Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens
The Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical IF Macro Lens is now equipped with a Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism. This lens is ultra-compact and light-weight, with a constant minimum focus distance of 1.6' (0.5 m) and a high maximum magnification of 1:3. The remarkable achievements are brought about through XR (extra refractive index) glass and efficient use of aspherical lenses. The ideal "all-in-one" zoom lens, for indoor and outdoor use.
The VC mechanism helps prevent camera shake blur that may occur at slower shutter speeds. Developed by Tamron, VC features a triaxial configuration using three pairs of driving coils and slide balls around the compensator group of the lens' optical system. Since the compensator lenses are supported with rolling friction of the balls, the response performance is enhanced and the construction is simple, which results in the compactness of the lens. As a result, dimensional increases are confined to a mere 0.7" (17.8mm) in overall length and about 5mm in diameter.
Di (Digitally Integrated) design is the designation that Tamron uses for lenses that feature the improved optical design that meets the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras, as well as film cameras. When used with APS-C size (standard) digital SLR cameras, the lens provides an angle of view equivalent to approximately 43-465mm, covering the standard to ultra telephoto range with no sacrifice of quality or aperture range.
- The lens incorporates a highly accurate gyro sensor for detecting hand-shake, which, combined with a 32-bit RISC CPU, offers comfortable anti-vibration effects.
- The optical system uses a number of lens elements made from special optical glass materials including XR (high refraction index) glass elements, GM (glass-molded) elements, hybrid aspherical elements, LD (low dispersion) glass elements to compensate for on-axis and lateral chromatic aberrations and AD (anomalous dispersion) glass element.
- This lens features Internal Surface Coatings (i.e., multiple-layer coatings on cemented surfaces of plural elements) and new multiple-layer coating technology on ordinary elements in order to minimize reflections that occur when light enters through the front element and to reduce image degrading effects caused by the imagers themselves.
- The Zoom Lock prevents unwanted barrel movement when carrying the lens/camera combination.
Go To
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 28 - 300 mm |
| Aperture |
Maximum: f/3.5 - 6.3 Minimum: f/22 - 40 |
| Camera Mount Type | Canon EF |
| Format Compatibility |
35mm Film / Full-Frame Digital Sensor Canon (APS-C) |
| Angle of View |
75° - 8° APS-C Picture Angle: 52° - 5° |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 1.61' (49 cm) |
| Magnification | 0.33x |
| Maximum Reproduction Ratio | 1:3 |
| Groups/Elements | 13/18 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 |
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Image Stabilization | Yes |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Tripod Collar | No |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Filter Thread | 67 mm |
| Dimensions (DxL) | Approx. 3.1 x 3.9" (7.87 x 9.91 cm) |
| Weight | 1.22 lb (555 g) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 110 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
93%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus (39)
- Durable (35)
- Easily interchangeable (34)
- Strong construction (33)
- Consistent output (29)
Cons
- Slow focus (16)
- Heavy (11)
- Lens creep (11)
- Poor in low light (6)
Best Uses
- General purpose (27)
- Landscape/scenery (22)
- Wildlife photos (18)
- Sports/action (17)
- Wildlife (15)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Photo enthusiast (16), Enthusiast (15), Casual photographer (8), Semi-professional (6), Practical (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (18)
Most Liked Positive Review
Good value for the money
First, I'm just an amateur, so this is not a "pro" review of this lens. I'll leave that to other sites and the photo mags.
Second...Read complete review
First, I'm just an amateur, so this is not a "pro" review of this lens. I'll leave that to other sites and the photo mags.
Second, my kit is a Canon EOS 10D. Other lenses include a Canon EOS 28-200 USM and a Sigma 17-35.
I read all the reviews of this lens before deciding on it. I was comparing the Sigma 18-200 OS against this lens and decided for the extra reach that this lens had.
The good: VC works great. I used it this weekend photographing kids soccer from the sidelines handheld at all extremes of the zoom range. The VC made it more than possible to do 300mm handheld without any motion blur. It's light but still has a solid feel to it. And it uses 62mm filters, which means you don't have to spend a fortune for a CP or UV filter. Pictures are very sharp and clear. I was looking through some of the pics I took this weekend and noting how sharp they were, I think part of that is the VC and part is the lens elements. For someone that hasn't had an OS/IS/VC lens before, it was a breath of fresh air to have that extra "stability" for hand-held shots.
The not so good: The AF is on the slow side. I don't notice the noise as much as others have commented, but in taking action shots, you can definitely tell that the AF is slower than my other lenses. It's not horrible, but sometimes isn't as fast at focusing as the camera shutter is at firing, so you end up with a pic in a sequence that is just way out of focus. I knew this going in, though, as it's mentioned in just about every other review out there. Also, you can feel the VC components move around in the lens when you are carrying it. It's not a big deal, just a little unexpected the first few times.
Final verdict: It was purchased as a "walk-around" lens, and so far its been great for that. It's okay for sports (I'll still use it over the non-IS 28-200 due to hand-holdability and reach), but that AF speed may cause problems until you get used to it. So take it out and get used to it before you need to use it in an important situation.
Note: I haven't used it in a Macro situation, so I can't comment on that. It's not a true 1:1 macro lens, but it comes pretty close with it's close focusing ability.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Good lens for the price
I got this lens for my Canon 5D, Mark II. I have all Canon L series lenses to cover this range, (24-70L f2.8, 70-200L IS f2.8, 100-400L IS 4.5-...Read complete review
I got this lens for my Canon 5D, Mark II. I have all Canon L series lenses to cover this range, (24-70L f2.8, 70-200L IS f2.8, 100-400L IS 4.5-5.6) but I'm going on a trip where I can't haul all of that stuff, and in an environment that I don't want to change lenses. (And I don't want to spend $2500 on the Canon 28-300.)
I've been very pleased with the image quality, and very impressed with the image stabilization. The IS on this lens is at least as good as, and perhaps better, than the Canons. Auto focus is quick when there is adequate light, but a little sluggish in dimmer situations, although acceptable.
My only knocks are that the lens is slow, stopping down fairly quickly as you zoom, and the lens creep can be frustrating. There is a lock to prevent the lens creep, but you have to turn it off to zoom, and I missed a couple of shots because of this.
Another minor frustration is that the rotation to zoom is opposite the Canon lenses, turning the barrel to the right to zoom in, and the left to go wide. That's taking some getting used to.
However, overall it is doing what I wanted it to do, and I don't regret the purchase.
Reviewed by 110 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
- Lens Creep
Best Uses
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
Quick execution, quiet operation good image quality throughout the zoom range.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
- Video
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
lens is surprisingly light and compact for a high-ratio zoom. It's so trim that it casts no shadow at any focal length when used with the Rebel XTi's built-in flash.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
good basic lens with good range
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Good range for travelling
Cons
- Weight
Best Uses
- Travel
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
Good range
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Multi-usage
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
This is such a versatile lens, allowing users to shoot in all situations without having to change the lens once. Great for weddings and location shoots! The vibration control is key to the value of this lens. Great price for it's purpose!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
- Video
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I'm a photography enthusiast - not a professional - but I really like this lens...(and still would even IF the price weren't so attractive)! This is my second Tamron 28-300; the first was for a Nikon D200, and I use this with a Canon 60D. I find it to be a great 'walking around' lens - and well-suited for my telephoto needs. I also have the Tamron 60mm macro (also from B&H), and between those two lenses - I don't have much need for anything else. The images I get are really sharp, with plenty of vibrant colors.
I don't use AutoFocus very often...and the few times I have, that might be the one drawback on this lens. It does seem to search for focus (hence, the 4-star rating). But, since I manual focus pretty much all the time - this doesn't concern me. The vibration compensation works very well for me, and it does come in handy on those longer focal-length shots.
As this is my second Tamron 28-300...it's probably obvious I would recommend this lens to others!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Single Lens Events
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I got this lens about a month ago and it has performed to it's fullest. I have taken at least 500 shots with the lens already and it has performed every time. I use this lens in my everyday shoots and bring it with me everywhere. It's a great all-around for it has a wide angle at the 28mm, very nice zoom range with it's 28-300mm, and with a closest focusing distance of 1.6', it works awesome for macro. The VC also performs very well. With a teenager's budget, it's hard to get good lenses without breaking the bank but this lens, for the [$] I paid it worth every penny. The only real con of this lens would have to be the auto-focus. In some situations I have missed a really good shot because the focus wouldn't lock on correctly. Also, when shooting macro photography, I'll forget to turn it to MF to get the best result and the auto-focus will search for the subject but never find it. Overall, a very decent lens and definitely worth the money.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I love this lense, good price, and very iterchangeable lense to use with my Cannon SLR camera.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Macro Photography
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I have paired this lens with a Cannon T2i and really like the results. This is my second Tamron 28-300. The first is without the vibration compensation. The new lens is larger, heavier and noisier, however it doesn't bother me unless I carry it around all day. I recently used it at a reception where I shot people and the results were great. I would and do recommend this lens.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
The lens is light weight, good construction and pictures shows great details of subjects. Little slow to focus & haven't found it to creep like some reviews read. Overall, very happy with it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Night Photography
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I am a very serious amateur photographer. For eight years I had a 28-300mm Tamron without Vibration Compensation and it was a really good zoom lens. In fact it was my default lens that whole time. Now with this new lens with better coatings and VC, it is my go to lens. The focus is quicker than my old 28-300 and it makes chrisp shots at 300mm because of the VC.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Lens Creep
- Poor in Low Light
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
For the price, a decent lens. Good range of focal lengths. A bit slow on the vibration control so it wouldn't be a good lens for fast shooting, like sports. Construction appears to be good.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Night Photography
- Sports/Action
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I use this lens as my "anytime, anywhere" lens. The versatility is fabulouse both for close up and distance. The anti vibration makes for almost flawless photos. No complaints at all.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
- Rugged
Cons
- Lens Creep
- Poor in Low Light
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Event Photography
- Landscape/Scenery
- People and Culture
- Travel
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
all-in-one zoom, very good for events, travel. work great for a full frame.VC is very good, wish Tamron makes it SP.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Good range
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Blurry Focus
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- External images
- Landscape/Scenery
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I bought this lens for different frame sizes. This lens meets this need. Not very bright but for landscapes and external images it's great.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I carry this lens on my Canon XSi and take it hiking all over the Rocky Mountains. It works great for landscape and wildlife. It has seen it share of bouncing around and I have not had any problems with it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
Before I purchased the lens I looked at the reviews on line.Everything that is mentioned I found to be the same for me.I used it for the first time to photo the fall colors of New England.The pictures are great but as noted slow to focus while extented.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
Great range and versatility along with VC. Nice compact size great for traveling with the kids. I wanted a 70-200 2.8L but it's just too big and expensive for my needs right now. This lens is great for casual photos. Speed seems okay despite the numerous reviews that say otherwise.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Nice Bokeh
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I am doing mostly travel, landscape, and wildlife photography; no more missed opportunities while changing lens
Pros
- UD glass filter sizeVC
Cons
- The VC didn't work well
Best Uses
- I wish I knew
Comments about Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Autofocus Lens:
I was surprised that the image control wasn't better; I thought it drifted when the shutter button was depressed. I confirmed this when I mounted my camera to I tripod- the image would drift for a few seconds before the shutter closed. Maybe just a bad issue.
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