Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8

Usage

Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VC G2. bigger.

VC MODE/1

This selects what kind of Image Stabilization you’re getting.

Mode 1, the top position, is the usual setting. It stabilizes your photos, as well as your viewfinder image.

Mode 2 is for panning.

Mode 3 offers even better picture stabilization than Mode 1, but it may make the viewfinder image look shakier because it’s optimizing itself to stabilize the captured image instead of also stabilizing the pre-exposure viewfinder image.

Use Mode 1, unless you don’t mind a shakier viewfinder image and aren’t getting the results you want in Mode 1. Mode 2 is only for panning.

VC / ON (OFF)

This activates or deactivates Image Stabilization.

Always leave it on (VC/ON), except if you are on a sturdy tripod (OFF).

AF (MF)

This selects auto (AF) or manual focus (MF).

Always leave it at AF, at which setting you can move the focus ring at any time for instant override.

Only set it to MF if you want to lock it in manual focus.

FULL / ∞-3m

This is a focus limiter that, in the ∞-3m setting, doesn’t let the lens focus any closer than 3 meters (10 feet).

Leave this at FULL, unless the lens is racking all the way in and out hunting for the subject, which you know is at least 3m/10′ away. I doubt you’ll ever need this, unless you’re shooting distant things through an obstruction.

Compatibility

Caution

No camera maker authorizes Tamron to make lenses for their cameras, and no camera maker authorizes you to use this lens on their cameras. If it doesn’t work, talk to Tamron, not to Nikon or Canon.

While it seems very compatible, there is always the potential that something won’t work on your camera, especially in the future as newer camera models come out.

No worries, so long as you get yours from an you can return it for a full cash refund if you don’t love it or it doesn’t work when you get your lens.

Canon

It should work flawlessly on every Canon DSLR and every Canon 35mm autofocus (EOS) camera ever made since 1987.

It should work on , but only if you use the EOS-M adapter.

Nikon

It should work perfectly on all FX Nikons, and should work well on DX Nikon models introduced since about 2007.

I tried it on my D3 that I bought back in 2007, and everything works great, as well as on my 2018 D850.

This Tamron 70-200 has a new  which won’t work on camera models introduced before about 2007.

It won’t work properly on older DSLRs or any ; they won’t be able to work with the electronic diaphragm and will only shoot wide-open. If you don’t mind shooting wide-open, go ahead and shoot it on older cameras if you like. Even on a 1959 Nikon F you can focus and zoom manually and shoot wide open.

It’s useless on my 2006 Nikon D40, which simply shows an Error.

I tried it on my 1990s Nikon F5, and it autofocuses and stabilizes just fine, but it only shoots at f/2.8.

On my 2005 D2HS autofocus and VR work fine, but it only shoots at f/2.8 regardless of how you set the camera, so often you’ll get overexposure unless you shoot in A or M mode and set f/2.8.

Autofocus, VR and the diaphragm don’t work on my 1980s Nikon F4. I’d have to focus manually, lose VR and have to shoot at f/2.8.

YES: As of January 2018,  should work only on the:

D5, D4, D4s, D3, D3s, D3P, D3x, Df, 

D850, D810, D800/e, D750, D700, D610, D600, 

D500, D300, D300s, 

D7000, D7100, D7200, D7500, 

D5600, D5500, D5300, D5200, D5100, D5000, 

D3400, D3300, D3200, D3100,

Nikon 1 J1, J2, J3, J4 with FT-1, Nikon 1 V1, V2, V3 with FT-1, and Nikon 1 S1, S2 with FT-1.

NO: lenses will not work on the 

D1 or D2 series,

D100, D200, D90, D80, D70 series, 

D60, D50, D40 series, or the D3000, and will not work on any . The diaphragm will stay wide-open, which may or may not be a problem for you. In the case of tele lenses this isn’t much of a problem because we usually shoot long lenses wide-open, in which case these lenses are compatible with everything.

This won’t work with any of the Pronea cameras either— but who cares?

See for more. Honestly half of Nikon’s current catalog of lenses won’t work on half their new cameras today, so I don’t know that this lens will have any more problems than any other Nikon lens. Just be sure to buy only from an so you’ll have the option of a 100% cash refund return if it just doesn’t work on your camera. Nikon isn’t Canon that takes one sentence to say «Compatible with everything since 1987;» Nikon is a patchwork of shame today when it comes to compatibility.

Sony

There is no Sony version. I have no idea how well using an adapter with the Canon version of this Tamron will work on Sony; you’re really asking for trouble.

For Sony, get any of the newest Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS, Sony 70-200mm f/4 G OSS or Sony FE 70-300mm G FE OSS lenses instead.

This is a DSLR lens, not a mirrorless lens.

Introduction

B&H Photo — Video — Pro Audio I buy only from . I can’t vouch for below.

This Image-Stabilized Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 is half the price of Canon or Nikon and works great. Feel free to read the rest of this review, but for all practical purposes this lens takes the same pictures as the Canon or Nikon lenses, with the gotcha that there are no lens profiles so you’ll have no option for automatic in-camera distortion correction, and on Canon only there will be no correction of lateral color fringes or corner falloff (Nikons correct lateral color and falloff with any lens, no profile needed).

Look at my ; they’re super-sharp. If an extra thousand dollars in your pocket matters to you, by all means consider this lens instead of the Canon or Nikon lens. What you lose isn’t so much picture quality as the potential for the camera you buy ten years from now not working with this lens, but if you’re considering this lens today you’re probably not worried about ten or twenty years from now. Even the reviews at Amazon love it.

Just grab the genuine mechanical focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.

This is a very nice lens, complete with internal zooming. Nothing moves externally as you zoom and you can flick the genuine mechanical focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.

Good

● Sharp.

● Half the price of Canon or Nikon’s similar lenses.

● Same optical performance as Canon’s or Nikon’s 70-200/2.8s.

● Fast and nearly silent autofocus.

● Great stabilization.

Missing

● No lens profiles for in-camera corrections. Nikons can correct any lens for lateral chromatic aberrations and falloff without a profile, but Canon can’t correct these without a profile. No camera can correct this lens’ distortion without a profile — and neither Canon nor Nikon are going to offer profiles for a Tamron lens.

Full-Frame VC G2 (2017-)

Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VC G2 (77mm filters, 52.1 oz./1,477g, 3.1’/0.95m close focus, about $1,299) bigger. I got my Nikon version at B&H. I’d also get the Nikon version at Adorama or at Amazon. There is a Canon version at B&H, which I’d also get at Adorama or at Amazon.

This all-content, junk-free websites biggest source of support is when you use those or any of when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Tamron does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on since you’ll have no way of knowing if you’re missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, , store demo or used lens. Get yours only from the for the best prices, service, return policies and selection. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

April 2018   Sony      Zeiss   Nikon   Canon   Fuji   LEICA   All Reviews

Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 FL VR FX (check price)

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D FX (check price)

Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II (check price)

Canon 100-400mm L IS II (check price)

Sample Images

All these images are from BASIC JPGs; no RAW files, NORMAL or FINE JPGs were used.

Boulevards, 13 April 2018, Friday. Nikon D850, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 G2 at 120mm at f/5.6 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 64, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution or camera-original file.

Sofie, 18 April 2018, Wednesday. Cropped from horizontal Nikon D850 file, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 G2 at 125mm at f/8 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 64, as shot. bigger or camera-original file.

Zoey, 18 April 2018, Wednesday. Cropped from horizontal Nikon D850 file, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 G2 at 200mm at f/8 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 64, as shot. bigger or camera-original file.

Getting a Legal USA Version

This section applies in the USA only.

In the USA, be sure the serial number on your lens (in tiny black-on-black numbers on the bottom of the zoom ring) matches the serial number on the top of the box and on the warranty papers inside the box, and be sure your box has this six-year USA hologram sticker:

Tamron USA hologram sticker. bigger.

If not, you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. This is why I never buy anyplace other than from my . You just can’t take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store, because non-USA versions have no warranty in the USA, and you won’t even be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you’re willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!

If a gray market version saves you $400 it may be worth it, but for $200 or less I wouldn’t risk having no warranty or support.

Always be sure to check your box while you can still return it, or just don’t buy from unapproved sources or at retail so you’ll be able to have your camera serviced and get free updated firmware as needed.

Get yours from the and you won’t have a problem, but if you take the risk of getting yours elsewhere, be sure to check everything while you still can return it.

Compared

NEW: Best 70-200mm f/2.8 Lenses Compared.

This Tamron is half the price, and optically just as good as the lenses from Canon and Nikon.

What you lose for paying only half as much is that this Tamron is built only to good consumer levels, while the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 FL VR FX and Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II are built to extraordinary professional standards with mostly metal barrels and metal filter threads. Nikon and Canon’s 70-200/2.8s are built to withstand a lifetime of full-time professional environmental and physical abuse, while this Tamron is designed for normal people who take care of their equipment.

Every non-camera-brand product has the potential to be, or become, incompatible with your camera. While it probably will be perfect with your camera today (and if it’s not and you get yours from an you can send it back for a 100% cash refund), there’s no telling if it will be compatible with whatever camera you might buy 10 years from now. I’m still using my Canon and Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 lenses that I bought back in the 1980s and 1990s with my newest digital cameras, but no one can be sure if this Tamron lens will work with cameras 10 years from now. While off-brand makers all smile and try to reassure you today that they’ll be around in the future to update lenses, experience has shown that these makers just walk away when it comes to trying to update 10 year old lenses.

Let’s be serious: The Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 FL VR FX costs $2,800 as I write this. That’s $1,500 more than this lens. You could buy this Tamron today, and if in ten years it stops working, buy another brand-new version from Tamron and still be way ahead.

Image Quality

I tested the Tamron SP 70-200mm with the 50MP Canon EOS 5DS R, the highest resolution full-frame SLR on the market. At 70mm f/2.8 it puts up top-end numbers, 3,557 lines per picture height on Imatest’s center-weighted sharpness test. Image quality is even from edge to edge.

There’s no significant change in resolution at f/4, but we do see some improvement at f/5.6 (3,890 lines) and f/8 (3,925 lines). Diffraction sets in at narrower apertures, reducing resolution at f/11 (3,649 lines) and f/16 (3,174 lines), but doesn’t become a real issue until f/22 (2,554 lines). That’s a little bit better than the 2,200 lines we want to see at a minimum from a high-resolution camera like the 5DS, but definitely not anywhere near what the lens is capable of at its best.

Image quality improves at 100mm. At f/2.8 the lens scores 3,737 lines, with improvement at f/4 (3,972 lines), f/5.6 (4,104 lines), and f/8 (4,017 lines). As expected, image quality starts to degrade as you stop down further—3,682 lines at f/11, 3,205 lines at f/16, and 2,588 lines at f/22.

Performance remains strong at 135mm. At f/2.8 we see 3,488 lines, which improves steadily as you stop down—3,786 lines at f/4, 3,998 lines at f/5.6, and 4,023 lines at f/8. There’s a slight drop at f/11 (3,770 lines), and a more noticeable one at f/16 (3,281 lines) and f/22 (2,592 lines).

Image quality takes a noticeable hit at 200mm. At f/2.8 the score drops to 2,842 lines. That’s still very good, but it’s not as exceptional as wider angles. There’s an unexpected falloff in clarity at f/4 (2,555 lines)—we ran two separate tests to confirm this wasn’t an issue with focus—and the lens is back up toward its f/2.8 score at f/5.6 (2,739 lines). You get the sharpest photos at f/8 (3,286 lines), and both f/11 (3,470 lines) and f/16 (3,142 lines) net crisper photos than shooting wide open. Of course, stopping down this far limits your ability to shoot in dim conditions and also reduces the amount of background blur in photos. At f/22 the score is in the expected range, 2,525 lines.

There is some distortion. At 70mm we see 1.4 percent barrel distortion, which gives straight lines the appearance of an outward curve. At 100mm and 135mm distortion is a nonissue, but we see 1.1 percent pincushion distortion at 200mm, which gives lines a slight inward curve.

Where distortion is fairly modest, corner dimness is pronounced, giving images shot at f/2.8 and f/4 a noticeable dark vignette. The corners lag behind the center in brightness by about 3 stops (-3EV) when shooting at f/2.8 throughout the zoom range, and the edges are also noticeably dimmer, -1.5EV. Stopping down to f/4 brightens corners, but they are still about -1.5EV dimmer than the center. There’s still a little bit of a vignette effect at f/5.6 (-1.2EV), but it’s gone at f/8 and narrower settings.

Raw photographers are used to using Lightroom CC or similar software to correct distortion and remove an unwanted vignette. But JPG shooters who use first-party glass can simply enable in-camera corrections to compensate for both automatically. If you typically just share out-of-camera JPG shots, you may have some issue with the dimmed corners.

In field testing, I noticed that the lens has a tendency to flare quite noticeably when shooting toward the sun. You can see the effect at its strongest in the above image. I tried several different focal lengths and aperture settings, and got similar flare whenever I pointed the lens at the sky. The Nikon 70-200mm does a much better job controlling the effect. Of course, you may like the look, especially if you’re a fan of shooting backlit portraits; it’s a personal preference.

Design

The 70-200mm ($1,299.00 at Amazon) doesn’t deviate in size or shape from other takes on the design. It measures 7.6 by 3.5 inches (HD), weighs 3.3 pounds, and supports 77mm front filters. The lens features an internal zoom design, so it doesn’t change length when zooming.

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A long lens changes the center of gravity of your camera system, so there’s an integrated, rotating tripod collar near the 70-200mm’s base—you’ll want to use its tripod thread when mounting to a support system in order to better distribute the weight of camera and lens. The tripod foot is compatible with the Arca-Swiss quick release system.

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The lens is finished in black, with a sturdy metal barrel. It’s sealed against dust and moisture, making it an ideal match for pro-grade cameras. The front element features a fluorine coating, which repels moisture and oils—it makes it easy to clean off an inadvertent thumbprint, and makes it more practical to use the lens in the rain. A hood is included; it’s reversible for storage. Tamron sells the 70-200mm for Canon and Nikon SLRs.

There are a few control switches, all located about mid barrel. A focus limiter can be set to allow autofocus across the entire range, or only from 10 feet (3 meters) to infinity. The AF/MF switch changes the focus mode, and there are two switches to set the Vibration Compensation (VC) system. One simply turns it on or off, and a second sets it to mode 1, 2, or 3. Mode 1 should be used for most situations, while Mode 2 is ideal for shots when you’re panning the camera left or right to track a moving subject. Mode 3 offers the most extreme compensation—Tamron claims it’s good for 5 stops—but only activates the system when an image is captured, which can make the image in the viewfinder appear a bit shaky when framing a shot, and can slightly alter your framing.

In Mode 1 I was able to get crisp handheld shots when seated and bracing myself at speeds as low as 1/6-second, but could only manage the same quality when standing at speeds of 1/30-second or shorter. Switching to Mode 3 didn’t net better results when I was bracing myself, and I actually felt the lack of in-viewfinder stabilization was a detriment. But when standing on two feet, I netted about an extra stop of compensation, getting consistently solid results at 1/15-second. You’ll probably want to leave the VC system in Mode 1 or 2 most of the time, but it’s good to know that Mode 3 is there when you need it.

Leaving the switches in place can be an issue, though. They’re the same design used by the Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 ($1,299.00 at Amazon) . The toggles are wide and comfortably adjusted, but they jut out from the lens barrel to the point where they’ll move if the lens brushes up against your body, or if they snag on a divider when putting the lens in or taking it out of your bag. Some gaffer tape may be in order if you’re working a wedding and don’t want to accidentally switch out of your preferred mode.

Two big rings control focus and zoom. Both are covered in ribbed rubber, which makes them comfortable to turn. The zoom ring sits right behind the front element and is marked at 70, 100, 135, and 200mm. The focus ring is just behind it, next to a cutout window that shows the set focus distance in feet and meters.

The lens focuses as close as 3.1 feet (0.95-meter). At 200mm it has a 1:6.1 reproduction rate, projecting subjects at about one-sixth life-size (0.16x) at the closest working distance. It’s not quite as big of an enlargement as Nikon’s latest pricey 70-200mm, the AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR ($2,346.95 at Amazon) , which captures images at 1:4.8 life-size, or the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM, which is in the same ballpark as the Nikon at 1:5.

There are a pair of teleconverters available from Tamron that have been designed to deliver strong results with this lens. The TC-X14 (1.4x) and TC-X20 (2x) feature an aesthetic design that matches the zoom, and are also sealed against dust and moisture. I tested the lens with the 1.4x, which narrows the aperture to f/4 and changes its focal length to 98-280mm, and found that image quality remained quite strong. And since the lens is still an f/4 zoom, autofocus systems work just as well as without a teleconverter. If you opt for the 2x converter, the maximum aperture drops to f/5.6 and the lens becomes a 140-400mm zoom, an attractive focal range for nature photographers.

Specifications

Name

Tamron calls this the Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2:

    SP: Special Performance; Tamron has called most of their lenses this since at least the 1970s.

    Di: Works on digital cameras — so?

    VC: Vibration control (Image Stabilization).

    USD: Ultrasonic Silent Drive autofocus motor.

    G2: Tamron’s second 70-200/2.8 VC.

Also has:

    ∅77: 77mm filter thread.

Optics

23 elements in 17 groups.

5 LD Low Dispersion elements, which help reduce secondary axial chromatic aberration.

1 XLD Extra-Low Dispersion elements, which help reduce secondary axial chromatic aberration.

No aspherical elements.

No high refractive-index elements.

Fluorine coating to resist dirt and smudges.

Internal zoom; nothing moves externally as zoomed.

Nikon: FX and DX (digital cameras only).

Canon: Full-Frame, and APS-C.

Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VC G2. bigger.

9 rounded blades.

Stops down to f/22.

Focal Length

70~200mm.

When used on a Nikon DX camera, it sees the same angles of view as a 105~300mm lens sees when used on an FX or .

When used on a Canon APS-C camera, it sees the same angle of view as a 112~320mm lens sees when used on a full-frame or

See also Crop Factor.

APS-C

22.3º ～ 8º diagonal.

Internal focus.

No external movement as focused, so no air or dust is sucked in.

Tamron HA025 hood for 70-200mm. bigger.

Size

3.5″ maximum diameter × 7.5″ extension from flange.

88 mm maximum diameter × 191.3 mm extension from flange.

Canon

3.5″ maximum diameter × 7.6″ extension from flange.

88 mm maximum diameter × 198.3 mm extension from flange.

Weight

52.095 oz. (1,476.9g) actual measured weight, Nikon.

52.4 oz. (1,485 g) specified for Nikon.

52.9 oz. (1,500 g) specified for Canon.

Quality

Made in China («Designed in Japan»). bigger.

MADE IN CHINA.

Tamron shamefully hides MADE IN CHINA in little dark-gray letters while deceptively putting DESIGNED IN JAPAN in big white letters.

Canon: AFA025C-700.

Nikon: AFA025N-700.

$1,299, April 2018.

Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VC G2. bigger.

Introduction

The Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 is a second-generation telephoto zoom lens for Canon and Nikon full-frame DSLR cameras. This compact lens features a constant aperture of f/2.8 throughout the range, improved Vibration Compensation (VC) technology, a shorter minimum focus distance of 0.95m, an ultrasonic focus motor for quiet and fast AF operation, and a moisture-sealed construction. The optical formula comprises 23 lens elements in 17 groups, including one XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) glass and five LD (Low Dispersion) elements, and an iris diaphragm with nine rounded aperture blades. The Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 G2 lens officially retails for £1349.99 / $1299 in the UK and USA respectively.

Conclusions

For the money, the Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 is a really solid telezoom. It’s a tough lens that can be used in any sort of weather, and delivers images with superb sharpness through most of its range. There’s a drop in fidelity at 200mm, but images are still quite sharp there, and while we see some distortion at its widest and longest, it’s pretty modest. Dim corners are more of an issue, as is flare resistance—these concerns keep it from earning an Editors’ Choice recommendation.

But our top picks for 70-200mm lenses are significantly more expensive. You’ll pay $600 more for the Canon, and either $1,100 or $1,500 more for Nikon’s take, depending on which of the company’s two versions you choose. The Tamron SP is a better choice than the similarly priced Sigma APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM ($1,399.00 at Amazon) , which shows a much more significant drop in resolution at 200mm. If you’re shopping on a strict budget, you won’t be disappointed.

Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2

4.0

See It

$1,299.00 at Amazon

MSRP $1,299.00

Pros

• Excellent resolution through most of range.
• Optical stabilization system.
• Bright f/2.8 aperture.
• Sturdy build quality.
• Teleconverter compatibility.
• Integrated tripod collar.
• Available for Canon and Nikon cameras.
• Affordable.

View More

Cons

• Weak flare resistance.
• Dimmed corners.
• Sharpness drops off at 200mm.
• Toggle switches prone to inadvertent changes.

View More

The Bottom Line

The Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 costs much less than name-brand options. It’s built tough and delivers crisp images, but is prone to flare.

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