I was really hesitant to buy this lens since I'm on a major budget after springing for a Nikon D700 but I must say, I am pleasantly surprised. I've had Tamron lenses in the past and never really like their glass but this one - although not the sharpest on the planet, delivers a very, very decent image for a 28-300 zoom lens. I think the FX factor may have something to do with it. It seems the D700 can do no wrong. Of course, it takes a little PS to bring out some real quality, but I tweak everything I shoot anyway. This is a good walkaround lens and seems solid enough for the price and 6 year warranty. Tamron was giving a $50 rebate so I only paid $250 for it. Such a bargain - and with this economy, "BARGAIN" is the key word. I also own a Sigma 12-24 and a Nikon 50mm F1.8. Tack sharp prime but have a feeling this lens may find a semi-permanent home on the D700.

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Solid construction, feels very good in the hand. Sharp. Good saturated color. Great for short and long focal lengths for every day shooting if you don't like changing lenses for this closeup or that long shot. No creep. Beautifully finished. 6 year warranty, versus 1 year for Sigma. Survived a hard fall without breaking the zoom cam. Internal focusing so polarizing filter is always properly oriented: doesn't rotate. Macro at all focal lengths.

Some distortion of straight lines (brick wall) at 28mm, not much at other focal lengths.

I replaced a Vivitar 28-300 with this lens. The technology is 7 years newer and the size of the Tamron is smaller. I just returned from vacation and shot 9 rolls with this lens. I am very satisfied with it and would recommend it. I read reviews before buying it and found mostly reviews comparing it to this or that Canon brand lenses. I found these useless, even if I did use Canon. I use Nikon AF bodies: F100, F4, N90s. I don't pretend I will take the photo of the century, nor do I ever plan to enlarge mine over 11x14. If these precepts don't apply to you, buy the brand name lenses. I rarely enlarge over 4x6. I find these prints very sharp and am well pleased at all focal lengths. A class 1 28-300 by Canon or Nikon others is beyond current affordable technology, or they would be making them. Yes, if you shoot a straight line there is some distortion at 28mm. Few subjects have horizontal lines, so it really doesn't matter. I can't see any distortion in everyday photos. I found the sharpness and color excellent at all focal lengths. I shoot Fuji 800 Xtra, so f6.3 really isn't a problem for me. The lens focused accurately and quickly on the Nikon AF bodies, although the F4 does a little hunting with any lens. In broad daylight, focus was no problem, even with the F4. The lens is finished beautifully and is very solid and sure to handle. There is NO CREEP at all. Manual focus is easy if desired. I fell with the lens on the F4, and the lens hit the ground hard. It broke the filter ring and shattered the polarizer, but did not break the zoom cam or optics, and it continued to work fine. Commendable that it didn't break the zoom cam inside, which is expensive to repair. I think this lens is great. I rarely had to change lenses, and it close focuses very well with sharp images. I recommend it for everyday shooting and non-critical shooting very highly. I wanted to write a review for the everyday photographer who just enjoys taking pictures and is not expecting a 28-300 lens to equal 2 brand name lenses, changing back and forth all the time.

Customer Service

Haven't needed it.

Similar Products Used:

Vivitar 28-300, which I really liked, but it was large. The Vivitar lens doesn't focus closer than 6 feet. The Tamron focues to 10 inches from the FRONT of the lens.

Light, great range, smooth zoom

slow at 300mm, focusing in low-light conditions

I've spent the last 10 years using FD primes on my T90 - finally, after a holiday to Thailand, I decided to take the step into the 21st Century and go AF. I was quite surprised when I got my 30E. I bought this lens on recommendation [review in Photography monthly mag] and have been pretty impressed with the results. Compared to my FD primes there is obviously degredation of image quality - but then this lens weighs nearly half that of my 200mm f2.8 alone and I've found that I take it everywhere with me. It's a revelation - after all, what's the point in lugging around 8Kg of lenses and being too knackered or irritable to use them. Great ever-ready lens - I'll complement it with a Canon 20mm f2.8 for higher def. landscape work.

Light weight Nice feel when Zooming in and out 62mm filter size. Has a zoom Lock( Never used it)

Slow aperature at 300mm 6.3)

When the Tamron 28-300XR lens came out, I had the Tamron 28-200XR lens. At the time I could not afford the 28-300XR. I knew that down the road, I would need more a bigger zoom to bring me in a little closer to the subjects I like to take pictures of( Animals and Sportin events). Well, I finally purchased the 28-300XR lens and I have no regrets. Its only 2 ounces heavier than the 28-200XR and its hardly bigger than that lens. It balances well on my Nikon N80. I just got back my slides and they came out great. Its nice to have that extra reach. I like to travel light, so the combination of the Nikon N80 and the Tamron, take care of my photographic needs.

Customer Service

Tamron has a nice customer service department. Answered all my questions.

Similar Products Used:

Tamron 35-200( stove pipe )Heavy Tamron 28-200XR Tamron 28-200 LD Super Sigma 28-200

I went to yellowstone national park for a week with my F80 Nikon, Tamron 28-300 XR lense, and cheap tripod. The lense did an excelent job. I did wide-angle shot for landscape to tele zoom for wildlife in one lens. The result is amazing (for 5 x7 prints). This is all-around use lens. Very useful.

Similar Products Used:

tamron 28-200 XR

Small for its capabilities Flexible

Too many aborations Not sharp Poor AF all across the board

This was a disappointing lens. In fact, it is because of this lens that I now shoot exclusively with primes. It is convenient to have the range of 28mm all the way to 300mm in one lens, but there are too many sacrifices. I found this lens to be a magnet for aborations. It was out of the question to have a bright object even outside the frame. The lens wasn't all that sharp either. I used this lens with my Canon Elan 7, and granted the Elan 7's focusing isn't great, the tamron was a far cry from my other Canon zooms. It is slow and inaccurate. I constantly had to switch to Manual Focus in low light because the lens couldn't handle it, even when my Canon zooms could. Sadly, because it is an off brand lens you are only going to be able to sell it at a fraction of the price you paid for it. This alone makes the camera maker's lenses worth buying, in my opinion.

Similar Products Used:

Sigma zooms and primes (much better) Other Tamron zooms (all poor performers) Canon and Nikon Zooms and Primes (generally superb)

light weight very good build quality nice color saturation $60 rebate lens hood included

Fair/poor low light autofocus soft at upper end F3.6-6.3

I've only run 4 rolls of film (Fugi porta 160 npc) by this lens but I am happy with it. Color rendition is good and autofocus is quick in good light. Indoors I seem to need manual focus as the autofocus tends to hunt in low light. At 40mm to 250mm my pictures are quite sharp, while at the upper end pictures tend to go soft and at the lower end there is some minor curving of straight lines but not enough to worry about for most of us. This lens has brought new joy to my travel photography. I can now leave 10lbs of bulky equipment at the hotel while I explore and do grab shots and then go back to the places I think are worthy of my primes. For the price this lens does a very good job. It is not equal to a prime lens and is not ment to be, but as a lens of 10x combined with light weight and very acceptable picture rendition this is a fun purchase.

Customer Service

none needed

Similar Products Used:

Canon 50mm usm Canon 135mm Tokina 19-35