Review Tamron AF 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 [IF] Macro A20 Aspherical LD ​​XR DI VC

According provided by Tamron AF 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 [IF] Macro A20 Aspherical LD ​​XR DI VC lens for Nikon cameras huge thanks to the store www.fotika.com.uawhere you can find a huge number of different used photographic equipment, including this model.

Tamron 28-300 mm lenses:

• Tamron AF 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO model A185D1999-2002. Scheme 15/14.
• Tamron AF 28-300mm 1: 3.8-6.3 LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO model A285D, 2000-2002. The 15/14 circuit is the same as the A185D. It differs from the previous version in a different body color.
• Tamron AF Aspherical XR LD [IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro model A06, 2004. Scheme 15/13.
  
• Tamron AF Aspherical XR DI LD [IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro model A061, 2010. It differs from A06 in improved enlightenment and a slightly different body design, the prefix 'DI' is added to the name, which means that the lens is designed for full-format digital cameras. Scheme 15/13.
  
• Tamron AF Aspherical XR DI LD [IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 VC Macro model A20, 2012. The first version with a stabilizer. Scheme 18/13.
  
• Tamron PZD Di 28-300mm F / 3.5-6.3 Piezo Drive VCModel A010, introduced February 6, 2014. Uses the new PZD motor. Scheme 19/15.

And there are still two copies of the A06 / A061 lens under the brand name 'Promaster Spectrum':

• Promaster Spectrum 7XR AF Aspherical LD ​​[IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro
• Promaster Spectrum 7XR EDO AF Aspherical LD ​​[IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro

Tamron AF 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 [IF] Macro A20 Aspherical LD ​​XR DI VC for Nikon has not only a very long name, but also a huge zoom ratio. And if the owners of digital compact cameras cannot be surprised at all with a tenfold zoom, then for full-format optics this figure is very high. The large zoom ratio allows you to designate the Tamron 28-300 / 3.5-6.3 VC A20 as super(-uper)-universal lens :). True, usually super-zooms for SLR cameras, especially from third-party manufacturers, have the super-poor image quality that I have already seen on a similar model - Tamron AF Aspherical XR DI LD [IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro (DI) A06 for Nikon... But Tamron 28-300 / 3.5-6.3 VC A20 turned out to be not so bad, and sometimes even quite suitable for amateur photography :).

A large zoom magnification took it from the lens aperture, the maximum aperture is F / 3.5-6.3, and this is worse than many regular zooms, in which it is F / 3.5-5.6 (one third more stop at the long end). The aperture in f / 5.6 is still available at 100 mm focal length, but already starting at 135 mm, the maximum aperture drops to f / 6, and in the range from 200 to 300 mm is only available with f / 6.3.

Despite the large zoom ratio, when folded (at 28mm) the lens is quite compact and, moreover, lightweight, weighing only 555 grams. The Tamron 28-300 / 3.5-6.3 VC A20 has a metal mount and a decent build, but I still have a few complaints about the build. Firstly, the zoom ring has a slight backlash, and secondly, when zooming, the lens sometimes wedges in the 70mm position, and thirdly, when working with the lens, it feels like it is about to fall apart. Feelings, sensations, but at the same time the trunk of the lens does not play and does not move out under its own weight, and in case it does happen over time, you can find a 'Lock' button on the body that locks the lens at 28 mm focal length.

The zoom and focus ring is rubberized. Tamron 28-300 / 3.5-6.3 VC A20 has a built-in focus motor and will fit all Nikon cameras. It’s a pity, but automatic focusing with the lens is very slow, besides it uses an ordinary micro-motor and is pretty noisy. To everything else, I want to add that the nature of the motor noise is somewhat similar to the moaning of some kind of tormented animal :(.

During autofocus, the focusing ring rotates and cannot be touched (you can forget about the constant manual focus control). The lens barrel has a 'AF / MF' focus mode switch, for manual focusing, be sure to turn on the 'MF' mode, otherwise the lens may be damaged. In manual focus mode, the focus ring rotates 60 degrees, manual focusing is not very pleasant.

But the focusing of the internal type lens, in addition, when changing the focal length, the trunk of the lens only lengthens, but does not rotate. During zooming, the rear lens moves and creates a tangible vacuum cleaner effect. MDF is only 49cm and at the same time you can get macro images with a maximum magnification of 1: 3, which is very, very good for such a super zoom.

A little bit about F / 6.3. The instructions for most SLR cameras indicate that they can normally focus only when using optics with a maximum relative aperture of at least 1: 5.6. The exact list of Nikon cameras that can work with optics, darker than F / 5.6, can be found in the section 'Nikon focusing systems', and the exact list of Canon cameras is in the section 'Canon Focusing Systems'. With good lighting, the camera always has a small margin and it can focus with darker lenses than expected. My practice has shown that you can easily shoot on Canon 350D with the dark Tamron 18-270mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Di II LD [IF] Aspherical VC Macro B003E for Canon и Tamron AF 18-200mm f / 3.5-6.3 (IF) Aspherical LD ​​XR DiII Macro A14 for Canon. Also, with Nikon D700 и Tamron AF Aspherical XR DI LD [IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro (DI) A06 for Nikon I didn't have any particular focusing problems either. But with the Tamron 28-300 / 3.5-6.3 VC A20 I noticed that at the 200-300mm range, in low light conditions or even just in the shade of trees, the autofocus 'fades' and the lens crawls back and forth in vain. can 'catch on' for nothing. I attribute the 'freeze' focus precisely to the fact that D700, on which the lens was tested, does not support working with lenses darker than F / 5.6.

With a little maximum aperture the lens is helped by the built-in Tamron VC - 'Vibration Compensation' - 'shake compensation'. The gimbal works really well indeed. There is a switch on the body responsible for its operation - 'VC ON / OFF'. The stabilizer turns on when you press the focus button (usually half-pressing the shutter release button). As soon as you press the shutter button, for a moment the picture in the viewfinder shudders and you can hear the sound from the activation of the stabilizer. The same happens when the stabilizer stops working. This is normal and should not be intimidated.

The lens uses a small Tamron DA20 lens hood, which is mounted in special slots. The lens hood can be installed in the reverse position for transport, but at 28mm focal length in this state, access to the focus ring will be lost. The lens uses filters with a diameter of 67mm. I want to note that in general, the design of all Tamron universal lenses is very similar, from afar you can never tell exactly what kind of lens is in front of you :). On Nikon DX cameras EGF lens will be 42-450mm.

A huge number of special 'super-elements' have been crammed into the optical design of the lens, which are designed to improve image quality, make the lens more compact and cope with high zoom factors. You can see the optical scheme of the lens in the official brochure. But still, from Tamron 28-300 / 3.5-6.3 VC A20 don't expect something good... The lens is very weak in the 200-300mm range, especially at open apertures, and at the wide angle, the corners and edges of the image are very bad. Nevertheless, you can shoot with Tamron 28-300 / 3.5-6.3 VC A20, the question is - is it necessary?

Here link to the archive with the originals - 624 MB, 47 photos in .NEF format (RAW) from the camera Nikon D700 (FX)

Catalog of modern Tamron lenses can look at this link.

List of all autofocus hyper-zooms 28-300 mm

Tamron / Promaster

1. Tamron AF 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO model A185D
2. Tamron AF 28-300mm 1: 3.8-6.3 LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO model A285D, The optical design is identical to the Tamron A185D.
3. Tamron AF Aspherical XR LD [IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro model A06
   
4. Tamron AF Aspherical XR DI LD [IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro model A061, The optical design is identical to the Tamron A06.
   
5. Tamron AF Aspherical XR DI LD [IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 VC Macro model A20. With stabilizer.
   
6. Tamron PZD Di 28-300mm F / 3.5-6.3 Piezo Drive VCModel A010. With stabilizer.
7. Promaster Spectrum 7XR AF Aspherical LD ​​[IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro, copy of Tamron A06
8. Promaster Spectrum 7XR EDO AF Aspherical LD ​​[IF] 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 Macro, copy of the model Tamron A061

Sigma / quantaray

1. SIGMA ZOOM 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 DL HYPERZOOM (black or silver color of the case), ø72
2. Sigma COMPACT HYPERZOOM 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3, ø67
3. SIGMA ZOOM 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 MACROø62
4. SIGMA ZOOM 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 DG MACROø62
5. Quantaray 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 LDO Multi-Coated, ø72, copy of SIGMA ZOOM 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 DL HYPERZOOM
6. Quantaray 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 LDO Multi-Coated, ø67, copy of Sigma COMPACT HYPERZOOM 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3

Tokina / others

1. Tokina AF 28-300mm 1: 4.0-6.3 ø77 JAPAN (black or silver color of the case), model Tokina 283 AF
2. Vivitar Series 1 28-300mm 1: 4.0-6.3 MC Auto Focus Zoom JAPAN ø77 (black or silver color), copy of Tokina 283 AF
3. Cosina 28-300 mm 1: 4.0-6.3 MC lens mde in Japan ø77 (black or silver color), copy of Tokina 283 AF
4. PHOENIX 28-300mm 1: 4.0-6.3 AF ZOOM ø77 MADE IN JAPAN (black or silver case color), copy of Tokina 283 AF
5. EXAKTA 28-300mm 1: 4.0-6.3 MC MADE IN JAPAN ø77 (black or silver body color), copy of Tokina 283 AF
6. Promaster Spectrum 7 28-300mm 1: 4.0-6.3 MC LENS MADE IN JAPAN ø77 (black or silver body color), a copy of Tokina 283 AF. There may be other copies of the Tokina 283 AF.

Nikon & Canon

1. Nikon ED AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm 1: 3.5-5.6G SWM VR IF Aspherical, with a stabilizer.
2. Canon ZOOM LENS EF 28-300mm 1: 3.5-5.6 L IS USM, with a stabilizer.

The names of the lenses are indicated according to the inscriptions on their body. Do you know similar lenses or any useful information on them - please add it to the comments. To this list, I would also add a similar lens with 10x zoom for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras - Sony FE 3.5-6.3 / 24-240mm OSS.

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Results

The Tamron AF 28-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3 [IF] Macro A20 Aspherical LD ​​XR DI VC is a fairly lightweight universal lens for full-frame cameras with a huge zoom ratio and built-in stabilizer. But whether such a lens is needed on your camera is a topic for another conversation.

Original review NIKON ED AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm 1: 3.5-5.6G SWM VR IF Aspherical.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram