Tamron Auto Focus 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR (Model A17NII)

The Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens is a good option for a telephoto lens if you're on a budget or just starting to build your photographic kit and don't have much money left to spend on a long range lens.This lens will work on APS-C and Full Frame sensors. On a APS-C sensor, the lens will have a true focal length of 105-450mm if you're using a 1.5x sized sensor.The features that give this lens a bit of an edge over other lenses in this price range are:- The slightly faster aperture. Most telephotos in this focal length range usually start at f/4.5, but this one starts at f/4 which is half a stop and may not be a huge difference, but if you're working in low light, that extra stop may prevent you of raising the ISO.- The macro function. This lens allows you to reproduce things up to half their true size on your photos (1:2) Not all telephotos have this capability. Because of this capability, the lens has a minimium focusing distance of 95 centimeters (3.1 inches) which is a lot closer than what you could focus with other lenses.For the price you're paying, you're a getting a good lens, but of course, don't expect this lens to perform as well as other options that are more expensive; like the Sony G 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 or the Sony G 70-400mm f/4.5-5.6.With that out of the way, let's get to know this lens better.The lens is light, is not too heavy. The construction is mostly plastic but overall the construction is solid and good. The zoom ring is big and wide enough to manipulate without hassle, the rubber grip on it will prevent slips. The focusing ring is smaller and thinner but good as well. It's easy to find without taking your eye off the viewfinder since the texture of it is different from the lens body. It also has the grip as the zoom ring to prevent slipping. This is particularly helpful in humid conditions or if you're hands are sweating.One point worth mentioning to Sony DSLR users is that the grip plastic does NOT attract and collect dust like the zoom and focusing rings on Sony lenses. It's also easier to clean, Sony lenses just make it impossible to keep them clean on those two parts, but not this one.To activate the macro function of this lens, you got to move a switch on the lens. The lens has a normal focusing range starting at 1.5 meters (4.9 inches) up to infinity in all the zoom range, but from 180mm to 300mm you can activate the switch and access the closer focusing capabilities of the lens. Visually you shouldn't have a problem to figure this out since the lens carries markings for both ranges; white for the normal and gold for the macro.The only problem with this function is that you can't go below 180mm without disenganging the macro function and you can't access it unless you're at 180mm or farther. It sounds redundant but better know it.One little problem I tend to have with this lens when mounted on my Sony A700 is that if I engage the macro function and want to return to the normal one, I need to switch from AF to MF to move the focusing ring back to normal range if the ring is on a macro distance setting. Otherwise, it won't let me disengage the macro function nor return to a wider focal length. I don't know if this behavior applies to other DSLRs but it's worth mentioning it.This lens takes filters of a 62mm size, but unfortunately the filter ring rotates when focusing so you got to be careful if you're a polarizer or a ND filter.The hood has a good size, it may not be too deep, but serves it's purpose. It has a pattern of several rings inside it, this is meant to cut light rays when they hit the interior surface of the hood and prevent them of bouncing there and into the lens, reducing flare and glare. It does work but don't expect it to take care of these problems every single time, there will be times when the light is just too hard for the hood to completely avoid flare or glare. Finally, the hood reverses for storage in this lens, making it easy to store and carry, the only problem is that it will block access to the focusing ring from 70mm to 135mm. Personally, I recommend using the hood everytime you use this lens. If you don't like using hoods, then leave it at home.Optically, this lens can be good for the price or ruin your shots due to softness. Let me elaborate on this.If you have movement in your shot caused by camera movement and you're shooting wide open, the softness will be very visible. To make this lens sharp, you need to close it down to f/8 or more, it's sharpness on wider apertures depends a lot on you shooting at a fast enough speed or a stable enough tripod, and even then it may be soft. Again, remember you're paying below 200 dollars for this lens, so you can't expect Sony G or Carl Zeiss sharpness. I've had sharp enough shots at wide apertures but not always, just as I haven't always gotten sharp things using small apertures, it depends a lot on the conditions you're working on.If you close it down enough, the sharpness improves dramatically and will work well enough.One important thing to keep in mind: the longer the focal length, the more obvious camera movement is, this will reduce sharpness drastically using this or a $1000 lens. Use a fast enough shutter speed or a monopod/tripod to reduce or prevent camera shake. SuperSteadyShot will definitely help but it's not a cure for everything.Focusing speed is alright, it's not amazingly fast as SSM lenses, but it can be fast enough. The problem comes when the lens hunts for focus, which can take a LONG while and eventually give up with no focus locked. The other problem is that if you're using the macro range and the lens has to look for focus, it will move the focusing ring all the way and rather slowly at that, which may make you lose the moment you want to capture and/or drive you mad in the process. I've found that as long as the lens doesn't have to move long distances in the focus ring, it's fast enough, but if it has to check the whole range, it will take a while. The lens sometimes focuses "in steps". By this I mean that it will try one distance, then another and then it will settle on something in between which usually tends to be the right distance, but not always though. This mostly happens in low light, if you shoot in day light, the lens shouldn't have a lot of problems.The lens is not quiet, but it's not a howling siren either. I think my Sony DT 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 is a bit louder, maybe a bit higher pitched than this Tamron.One thing that puzzles me is that the lens is advertised as having a metal mount, but Amazon sent me a copy with a plastic mount. It's no biggie, but it did catch my attention.For the price I paid for this lens (which was a bit cheaper than what it's going for right now) I'm satisfied with this lens. The lens has it's limits optically, but once more, you're getting a good quality for the price you're paying. If you absolutely need a sharp telephoto, have a look at Sony G series telephotos (or the equivalent of the camera brand you use), you will get a far better performance, but the price will be higher as well.I would recommend this lens to people who need a telephoto but can't afford a more expensive option. You get good enough sharpness, macro capabilites, a light package and a good telephoto range for a good price.Finally, you get a 6 years warranty from Tamron, which is an even better warranty than the one Sony offers.If you need an alternative to what Sony (or the brand you use) offers in this focal length range, give a good look to this Tamron lens, a good option for a good price.

I bought this lens because I got a new camera which required an autofocus feature on the lens instead of the camera body and I got tired of all the zoom pictures I'd taken using manual focus coming out blurry.I am very happy with this lens. It focuses well and I don't really think it makes all that much noise, just a small "vrrrt" as the mechanism works. I think it gives very nice, crisp images and the macro setting works just fine. It may not be as close as some people would like for macro photography, but it isn't a "macro" lens specifically so I think it is a nice feature for a standard zoom lens.The one con I have with this is that sometimes it's hard to tell the lens what to zoom on. For example, if there's something in the background that you're trying to bring into focus, it might focus on something in the foreground first (I had a bit of that problem with the cattail picture I posted) and you have to move the camera around or play with the settings a little bit to get it just right. However, I've had that issue with other zoom lenses before, so I think that is more of a learning curve of zoom lenses in general than just this particular one.I am a more serious amateur photographer. I would like to be able to sell photos eventually, so I probably take them with a bit more care than other people, but I certainly don't have the budget for a super high end fancy lens. I think that for the price, this lens can't be beat if you are trying to up your game so to speak in the realm of digital photography.

My overall impression... for an amateur, or a semi pro such as myself without thousands of dollars of expendable income, this lens is a must have for your kit. Don't let the nay-Sayers sway you... This lens is an incredible bargain! The only reason its 4 instead of 5 stars, is the auto-focus... Read on. Took a lot of pics in the city park across the street after un-boxing. Posted good examples of functional limits.PROS1) Well built, heavy frame. No rattling parts, fits snugly to the body of my Canon 80D. It feels heavy and solid, and I like that. My hands shake, so a heavy lens helps me to stay stable.2) The focus is tight enough so that it doesn't drift in vertical shots, and the optics do not rotate, perfect for a polarized filter. Some have complained about this, but truly it is an advantage. It is the way this style of zoom is designed, take it or leave it.3) The fine focus wheel in manual mode could be a little tighter, but for my intended use for this lens, it is perfect. I like to get very fine adjustments in macro mode, and a looser fine focus wheel makes this possible. The required fine tuning takes less time this way.4) The macro function on this lens only works between 180 and 300mm, but with this focal length, that is an advantage. I can shoot great close ups from 2-5 feet away.5) Perfect for insect shots, where getting close can ruin your chance at a shot. See the flower shots, and the water drops (no insects available during testing, sadly... VERY cold yesterday).6) Shake at max zoom with or without full macro can be an issue. I was using my pro-master MPV428+ convertible mono-pod, and as you can see, you DO NOT need a 300$ tripod for this lens like many others have claimed, you just a steady hand and patience, and knowledge of your cameras full manual mode.7) Aperture settings in macro are very effective (specifically see the pics of the dandelion head at f/5.6 and f/32) in Av or M mode.8) VERY comfortable hand grip. Auto focus is not effected by me using the lens as a hand hold.9) This lens CAN be used for portraits. Preferred under ideal lighting, but I was able to shoot lots of good portraits of my daughter and wife with minimal effort, using AF and MF under the lighting in our house with no special preparation and no support (mono-pod/tripod). Not posting family pics, sorry.CONS1) As many others have said, the auto-focus is agonizingly slow and noisy (price trade off). Manual mode is the better way to use tele lenses IMO anyway. But the AF is effective, I have no complaints other than speed and noise.2) At max zoom, images are indeed fuzzy... You get better glass with a higher price. See the images of the birds shot at 300mm with a tripod. In defense, it WAS windy. Mode settings are in the meta-data. I hope. Not sure how Amazon uploads.3) I did not notice chromatic aberration... but all the professionals claim it exists. I have no reason to doubt, as I do not have a studio to test under ideal lighting. Again, this is a price trade off.Ending arguments... AF is slow and noisy, and blur at max zoom can be an issue. These issues can be resolved with Photoshop and a tripod if they are that big of a deal to you. I barely noticed, except the max zoom blur which is pronounced compared to even my old FD 70-300 from my Canon A1. Though I did not notice chromatic aberration, this is NOT a professional lens. It DOES deliver some impressive results, many of which I consider to be professional quality. This lens requires skill and knowledge of the tenets of photography to use to its fullest. But if you are looking for this style of lens, you likely already posses such knowledge. For the price, this lens is a steal for any kit, even as a backup lens. Well done, Tamron.