Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras

  • Price: $439.00
  • Mail In Rebate -$25.00 (see details)
    offer ends APR 30 '12
  • Price after Rebate: $414.00
  • B&H # TA175028MAF
  • Mfr# AF016M700

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The Tamron SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] is a lightweight, compact, fast standard zoom lens designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras. The focal length of this lens is equivalent to approx. 26-78mm in 35mm format.

This lens offers an f/2.8 maximum aperture throughout the entire zoom range, to ensure stress-free photographic shots at all focal lengths and distances. Additionally, a broader photographic expression through the use of faster shutter speeds as a result of the maximum aperture offers enhanced photographic pleasure.

Note! Di-II lenses cannot be used with digital SLR cameras using image sensors that are larger than that of an APS-C size imager, or with 35mm film SLR cameras.

Optimized for Digital SLR
The use of XR (Extra Refractive Index) glass optimizes the overall distribution of optical power, and also reduces various aberrations to the absolute minimum while achieving remarkable compactness. In addition, suitable positioning of two hybrid aspherical elements serves to maintain imaging performance and to shorten and compress the entire optical system.
LD Glass
An LD (Low Dispersion) glass element is used to accomplish effective compensation of on-axis and lateral chromatic aberrations, a critical factor for enhancing optical quality in digital photography, in order to achieve outstanding optical performance over the entire zoom range.
Enhanced Peripheral Illumination
Peripheral light fall-off is minimized when compared with that of conventional lenses for film cameras, so images are uniformly bright from the center to the periphery.
Internal Surface Coating to Reduce Ghosting and Flare
By employing "Internal Surface Coatings" (i.e., multiple-layer coatings on cemented surfaces of plural elements) and multiple-layer coating technology on ordinary elements, ghosting and flare due to the reflections that occur when light enters through the front element and reflections caused by the imagers themselves are reduced to the absolute minimum.
Zoom Lock Mechanism
The Zoom Lock prevents unwanted barrel extension when carrying the lens/camera combination.
Performance
Focal Length 17 - 50 mm
Aperture Maximum: f/2.8
Minimum: f/32
Camera Mount Type Sony Alpha, Minolta AF
Format Compatibility DSLR (APS-C Sensor)
Angle of View 78° - 31°
Minimum Focus Distance 10.63" (27 cm)
Magnification 0.22x
Maximum Reproduction Ratio 1:4.5
Groups/Elements 13/16
Diaphragm Blades 7
Features
Image Stabilization No
Autofocus Yes
Tripod Collar No
Physical
Filter Thread 67 mm
Dimensions (DxL) Approx. 2.9 x 3.2" (7.37 x 8.13 cm)
Weight 15.17 oz (430 g)

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras
 
4.6

(based on 59 reviews)

Ratings Distribution

  • 5 Stars

     

    (35)

  • 4 Stars

     

    (22)

  • 3 Stars

     

    (2)

  • 2 Stars

     

    (0)

  • 1 Stars

     

    (0)

98%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Fast / accurate auto-focus (58)
  • Consistent output (40)
  • Easily interchangeable (27)
  • Durable (23)
  • Lightweight (23)

Cons

  • Heavy (4)

Best Uses

  • Landscape/scenery (27)
  • General purpose (24)
  • Low light (20)
  • Night photography (20)
  • Portraits (16)
    • Reviewer Profile:
    • Photo enthusiast (20), Enthusiast (18), Semi-pro photographer (9), Semi-professional (5), Casual photographer (3)
    • Was this a gift?:
    • No (18), Yes (3)

Most Liked Positive Review

 

Indispensable zoom at a great value!

I bought this to replace the kit lens on my Sony Alpha a700. The wide end is a modest upgrade but the speed is where this lens becomes irreplaceable. Low light, indoors and hand-held...Read complete review

I bought this to replace the kit lens on my Sony Alpha a700. The wide end is a modest upgrade but the speed is where this lens becomes irreplaceable. Low light, indoors and hand-held night shots are not a problem. The trade off is the range, of course, which makes it a very limited walk-around lens for daylight, but it remains an excellent lens for indoors, weddings, receptions, landscapes or street shooting.

Build, though plastic, feels reassuring and tough. Zoom and focus rings feel positive with just-right resistance. There is some sight focus noise but it hardly matters because it locks focus every time, even at outlying focus points. There is a zoom-lock at 17mm which is very useful for removal and storage.

It is sharp at center in every setting but with noticeable corner softness at wide angle and wide aperture. This sharpens up quickly when stopped down, giving consistent corner-to-corner sharpness from f/5.6 to f/13. Want 100% views of razor-sharp tulle in the very corner of the frame at f/5.6? I got 'em.

Aberrations are controlled admirably in all but the most difficult situations. Chromatic aberration will be noticeable without 200% view only in high-contrast torture-tests, such as distant leaves against a bright overcast sky.

There is no pincushion and only a tiny amount of barrel distortion at wide angle. I tested it side by side with all of Sony's standard zooms and found it the best performer in this regard.

Bottom line: there might be one or two better lenses out there for cropped sensors, but absolutely none that come near this value.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

 

Almost Perfect

I've only had this lens for a short time, but this is what I've noticed thus far.
The image quality is very sharp. At f/2.8 though, you can expect some softness ar...Read complete review

I've only had this lens for a short time, but this is what I've noticed thus far.
The image quality is very sharp. At f/2.8 though, you can expect some softness around the edges.
Auto focus speed is average, and I have noticed some issues with it being slightly off. I'm looking into whether this is an issue with the lens or my camera.
The bokeh (the blurry bits) is creamy making this good for portraits. Given the focal length range and the constant f/2.8, this would be a perfect portrait lens if it had a high speed focus. As it is, it's only "above average."

Reviewed by 59 customers

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5.0

Excellent lens at a good price.

By Pete S

from Tavares, FL

About Me Photo Enthusiast

Verified Buyer

Pros

  • Consistent Output
  • Easily Interchangeable
  • Fast / accurate auto-focus

Cons

    Best Uses

    • Landscape/Scenery
    • Weddings/Events

    Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

    It's nice to find a product that delivers and is not terribly expensive. I had one of these lenses a few years ago on a Nikon D100 and that one was good also. Tamron seems to have a winner here. This one was bought for a Sony SLT-A35. IQ is excellent.

    • Was this a gift?:
    • No

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    5.0

    Amazing lens

    By piperbret

    from Indianapolis

    About Me Photo Enthusiast

    Verified Buyer

    Pros

    • Consistent Output
    • Durable
    • Fast / accurate auto-focus
    • Lightweight
    • Nice Bokeh

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Indoors/Low Light
      • Landscape/Scenery

      Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

      I needed a "carry around" lens that was sharp but not as costly as a Zeiss. I was skeptical about the Tamron since I read that their quality control was not very good. Boy was I surprised. I use this lens on my Sony A700 DSLR and the pictures have great color and are very sharp!!! I couldn't believe I would ever get this kind of image quality from a [$] lens. I have read where others have complained about focus speed. I can tell you this is just as fast if not faster than the kit lens. Also, the focus "noise" is equal to or less than the kit lens!I highly recommend!!!

      • Was this a gift?:
      • Yes

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      4.0

      Solid performer

      By Nick

      from San Francisco, CA

      About Me Photo Enthusiast

      Verified Buyer

      Pros

      • Aperture
      • Sharpness

      Cons

      • Zoom less smooth

      Best Uses

        Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

        This lens is noticeably sharper than the kit lens that came with my Sony a35, and having a f2.8 aperture at all focal lengths is a big benefit in low light. My only complaint is that it requires somewhat more effort to zoom in/out.

        Share this review

         
        5.0

        I Highly Recommend This Lens!

        By Just Mike

        from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

        About Me Photo Enthusiast

        See all my reviews

        Verified Buyer

        Pros

        • Consistent Output
        • Durable
        • Fast / accurate auto-focus
        • Nice Bokeh
        • Strong Construction

        Cons

          Best Uses

          • Group Photos
          • Indoors/Low Light
          • Landscape/Scenery
          • Night Photography
          • Portraits
          • Weddings/Events

          Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

          The build quality & performance of the Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 DiII is exceptional for the price... it's not a thousand-dollar lens, but it could easily be mistaken for one.

          My only regret with this lens is that I didn't buy it sooner. If you made the mistake of buying your DSLR with a kit lens (as I did) instead of body-only, you will want to throw away or give away the kit lens after you use this one (I went with "give away").

          The zoom ring is large enough to get a good hold on and turns very smoothly. The focus ring is large enough to use easily when you need it, but well-positioned at the end of the lens & narrow enough that it never gets in the way when you're using AF. Which brings me to Auto-Focus: this surprisingly sharp lens has fast, accurate Auto-Focus - I recently used it to photograph children actively at play at a kid's birthday party (with inflatables & whatnot); I never missed a shot and the focus was spot-on every time. I also find it extremely useful to have a consistent large aperture through the entire zoom range.

          I don't do a whole lot of long telephoto shooting, so this lens is just about as close to perfect as I think I'll ever get for an all-the-time walk-around lens; combined with my Tamron SP AF 60mm f/2 DiII Macro (a fantastic lens, itself - great for portraits & super-sharp macro) I've got 98% of my lens needs covered with just two lenses.

          Thank you, Tamron!!!

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          (0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

           
          4.0

          best combo with 580

          By rajvideo

          from new york

          About Me Semi-pro Photographer

          Verified Reviewer

          Pros

          • Consistent Output
          • Durable
          • Fast / accurate auto-focus
          • Nice Bokeh

          Cons

          • Weak Casing

          Best Uses

          • Indoors/Low Light

          Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

          read allfish review for all the detail but i would like to tell some other interesting thing.
          i did photo shoot along with other photo guy who has markII,bride picked most of my pictures,because she said my photo color and sharpness were better than markII.

          only con is that build quality bad,my lens blade blocked at half way and i had to send it to tamron.

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          • No

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          4.0

          Very good lens for money

          By allfish

          from Chicago area

          About Me Photo Enthusiast

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Consistent Output
          • Durable
          • Easily Interchangeable
          • Fast / accurate auto-focus
          • Rugged
          • Strong Construction

          Cons

          • Heavy

          Best Uses

          • Landscape/Scenery

          Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

          Bought this lens to to replace the kit lens (DT18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM)that came with my Sony A580 dslr. Was not real happy with the color or the focus of the kit lens, and especially the exposure which was always on the dark side. The color was also on the dark side. Had to set my camera to +.3ev to compensate. Then when changed to another lens, had to change back to 0.0ev. A real pain. 1st thing I had to do in Camera Raw was increase the exposure even with the +.3ev.
          The Tamron gives much better color, what my eye sees. And the exposure is correct. So right there 2 items much better than the Sony kit lens. The lens also a little better focus for sharpness. Did an experiment between the 2 lens. Set camera to Program auto. Took 4 pictures changing back/forth between the lens, same distance, same subject, same focus point, same location, same everything expect which lens on the camera to take the picture. Objects from 5-20 feet from camera, bright sun. Below how the camera changed the settings for each lens for each picture.
          T=Tamron S=Sony

          T 1/400 F6.3 S 1/400 F9
          T 1/640 F6.3 S 1/640 F9
          T 1/640 F6.3 S 1/500 F10
          T 1/250 F5.6 S 1/125 F11

          As a result of the Sony lens always a smaller apeture hole, the picture not only darker, but more of the picture in focus. I like my subject to be the most focused, and the other stuff a little blurry. So again, the Tamron lens ahead. The only negative of the Tamron to the Sony is that the weight is about 15+ oz compared to the Sony almost 8 oz. So for a much better color picture, a faster lens, a more accurate exposure, and a little sharper focus, I do carry more weight. To me, a small price to pay for a much better lens. I would say you can save $100 by not buying the kit lens with your Sony camera, and use that $100 to help buy this much better Tamron lens to go on your new Sony dslr.

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          4.0

          Sharpness

          By Tammy boyy

          from Albany, NY

          About Me Photo Enthusiast

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Fast / accurate auto-focus
          • Lightweight

          Cons

          • Poor in Low Light

          Best Uses

          • Indoors/Low Light
          • Landscape/Scenery
          • Macro Photography
          • Weddings/Events

          Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

          One word: Razor

          For the price paid, the sharpness, and crispness of the product is well beyond the dollar-value. Obviously if you're looking for such a creamy bookeh, and want to spend a 1000 dollars more, you pay for what you get.

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          • No

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          5.0

          Perfect replacement for a Kit Lens!

          By Kalypso

          from North Alabama

          About Me Pro Photographer

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Consistent Output
          • Durable
          • Easily Interchangeable
          • Fast / accurate auto-focus
          • Rugged
          • Strong Construction

          Cons

            Best Uses

              Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

              Great Portrait and general walk-around Lens!
              Very crisp & clean images.
              Sturdy construction and quality build.
              Very slight noise on focus but faster than most.

              • Was this a gift?:
              • No

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              5.0

              Everything I Expected

              By Donner42

              from Waukesha, WI

              About Me Photo Enthusiast

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Consistent Output
              • Durable
              • Fast / accurate auto-focus
              • Rugged
              • Strong Construction

              Cons

              • NONE

              Best Uses

              • Indoors/Low Light
              • Landscape/Scenery
              • Macro Photography
              • Night Photography

              Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

              Upgraded from the "kit" lens on my alpha a580 and immediately appreciated the differences. faster speeds are great for photographing children. Short minimum focus has made macro photography even easier. Can't wait to take it on vacation next week. It's gonna be amazing for northwoods sunsets.

              • Was this a gift?:
              • No

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              4.0

              Love the lens

              By Zeiss lover

              from southern california

              About Me Semi-pro Photographer

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Consistent Output

              Cons

                Best Uses

                • Indoors/Low Light
                • Landscape/Scenery

                Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                I am giving this 4 stars but only because I it would be "nice" if the motor was silent but after having this a few weeks, it doesn't really matter. It's fast and sharp and I love having the 2.8 at all lengths. I use this on my Sony a55 and it fits like a glove. I wish Zeiss would make one just like it but they don't. Zeiss lens have magic genies ground into it that sees into shadow detail like no other lens on earth and worth the money. But, for a camera like the a55, this Tamron is the next best thing. You will not regret it buying this lens. It's also light enough to be completely comfortable with around your shoulder all day.

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                • No

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                5.0

                Worth the Money

                By BMO

                from O'Fallon, MO

                About Me Photo Enthusiast

                Verified Buyer

                Pros

                • Easily Interchangeable
                • Fast / accurate auto-focus
                • Strong Construction

                Cons

                  Best Uses

                  • Indoors/Low Light
                  • Landscape/Scenery
                  • Sports/Action

                  Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                  I take a lot of pictures, and by doing so I have been designated the family photographer. I have my Minolta 50/1.4 for portraits, but for general picture taking it is a little awkward on an APS-C. That is where this lens comes in. This is a great walk-around lens, and will spend most of its time ready to go on my camera. It could be a little longer, but I think that having the f2.8 is worth taking a couple steps toward the subject. I also have never had a lens with a zoom lock, but I can see what all the fuss is about. It is really nice for installing/removing the lens and for storage in my bag.

                  It is fast, sharp, has good colors and a good range. The build quality is good and it fits snuggly on my a500. It is quite a bit heavier than the kit lens so be prepared for that. The added weight does not bother me as I am a big guy. That said my wife is quite small and enjoys using the camera with this lens. I guess it is all personal preference.

                  I know that the most important thing is that the pictures look good, but I really like how much more professional it looks than the kit lens.

                  All in all I would highly recommend this lens to anyone.

                  • Was this a gift?:
                  • Yes

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                  (0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                   
                  4.0

                  very clear photos

                  By art

                  from Johnson City Tn

                  About Me Photo Enthusiast

                  Verified Buyer

                  Pros

                  • Fast / accurate auto-focus
                  • Lightweight

                  Cons

                  • NONE

                  Best Uses

                  • Indoors/Low Light
                  • Landscape/Scenery

                  Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                  The lens is very clear and great in low light

                  • Was this a gift?:
                  • No

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                  4.0

                  Very impressive for the $$

                  By toy

                  from Natick, MA

                  About Me Photo Enthusiast

                  Verified Buyer

                  Pros

                  • Consistent Output
                  • Constant aperture
                  • Easily Interchangeable
                  • Lightweight

                  Cons

                  • A little soft wide open

                  Best Uses

                  • Indoors/Low Light
                  • Landscape/Scenery
                  • Wildlife Photos

                  Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                  Gives me a wide enough angle for inddor family pics and for some of my waterfall photos (when my 28-70 isn't wide enough). V good image quality in a light weight, compact, populary priced f2.8 lens.
                  Not the build quality of the more expensive lenses, but you can't >$1000 build for under $500.

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                  • No

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                  4.0

                  Started using right out of the box

                  By Glassman

                  from Hueytown,Al

                  About Me Casual Photographer

                  Verified Buyer

                  Pros

                  • Durable
                  • Fast / accurate auto-focus

                  Cons

                    Best Uses

                    • Landscape/Scenery

                    Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                    I received the lens on the day the tornado's hit Alabama. I went out the next day and snapped a lot of photos. The lens worked well all day and into the afternoon with the sun setting.

                    • Was this a gift?:
                    • No

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                    4.0

                    Very good lens

                    By Big K

                    from Trotwood Ohio

                    About Me Photo Enthusiast

                    Verified Buyer

                    Pros

                    • Consistent Output
                    • Easily Interchangeable
                    • Fast / accurate auto-focus
                    • Lightweight

                    Cons

                    • NONE

                    Best Uses

                    • Indoors/Low Light
                    • Landscape/Scenery
                    • Night Photography

                    Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                    Sharp in center at all apertures,soft at corners at 17mm-F2.8,at F4 sharp across the entire frame.

                    • Was this a gift?:
                    • No

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                    4.0

                    A good lens for the price

                    By SW

                    from Washington DC

                    About Me Photo Enthusiast

                    Verified Buyer

                    Pros

                    • Consistent Output
                    • Easily Interchangeable
                    • Fast / accurate auto-focus

                    Cons

                    • Plastic construction

                    Best Uses

                    • General Purpose

                    Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                    A good walking around lens. A very nice upgrade from my kit Sony one.

                    • Was this a gift?:
                    • No

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                    5.0

                    Great Lens for the price.

                    By Mike

                    from Forest City, NC

                    About Me Photo Enthusiast

                    Verified Buyer

                    Pros

                    • Easily Interchangeable
                    • Fast / accurate auto-focus
                    • Nice Bokeh

                    Cons

                      Best Uses

                      • Indoors/Low Light
                      • Landscape/Scenery
                      • Macro Photography

                      Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                      Just got this lens last week for Christmas. I wanted it mostly for shooting indoor shots such as birthday parties, get-togethers, etc... It was perfect for what I was looking for. It took great photos for our Christmas day get-together just as I was looking for. It also captured our "White Christmas" that we have not seen in our part of North Carolina in over 60 years. It helped capture the snowflakes falling because it is much faster than my kit lens. My only negative comment would be that I was surprised that it did not come with a case. I had previously purchased a Sigma 70-300 mm lens that was less expensive than this lens and it did come with a case.
                      Bottom line is I really like this lens and would recommend it and I am glad that this is the lens I chose.

                      • Was this a gift?:
                      • Yes

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                      4.0

                      Good Kit Replacement

                      By Toph3r

                      from Seattle, WA

                      About Me Casual Photographer

                      Verified Buyer

                      Pros

                        Cons

                          Best Uses

                          • Walkaround

                          Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                          This is an excellent Kit replacement lens. Pretty fast, sturdy, and well built. Very worth it for the money. It is my walkaround lens now.

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                          • No

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                          (0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                           
                          5.0

                          Wonderful lens for daily use

                          By T Warren

                          from Michigan

                          About Me Photo Enthusiast

                          Verified Buyer

                          Pros

                          • Consistent Output
                          • Durable
                          • Easily Interchangeable
                          • Fast / accurate auto-focus
                          • Lightweight
                          • Nice Bokeh

                          Cons

                          • Limited telephoto zoom

                          Best Uses

                          • Indoors/Low Light
                          • Landscape/Scenery
                          • Night Photography
                          • Sports/Action
                          • Video
                          • Weddings/Events

                          Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                          After using this lens on vacation at Disney World, I can honestly say that it surpasses my expectations. It is fast at 2.8 and performs well in low light. It generates a nice bokeh, and it is a bit more noticeable than my Sony 18-250/3.5-6.3 lens. Overall, I found that it is suitable for 70-80% of my needs. I only wanted the 18-250 lens when I was shooting wildlife at the "Animal Kingdom".I read reviews on both the Tamron, Sigma, and Sony/Zeiss versions for this type of lens. I have a Sony Alpha 55V (which I LOVE... every bit a fast at 10fps and versatile with real autofocusing HD video as I hoped it would be). The Sony cameras tend to soften things a bit more than Canon and Nikon. Tamron lenses tend to be a bit sharper on detail with less flare, but with more pincushion effect than Sigmas based on internet reviews. I chose the wide-angle zoom to pair its sharpness with the Sony engine as it tends to lose a bit of detail to control noise levels. The paring seems to work well.The lens was very fast for photos of birds flying by... froze them mid-flight without blur and with great detail. It also does video well in relatively low light. Tamron designed it to work well for video. Portraits were a snap.The downside on the lens is that pincushion effect (curving/angling of linear structures) is visible at wide angle. It might be unnoticable to others, but I was looking for it. It also takes a bit of force to turn the focus knob, but it has no lens creep. There is a focus lock to prevent creep as needed.This lens is a good product, an excellent value, and will probably be my go-to lens for 80% of my shooting. I will be adding a Tamron 70-200mm/2.8 to pair with this lens for sports/wildlife photography.PS - I tested Tamron 28-75/2.8 and Sony 28-75/2.8 lenses as well. The 17-50 is a better choice as the wide angle makes a huge difference. I didn't notice a practical loss of zoom from 50 vs. 75mm. And the Sony costs about [$]

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                          (3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

                           
                          4.0

                          Good lens, great pictures

                          By A. Nielsen

                          from Franklin Park, NJ

                          About Me Photo Enthusiast

                          Verified Buyer

                          Pros

                          • Easily Interchangeable
                          • Fast lens
                          • Lightweight

                          Cons

                          • Autofocus sometimes hunts
                          • Narrow Focus Ring
                          • Plastic barrel

                          Best Uses

                          • Indoors/Low Light
                          • Landscape/Scenery
                          • Sports/Action

                          Comments about Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras:

                          I purchased this lens because it is faster and provides better wide-angle coverage than my 24-105 f3.5-4.5 Minolta lens, as well as being less expensive than competitor's models. So far I have not been disappointed. It takes clear, sharp pictures, better than many of my Minolta lenses. The 17mm end (equivalent to about 27mm on my aps-c sensor) definitely gives me the wide-angle and faster lens capability that I needed. The lens cap design makes it easy to remove without having to remove the lens shade, something other cap manufacturers have not figured out. I have not noticed any problems with vignetting, chromatic aberration, or other distortion type problems. The only caveats I have found are that at times in full light when operating at wide-angle in close-focusing situations the lens/camera combination hunts for focus, which necessitates switching to manual. Another is that the focusing ring is narrow, although this does make it easier to differentiate it from the zoom ring and harder to grab in error when the autofocus is engaged; plus the ribbing is different between the two, further aiding the differentiation by touch. Finally, while the lens barrel is nicely finished and the adjustment rings provide a nice rubbery grip, it is plastic so it remains to be seen how well it holds up to hard use. I had not used a Tamron lens before, but after this experience I would definitely consider another.

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                          What's in the Box

                          Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Digital Cameras
                           
                           
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