Reasons to Buy Tamron AF 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF MACRO Lens
Here we’ve included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Tamron AF 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF MACRO lens in a list form to help you determine whether it offers the features you need.
PROs
| Optical Image Stabilization |
| Autofocus |
| Distance Scale |
| Hood supplied |
| Zoom Lock |
| Versatile Lens with a Zoom Ratio of 15x |
Report a correction
Buy Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD from or B&H PHOTO
CONs
| No Weather Sealing |
| Lens Extents while zooming |
| Slow Aperture at Tele end |
| Variable Aperture |
Lens Mount
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD is compatible with cameras that have a Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3.
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD is also available in Nikon F (DX) mount.
Size, Weight and Filter Thread
Size and weight is a very important decision factor when searching for your next lens. Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a maximum diameter of 80mm and total length of 101mm when not extended. It weighs 560g / 19.8 oz.
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a filter thread of 72mm. Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD:
Optical Image Stabilization
The Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD features an optical image stabilization system which helps to reduce the blur that occurs due to shaking during hand-held shooting.
Zoom Method
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD features Rotary (extending) zoom method where the length of the lens changes as you zoom in or out. This makes it possible to design the lens with a smaller minimum length ( generally when it is zoomed out) compared to internal zoom lenses. The disadvantages of this design are being harder to seal against dust and moisture, weight balance shifting while zooming and zoom creep in certain lenses.
Zoom Lock
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a Zoom lock feature which eliminates Zoom creep where focal length of the lens changes with gravity when it’s held downwards or upwards.
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.29x and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.49m. For a non-macro lens, the 0.29x is considered a high magnification and will come handy for close-up shots.
Below are the 3 Super Telephoto Zoom type Canon1 mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios:
- Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC: 0.34x — (Compare)
- Tamron 16-300mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD: 0.34x — (Compare)
- Sigma 18-300 F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM: 0.33x — (Compare)
Aperture
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD is a variable aperture lens with a max aperture of f3.5 and a minimum aperture of f22 at 18mm, and a max aperture of f6.3 and minimum aperture of f40 at 270mm .
| Focal Length | Max Aperture | Min Aperture |
|---|---|---|
| 18mm | F3.5 | F22 |
| 270mm | F6.3 | F40 |
Optical Formula
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD’s optical formula consists of 18 elements in 13 groups . Following special elements are used in this design:
- 12 LD glass elements
- 3 aspherical elements
Lens Hood
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD comes with a removable lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos. The model number of the hood is AB0003.
Popular Comparisons of Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD
Top Alternatives of Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD Lens
| Model | Coverage | Weight | Focusing | Street Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tamron 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Compare |
APS-C / DX | 450 g / 0.99 lb | AF | ||
|
Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD Compare |
APS-C / DX | 710 g / 1.56 lb | AF | ||
|
Tamron 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro Compare |
APS-C / DX | 540 g / 1.19 lb | AF | ||
|
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Compare |
APS-C / DX | 628 g / 1.38 lb | AF | ||
|
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Compare |
APS-C / DX | 470 g / 1.03 lb | AF | ||
|
Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Compare |
APS-C / DX | 405 g / 0.89 lb | AF | ||
|
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS Compare |
35mm FF | 1,395 g / 3.07 lb | AF | ||
|
Tamron AF 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 Di II LD Aspherical IF Macro Compare |
APS-C / DX | 430 g / 0.95 lb | AF |
Тема: Tamron AF 18-270 mm
Ресурс: Club Nikon
Форум: Оптика для фотокамер Nikon
Автор реплики: Zwarte Zee
Купил. Быстренько провел первое сравнение Никон 18-70 и Тамрон 18-270. Впечатление пока окончательно не сформированное.
18 мм у Никкора получается чуть шире, резче и светлее по углам.
Сетования на медленную фокусировку — ерунда. В сравниваемом диапазоне (18-70) эти объективы проворно фокусировались на равных.
Но есть другое замечание: у Никона есть переключатель «автоматичесая фокусировка/автоматическая+ручная». Если система сама не наводит фокус, ей можно подсказать. Тамрон же впадает в крайности: «только ручная/только автомат». И пока не переведешь рычажок на «ручная», колесико крутить не дает.
Вместе с тем, есть приятная особенность. Когда бленда Тамрона надета «в походном положении», её лепестки не перекрывают собой кольцо зуммирования. А доступ к нему все же чаще востребован(тем более, с таким фоусным). У Никона же все наоборот: бленда написает над зумом.
Кстати, о бленде. Если её надеть «по боевому» и сделать снимок со встроенной вспышкой, то нижняя область кадра окажется в тени. Длинные лепестки бленды оказываются на пути света.
Я брал 18-270 (а не 18-200 или 18-250) потому, что только он оснащен системой стабилизации. Работает без нареканий.
Ну и главный козырь — зум. После привычного трехкратного 18-70, это как Феррари после Газ-53. Часто на максизуме весь объект просто не помещается в кадр. Объектив суперуниверсальный, однако для ответственных съемок вроде всяких свадеб, я предпосту традиционную оптику.
Я представил сравнительные снимки, которые подтверждают, что особого страшного кошмарного ужаса нет. Чуть позже наделаю фоток на разных фокусных, чтоб было понятно, ЧТО он может.
Согласен, что это стекло никогда не раскроет весь потенциал зеркальной камеры. Но для тупошествий этот универсальный объектив неплох. Перещелкивать с 18-50 на 70-300 зачастую несподручно и не всегда успевается. Я не настаиваю на своем выборе, а лишь наглядно отвечаю КАК «светит эта лампочка».
Автор реплики: Владимир Минаев
Имею 18-270. Гиперзум — он и есть гиперзум. Резкость на длинном начинается на диафрагме от 9. Фокусируется на длинном неуверенно (с д60) — нужны явно выраженные контасты в р-не зоны фокусировки. Сильно хроматит даже по центру кадра. Стаб отличный. Никоновский 18-200 получше (с тем же д60) в плане резкости и ХА (сравнивал — брал у друзей), хотя тоже не фонтан, само собой.
Автор реплики: vidik-fotik
Купил неделю назад этот объектив. Сначала впечатления самые положительные. Стабилизатор очень цепкий . С руки на 270 мм приемлемо до 1 сек получалось. По резкости в центре оказался по крайней мере не хуже никора 70-210. Боке очень даже мягенько. Вообщем для неспешного любителя просто очень даже…
Но тормозит прилично. Сказывается инерционность моторчика. Докручивать резкость можно, но опять же инерция моторчика через редуктор не дает это сделать сразу точно и усилия требует большого. Автофокус на длинном конце при недостатке света задумывается иногда надолго. Репортаж снимать им к сожалению трудно оказалось. Сейчас поеду пытаться сдать его назад. Основная причина — мыло в правой четверти кадра. Видимо экземпляр такой. Всё таки буду брать никон. Хочу ултразвуковой мотор.
Ну а почему гиперзум — так когда работаешь сразу и с видео и фото ( работник пресс-службы это чел оркестр ) перетык объективов чреват их моментальным убийством. Ну а наезды на маркетологов по поводу гиперзумов мне напоминают войну плёночников и цифирщиков в недавнем прошлом. Видео давно и навсегда во власти гиперзумов. Кто нибудь может представить себе репортажника-телеоператора перетыкающего объективы на ходу. Только в страшном сне. И попробуйте на фуджиноне найти какой нибудь изъян картинки на широком или длинном концах при его Х20. Короче — объектив неплохой, но любительский (даже не полупрофи, как пишут про никон ). Стаб- супер. Но надо тщательно проверять при покупке и желательно не по маленькому экранчику камеры.
Автор реплики: vidik-fotik
На счет терминатора, то место занято одним крутым свадебным фотографом. Снялl часики с рук на 270мм . Спина к стенке , не дышать. Будуна у меня в жизни небыло, но 2 последующие попытки оказались менее удачными.
Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO Development
Tamron’s engineers faced the even more formidable challenge of finding solutions for the problem of “handheld camera shake” while expanding the telephoto range even further and have eventually developed the AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC. This lens has attained the maximum zoom power of 15X for the first time in the world, namely as a zoom lens exclusively designed for digital SLR cameras. It enables the user to cover an extremely wide angle-of-view range equivalent to a 28mm-419mm lens in the 35mm format. In addition, the lens is equipped with Tamron’s original and exclusive VC mechanism that effectively compensates for “handheld shake”, which would otherwise become visible as un-sharpness or blur in images shot handheld. Moreover this system is effective over the extremely wide focal length range of this extended ultra telephoto lens and Tamron’s VC mechanism provides maximum compensation performance at all focal lengths. The VC system enables the user to enjoy the full benefits of ultra-tele photography comfortably and provides amazingly stabilized viewfinder images as well. In short, this unique VC image stabilization system delivers the maximum potential built into the world’s longest-ratio zoom lens—15X.
Tamron was able achieve all these remarkable accomplishments thanks to its advanced optical/mechanical design technologies and production know-how accumulated over 16 years as the pioneer in high power zoom lens design, and its commitment to ongoing research and development. Even more important, in combining an amazingly high zoom ratio along with the VC function Tamron has maintained a high priority on its traditional goals of lightness and compactness. As a result the new Tamron AF18-270mm Di II VC delivers all the functionality and performance you expect from the latest Tamron ultra high power zoom, a lens that exemplifies our time-honored concept of “One great lens covering everything from wide angle to telephoto”.
Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Specifications
| Model Name | B003 |
| Focal Length | 18 — 270mm |
| Maximum Aperture | F/3.5-6.3 |
| Angle of View | 75°33′ (equivalent angles of view when converted to 35mm) |
| Lens Construction | 18 elements in 13 groups |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 0.49m/19.3″ (over the entire zoom range) |
| Maximum Mag. Ratio | 1 : 3.5 (at f=270mm and 0.49m MDF) |
| Filter Diameter | 72mm |
| Overall Length | 101.0mm/3.8in |
| Maximum Diameter | 79.6mm |
| Weight | 550g |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 blades |
| Minimum Aperture | F/22 |
| Standard Accessory | Flower-shaped lens hood |
| Compatible Mount | For Canon, Nikon with Built-In Motor |
Here’s what Tamron have to say about the lens in their press release:
Reasons to Buy Tamron AF 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF MACRO Lens
Here we’ve included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Tamron AF 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF MACRO lens in a list form to help you determine whether it offers the features you need.
PROs
| Optical Image Stabilization |
| Autofocus |
| Distance Scale |
| Hood supplied |
| Zoom Lock |
| Versatile Lens with a Zoom Ratio of 15x |
Report a correction
Buy Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD from or B&H PHOTO
CONs
| No Weather Sealing |
| Lens Extents while zooming |
| Slow Aperture at Tele end |
| Variable Aperture |
Lens Mount
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD is compatible with cameras that have a Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (DX) lenses are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600.
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD is also available in Canon EF mount.
Size, Weight and Filter Thread
Size and weight is a very important decision factor when searching for your next lens. Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a maximum diameter of 80mm and total length of 101mm when not extended. It weighs 560g / 19.8 oz.
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a filter thread of 72mm. Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD:
Optical Image Stabilization
The Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD features an optical image stabilization system which helps to reduce the blur that occurs due to shaking during hand-held shooting.
Zoom Method
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD features Rotary (extending) zoom method where the length of the lens changes as you zoom in or out. This makes it possible to design the lens with a smaller minimum length ( generally when it is zoomed out) compared to internal zoom lenses. The disadvantages of this design are being harder to seal against dust and moisture, weight balance shifting while zooming and zoom creep in certain lenses.
Zoom Lock
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a Zoom lock feature which eliminates Zoom creep where focal length of the lens changes with gravity when it’s held downwards or upwards.
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.29x and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.49m. For a non-macro lens, the 0.29x is considered a high magnification and will come handy for close-up shots.
Below are the 3 Super Telephoto Zoom type Nikon F mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios:
- Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 VC: 0.34x — (Compare)
- Tamron 16-300mm f3.5-6.3 II VC PZD: 0.34x — (Compare)
- Sigma 18-300 F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM: 0.33x — (Compare)
Aperture
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD is a variable aperture lens with a max aperture of f3.5 and a minimum aperture of f22 at 18mm, and a max aperture of f6.3 and minimum aperture of f40 at 270mm .
| Focal Length | Max Aperture | Min Aperture |
|---|---|---|
| 18mm | F3.5 | F22 |
| 270mm | F6.3 | F40 |
Optical Formula
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD’s optical formula consists of 18 elements in 13 groups . Following special elements are used in this design:
- 2 LD glass elements
- 3 aspherical elements
Lens Hood
Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD comes with a removable lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos. The model number of the hood is AB0003.
Popular Comparisons of Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD
Top Alternatives of Tamron AF 18-270mm f3.5-6.3 II VC LD Lens
| Model | Coverage | Weight | Focusing | Street Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tamron 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC Compare |
APS-C / DX | 400 g / 0.88 lb | AF | ||
|
Tamron 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Compare |
APS-C / DX | 450 g / 0.99 lb | AF | ||
|
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm F3.5-6.3G ED VR Compare |
APS-C / DX | 550 g / 1.21 lb | AF | ||
|
Sigma 18-300 F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Compare |
APS-C / DX | 585 g / 1.29 lb | AF | ||
|
Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR Compare |
APS-C / DX | 830 g / 1.83 lb | AF | ||
|
Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD Compare |
APS-C / DX | 710 g / 1.56 lb | AF | ||
|
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Compare |
APS-C / DX | 470 g / 1.03 lb | AF | ||
|
Tamron 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro Compare |
APS-C / DX | 540 g / 1.19 lb | AF |
Overall conclusion
The Tamron 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD is a compact and lightweight superzoom that manages to fit a huge zoom range into a compact, lightweight package. Throw in its quiet PZD autofocus and optical image stabilization, and it’s a very versatile little lens that’s well worth considering if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution.
Optically, the 18-270mm PZD is somewhat uneven — it’s impressively sharp at wideangle, but very much less so at telephoto. Chromatic aberration is very visible at the telephoto end, and fairly strong at wideangle too, giving visually-intrusive green/magenta fringing towards the corners of the frame. Typically for an SLR superzoom, distortion is also very pronounced at almost all focal lengths. It’s of the barrel-type at wideangle, turning to pincushion across the rest of the range (and strongest around 50mm).
Autofocus is near-silent, but on the Canon-mount version we tested not especially fast — this is one area where it lags behind similar lenses from Sigma, Nikon or Canon. But the PZD motor is at least faster than the sometimes painfully-slow micromotor used in the older Tamron AF 18-270mm F/3.5-5.6 Di II VC. The image stabilization system works quite well too, although we’ve found it to be slightly less effective than its predecessor’s, it’s still good for letting you use shutter speeds a couple of stops slower than you’d otherwise be able to hand-hold without blur.
In terms of build, the Tamron is perhaps best described as functional, with its relatively lightweight plastic barrel. The zoom control is a little uneven, and manual focus slightly loose, but neither has a huge impact on normal shooting. The overall impression is of a lens that’s been made to a price, but quite sensibly so
Compared to its main competitor, the recently-released Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-5.6 DC Macro OS HSM, the Tamron performs pretty creditably. The Sigma is noticeably sharper at telephoto, but softer at wideangle — it’s also quicker to focus, and we found its image stabilization to be a bit more effective too. The Tamron offers slightly longer telephoto range, of course, but the Sigma is better for close-up shooting. All things being equal we’d favour the Sigma, but everything depends on the relative prices (which vary considerably depending on where you live).
The Final Word
The Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.6 Di II VC PZD is a decent-enough option if you’re interested in buying a lightweight, long range general-purpose lens. It won’t gave the same image quality as two separate lenses covering the same range, but then again it’s less to carry around, and you won’t miss shots changing lenses. It’s not the quickest in the world to focus though, so not the best choice if you frequently want to shoot moving subjects.
|
Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Category: Superzoom Lens |
|
Optical Quality Build Quality Autofocus Image Stabilization Ergonomics and Handling Value |
PoorExcellent |
|||
|
Conclusion The Tamron 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD is a perfectly competent superzoom that squeezes a huge focal length range into a compact package. Autofocus is slower than its competitors, however, and image quality is weak at the telephoto end. |
||||
|
||||
|
Recommended links
- Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD on DxoMark
- Tamron AF 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Review
- Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR review
- Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Review
- Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Review
- Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS review
Samples Gallery
There are 32 images in the samples gallery. Please do
not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter / magazine
without prior permission (see our copyright
page). We make the originals available for private users to download
to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction
with this review), we do so in good faith, please don’t abuse it.
Unless otherwise noted images taken with no particular
settings at full resolution. Because our review images are now hosted on the ‘galleries’ section of dpreview.com, you can enjoy all of the new galleries functionality when browsing these samples.
Тема:
Ресурс: Клуб Foto.ru
Форум: Форум сообщества TAMRON party
Автор реплики: Юрий Трубников
Есть стойкое мнение, что Тамрон — мировой чемпион по длине названий своих объективов. Давайте попытаемся разобраться в системе обозначений объективов!
Если в обозначении есть:
Di — digitally integrated — объектив корнями из пленочной эры, на полный кадр, но с мультипросветлением для цифровых камер.
Di II — объектив разработан под кроп и только под кроп.
SP-Super Performance — объектив принадлежит к топовой, профессиональной линейке тамроновской оптики.
IF — внутренняя фокусировка.
VC — vibration compensation — объектив имеет внутреннюю систему оптической стабилизации.
USD — Ultrasonic Silent Drive — встроенный ультразвуковой привод/мотор.
ZL — zoom lock — замок/блокировка зуммирования.
Буквы, относящиеся к оптике:
LD — Low Dispersion- низкодисперсионное стекло.
XLD — Extra Low Dispersion — сверхнизкодисперсионное стекло
XR — Extra Refractive Index — стекло со сверхвысоким показателем преломления.
AD — Anomalous Dispersion — стекло с аномальной дисперсией.
LAH — LD+ASL(асферика) — комбинированный(гибридный) оптический элемент.
ADH — AD+ASL -комбинированный оптический элемент.
HID — High Index, High Dispersion — стекло с высоким индексом и высокой дисперсией
Принимая во внимание эти обозначения, можем расшифровать название, например, такого объектива: AF18–270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) Macro — Автофокусный объектив с диапазоном зуммирования от 18 до 270мм, с переменным относительным отверстием 3,5-6,3, для кропнутых камер, с оптическим стабилизатором, имеющий линзы из низкодисперсного стекла и асферические линзы, с внутренней фокусировкой и имеющий макродиапазон фокусировки. Уф-ф..
Samples Gallery
There are 30 images in the samples gallery. All pictures are shot in RAW and processed using Adobe Camera RAW to bypass the test cameras’ automatic chromatic aberration correction in JPEG. Please do
not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter / magazine
without prior permission (see our copyright
page). We make the originals available for private users to download
to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction
with this review), we do so in good faith, please don’t abuse it.
Unless otherwise noted images taken with no particular
settings at full resolution. A reduced size image (within 1024 x 1024
bounds) is provided to be more easily viewed in your browser. As always
the original untouched image is available by clicking on this reduced
image.
Overall conclusion
First things first; the AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO undoubtedly represents an impressive feat of optical engineering, and Tamron has to be applauded for producing a superzoom that has significantly longer telephoto reach than its direct competitors without further compromising image quality. That’s not to say the lens is in any way perfect, indeed it has much the same optical problems as the other superzooms we’ve tested. At wideangle it shows chromatic aberration and barrel distortion (our test sample also exhibited one distinctly soft corner at wider apertures). In the middle of the zoom range the lens is unexpectedly sharp and shows essentially no chromatic aberration, but suffers from rather high levels of pincushion distortion. And towards the telephoto end, the lens is somewhat soft and shows relatively high levels of chromatic aberration, especially at 270mm (although distortion is low). But overall Tamron has managed to tread a commendably fine line in balancing the various aberrations without letting any of them become too extreme.
The ‘Vibration Control’ optical image stabilisation system is absolutely essential on this lens, with its extreme telephoto range and slow maximum aperture. Reassuringly it works very well, and belies Tamron’s relative lack of experience in this area. It may not have tested quite as well as Canon’s 18-200mm IS, but the difference isn’t great and is unlikely to result in many more missed shots in actual use. The lens is also impressively compact; despite the extra telephoto range, it’s little different in size and weight to competing 18-200mm lenses. On paper at least, this therefore makes the 18-270mm VC a compelling choice for users looking to buy an all-in-one lens; after all if you’re going to buy a superzoom, why not go the whole hog and buy the one with the longest reach?
However life’s rarely that straightforward, and the 18-270mm demonstrates why the lens that tests sharpest in the lab may not always be the best choice for everyone. Its Achilles’ Heel lies in the autofocus, which (not for the first time) is simply much slower than its rivals from Canon or Nikon. To be fair it’s perfectly adequate for casual users shooting everyday static (or relatively slow-moving) subjects, but the moment life speeds up the lens is left behind struggling. This means that the Tamron is not the best choice for any subject that requires continuous autofocus such as sports, despite its added reach making it superficially attractive for such applications (the slow maximum aperture at the long end won’t help either). Aside from that it has few vices, perhaps the most notable being its propensity to suffer from zoom creep (more of an irritation than a show-stopper).
These minor niggles aside, we were overall quite impressed by the Tamron 18-270mm. Where it’s good, it’s actually very good indeed, and even where it’s weak it’s not too far behind the competition. And that remarkable zoom range is a draw in itself; this is a lens which will have you shooting the same subject from the same position at both 18mm and 270mm, just to see how it looks. If you often find yourself shooting things which move then this may not be the ideal choice, but if you’re willing to put up with its somewhat sluggish focusing it’s a remarkably rewarding lens for the money.
| Detail |
Rating (out of 10)Nikon F Mount |
| Build quality | 7.5 |
| Ergonomics & handling | 8.0 |
| Features | 9.0 |
| Image quality | 7.5 |
| Value | 7.0 |
Recommended