's light and thus easy to carry, where a heavier lens might get left at home. There are no rattles or wobbles even at the (quite long) maximum extension.
Flaws? It's slow to focus, which means that it may not be the best for fast-paced action, but this also helps with focus accuracy. The front of the lens rotates during focussing, which means that polarizing filters can't easily be used. Like all consumer zooms of this class, it's not all that fast, although it has a wider aperture at 70mm than most kit lenses.
Image quality on my Maxxum 7D is high, with excellent contrast and detail and accurate, vivid colors. The only real flaw is noticeable but not too objectionable chromatic aberration (CA).
Unlike many lenses advertised as having a "Macro" mode, this one is actually useful, permitting up to half life size at a reasonable subject distance. It's not quite true Macro, but is good enough for many purposes.
Fully retracted and with the hood reversed, the lens is usefully small, fitting in my camera bag without problems when mounted on the camera.
I'd strongly recommend this against competing lenses, especially Sony's comparitively mediocre offering. |
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