Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF
The Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro lens is a quality compact ultra tele zoom lens which covers the 70mm to 300mm telephoto range, with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2 at the tele end.
This lens delivers ultimate handling ease and portability in the field due to its lightweight size and mechanical operation. Best suited for shooting outdoors to make full use of the real telephoto of 300mm as well as providing diversity in portraiture using the medium focal length ranges of 70mm to 135mm.
Di (Digitally Integrated Design) is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to meet the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras.
- Di Design
- Digitally Integrated is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to meet the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras. By employing "Internal Surface Coatings" and multiple-layer coating technology on ordinary elements, ghosting and flare due to reflections that occur when light enters through the front element and reflections caused by the imagers themselves are reduced to the absolute minimum.
- Macro Effect of 1:2 in Telephoto Zoom Range
- Flipping a macro switch in the focal length range of 180mm to 300mm allows entry into the macro range, for photography as close as 37.4" (95 cm) from the subject. In the macro range, one can take advantage of the telephoto effect and a maximum magnification ratio up to 1:2. In addition, since the focal length in the macro range spans from 180mm to 300mm, zooming can also be used to adjust composition.
- LD Glass
- LD glass elements reduce various aberrations while minimizing the fall-off of light at the corners.
Go To
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 70 - 300 mm |
| Aperture |
Maximum: f/4 - 5.6 Minimum: f/32 |
| Camera Mount Type | Pentax K |
| Format Compatibility |
35mm Film / Full-Frame Digital Sensor Pentax Digital (APS-C) |
| Angle of View | 34° - 8° |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 4.92' (1.5 m) |
| Magnification | 0.5x |
| Maximum Reproduction Ratio | 1:2 |
| Groups/Elements | 9/13 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 |
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Image Stabilization | No |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Tripod Collar | No |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Filter Thread | 62 mm |
| Dimensions (DxL) | Approx. 3.0 x 4.6" (7.62 x 11.68 cm) |
| Weight | 15.34 oz (435 g) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 27 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
92%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Easily interchangeable (13)
- Consistent output (11)
- Durable (9)
- Fast / accurate auto-focus (8)
- Lightweight (8)
Cons
- Slow focus (5)
- Heavy (4)
Best Uses
- Landscape/scenery (9)
- Wildlife photos (8)
- Macro photography (7)
- Sports/action (7)
- Wildlife (4)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Enthusiast (5), Photo enthusiast (5), Casual photographer (4), Semi-pro photographer (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (6)
Most Liked Positive Review
Great Value Lens!
[...] This lens is plain neat for outdoors, especially against dark backgrounds. Color fringing is an issue in high contrast and bright background situations, but be controlled, worked around, or at...Read complete review
[...] This lens is plain neat for outdoors, especially against dark backgrounds. Color fringing is an issue in high contrast and bright background situations, but be controlled, worked around, or at least partially taken care of in software edits. I prefer this one by far over the Pentax DA 50-200mm, despite the occasional fringing, because it is so sharp.If anything, the fringes help to define the subject. It is probably a matter of taste, but I'll take a fringed but tack sharp picture over a mushy one any day!Despite the rotating front element I can hold and support the lens fairly well forward and with my K100d shake reduction it is completely usable for hand held shots fully zoomed in to 300mm.Hint: to switch back from macro to regular mode some have complained they have to unmount the lens. Instead, on my K100d I simply hold the lens release button with my right index finger and turn focus with my left hand until it is out of macro range and then switch to regular mode. I find this quicker and more convenient than fiddling with the body's AF/MF switch, which will accomplish the same.Talking macro: it works!Is this beasty perfect? No! The CA can get heavy, but as long as you watch your background and avoid extreme light situations, you get a reasonably hefty lens that balances nicely on a K100d (or similar, like maybe Canon XTi, Sony A100, or Nikon D50, if available for those mounts) and makes teleshots more stable, as well as a usable macro lens for situations where you cannot get closer than about 1 meter / 3 feet.It only gets sharper than this little budget secret with my Pentax F50mm f/1.7, which also has no CA issues. But that is a prime lens and a lot shorter :)Well, there is the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, but hush, don't tell everybody, so the price doesn't skyrocket ;)Oh forgot - surprisingly good at low light photography, better than I expected for a f/5.6 lens, because at 70mm end it is an f/4 - hey, just as fast as Canon L glass - HAH!
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Just one problem... maybe two
The lens produce great images. Very high quality piece of equipment for a low price. My biggest complaint is that the zoom ring is terribly stiff. If you're shooting at a fixed length, ...Read complete review
The lens produce great images. Very high quality piece of equipment for a low price. My biggest complaint is that the zoom ring is terribly stiff. If you're shooting at a fixed length, it's no problem, but I shoot mma events and fighters move a lot and require varying lengths, so it is an annoying issue. It could just be the particular lens I got. Other than that, auto-focus is loud, but I can live with that.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 27 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
Cons
- A little Heavy
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
this lens is great, it is a little on the heavy side but once you are use to it you will have no trouble using it, my nature pics are coming out awesome
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Images shared by wing rider
got this shot on merritt island fl.
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Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Stiff zoom ring
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
The lens produce great images. Very high quality piece of equipment for a low price. My biggest complaint is that the zoom ring is terribly stiff. If you're shooting at a fixed length, it's no problem, but I shoot mma events and fighters move a lot and require varying lengths, so it is an annoying issue. It could just be the particular lens I got. Other than that, auto-focus is loud, but I can live with that.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Images shared by New Territory
long distance
Images shared by New Territory
depth of field
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- You may also flag this review
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
This is the best telephoto zoom lens you can get for the money. This is my second of this lens, so now my wife and I both have one. My mom also has this lens, so I have seen three of these lenses and they are all great. It's light and easy to use, and the results are wonderful. I would recommend this lens first to anyone looking for a zoom telephoto to go with their Pentax.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Night Photography
- Sports/Action
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
Added a lot of range to what I can take pictures of. The 'macro' feature is 1:2 so not true macro but still decent. Love using this to take pictures of the moon or of animals from a decent ways away.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
- Video
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
I use this lens for many things. It is attached to a Pentax K-r and has been everything that I have asked for in a lens. The clarity has been excellent and the auto focus has been extremely fast. I would most definitely recommend this lens to anyone looking to buy a quality lens in today's market.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Macro
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
Great all around design. Not ideally suited to any particular type of photography, but covers the most commonly used long focal lengths.
I'm a former professional newspaper staff photographer just getting back into photography for a hobby. This was one of my starter lenses for my kit. I know what fabulous glass is all about and I know how much they can cost. This is strictly an entry level bit of hardware, but for my money the best you buy. You can spend double and get a slightly better lens without macro, or 5x the money to get a much better lens. Unless you're a pro, why bother? I've since handed mine down to the youngest daughter, but I still borrow it from time to time.
70-200mm range shows very well with few flaws. Certainly far less chromatic aberration than I expected from a lens in this price class, and acceptable sharpness. As a newpaper man I learned to frame wide and crop the image for the desired view, so most of my photos will be taken in this range.
Above 200mm the sharpness begins to gradually taper off. Still, the results are acceptable for most prints.
BONUS! It has a macro setting for getting up close & personal with some of those 'little' things you may be interested to archive. Flowers, pets, etc. The macro capability is limited, but useful in most situations.
Focus is quick for such a long zoom, and the build quality is better than I expected.
The bokeh is right in the middle of harsh & creamy, more toward the creamy qualities, which is the range I prefer - with a Monet feel to it.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
Good for Macro photography
Good for General photograpy, not in low light
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
Nice lens for the price. using if for sports (baseball, lacrosse, softball) and I am getting some nice shots.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
light weight, quick auto focus, sharp images
Pros
- Consistent Output
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
I bought this recently and as promised got it within 5 working days. Though I read some adverse reviews regarding the weight and the auto focus function, I was impressed buy the flexibility to use and the auto focus action.When in low light the purple effect comes but manageble.I extensively use for birding etc and the shots I have taken look pretty good after cropping etc. Yese I would recommend as for this price the benifts are many.
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
This was perfect for the zoo trip I went just after I got the lens. I am using it with K10D. I am a causual photo person and it fitted my requirements perfect.
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
Cons
- Heavy
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Sports/Action
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
Macro and Zoom capabilities all in one! Main downside is that the lens is big and adds to the weight of the camera.
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Rugged
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
Have used both the tele and macro modes with good results. Relatively compact size for a 300 mm lens. A real bargain!
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Quick Focus
- Sharp Focus
Cons
- Front turns when focusing
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Portraits
- Sports/Action
- Travel
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
I us the lens for portraits, flowers, birds at feeder and for landscapes. I like the way this lens works and the focus is better than I thought it would be without a built in motor. I don't like the rotating front but for the price, I don't care.
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Quick Focus
Cons
Best Uses
- General Use
- Wildlife
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
This lens gives you a functional telephoto lens for the price. Operation is smooth and the image quality is good, not great. Images are however very usable. A tripod is recommended for the longer focal lengths. Overall I'm quite pleased with this lens considering the price.
Pros
- Low Cost
Cons
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Portraits
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
I use it like 70-120... After 120mm contrast follow down and start up aberrations.
Slow focus... Very loud!!!
Do not use it for MACRO!!! In macro mode you can use 180-300mm only, but in this case you will get terrible quality image: low contrast, low shurp, with big aberrations.
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
Cons
- Blurry Focus
- Heavy
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
Okay, this thing isn't too bad, except for the image quality. It focuses alright, except in low light. Its heavy.
Mostly, my two stars are for its picture quality, which I despise. Its not sharp enough, where my other lens does really well. Also, when you shoot something white, it gets haloing, usually violet. Decent for macro at long distances.
Other than the quality issues, its been an alright lens. It goes far.
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Purple fringing
Best Uses
- Wildlife
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
This is a good lens for the price. But the purple fringing is killing it for me. I'm looking into Pentax 55-300 to replace this one
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Good contrast
- Good value
- Lightweight
- Sharp at all focal length
Cons
- Purple fringing
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Close-ups
- General Use
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
This lens is good value. It has it's little foibles which is to be expected at this price. It feels quite solid, despite low weight, and is very sharp over most of it's range. The only real negative is the purple fringing in high contrast situations, but most of this can be fixed in post processing. Considering the price, it is a bargain.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
- Portraits
Comments about Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro Lens for Pentax AF:
With my Pentax K200D, the lens provides good focus, a bit of hunting in low light, the macro function is okay. Great lens for Portarits.
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What's in the Box
- 62mm Snap-On Lens Cap
- Rear Lens Cap for Pentax AF
- Lens Hood
- 6-Year Warranty
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