piedpiper's reviews

Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD SP

This lens produces stunning results that I haven't seen from a zoom before (and I've owned many professional Canon and Nikon zooms). The total rendering is amazing. If you like the way it renders, with amazing contrast and "3D" effect, then this is a lens to consider.

Like most lenses that render beautifully, out-of-focus transitions are often fast. This means that making a really sharp image with this lens can be as difficult as with a Zeiss Planar. Once you figure it out, stunning sharpness is possible, but if you want your sharpness on a silver platter then look elsewhere.

Tamron traded beautiful rendering against low distortion, and I think it was obviously the right choice. Distortion is spherical, not unpleasant, and easily corrected.

People who think that Tamron seminally botched the rear assembly, by making it vulnerable to picking up internal dust/moisture when dismounted, need to (a) realize that tons of professional lenses have the exact same issue, (b) get real about the hazards of changing lenses in bad conditions. At least this one has a gasket.

Anyone with sharpness problems (that means you tested with a heavy tripod, a brick wall, a measuring tape, and f/11) or AF problems needs to take another copy or get service from Tamron. The warranty is 5 years.