Tamron’s 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 takes the superzoom concept it made famous a few steps forward. It offers a significant increase in telephoto range, and also goes wider to bring real wide-angle capability to the superzoom category for the first time. It’s also earned a ‘Macro’ designation with its close focusing ability. Is it truly a super zoom? Take a look at our analysis. Read more
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD Macro
A HUGE Thank You to everyone who entered our recent contest to win a 16-300mm Di II VC PZD Macro Lens from our friends at Tamron. This was not actually a photography competition, but so many of you shared your beautiful photographs, we encourage you all to go back and scroll the comments section for some wonderful photos and links to reader pages/sites.
Yet again, the response was absolutely AMAZING with over 930 entries! But now, on to the winner! Drum roll – and the winner is:
His comment:
I like landscape and street photography… I spent a long time trying to decide which I like more… but my wife told me I am good in both
so my website has both www.hasanodeh.com
I see this lens as a dream for my street photography… speed and discretion is the key to street photography… you have to be versatile. able to switch focal lengths instantly without changing lenses is an amazing way to make sure you get the best street images…. starting from environmental portraits all the way to close ups of a face of a 92 years old lady selling roses to young couples. The PZD will allow me to focus faster when the moment presents itself and the quite focusing system (along with the silencer mode on my camera) will make sure I do not disturb that magical moment as it happens. Also the vibration compensation would be amazing as shooting from a tripod is almost never an option for street photography… so a lens with a good VC is a god send.
To anyone reading this… Look at my website and get this…. I am self taught… and this is where it all happened… on DPS… just keep shooting and keep reading… It’ll be amazing if DPS gives a lens that let me take what I learned here to another level. thanks guys whether you chose me or not for your efforts on DPS.
We were all thrilled with the entries – you tugged at our heartstrings, made us laugh, made us smile, but most importantly, you made us keep wanting to do more of what we are doing; providing you quality information and guidance to become a better photographer. We were so pleased to see that you came from every part of the world, young adults to grandparents, and everyone in between. Thank you all for your entries!
Here is a special post from the winner of the Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PCD Macro from our December, 2014 Contest:
I am not entering!!! I won one of these in December (THANKS DPS!!!!!) and I love love love the lens!!! For me, it takes so much stress out of getting the picture just the way I want to without a need to switch between lenses. It really freed me up as a photographer to think about things like composition and camera settings instead of handling the lenses. Wonderful feeling, and a wonderful lens. Thanks again! This picture was taken with it too, from a moving car – and I was READY!!!!
For those of you that didn’t win, Tamron has invited ALL dPS readers download their 2015 eBook Series!
You can find those HERE!
For all of you residing in the USA, when you do purchase your 16-300mm Di II VC PZD Macro Tamron Lens, make sure to take advantage of the $ 100 Total Rebate, through June 21, 2015. If you’d prefer one of the other award winning Tamron Lenses, please make sure to take check out these additional Tamron Rebates*. Find additional information HERE.
*Current rebate offers end June 30, 2015. US RESIDENTS ONLY.
The Winner will be emailed with details of how to collect their prize. Please make sure to look for our email. Thanks you again for all the wonderful submissions and to Tamron for sponsoring this competition.
About Tamron
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The post The Winner of the 16-300mm Di II VC PZD Tamron Lens is . . . by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Over the last few years here at dPS, we’ve run very some very popular competitions with our partners to give away some of their great photographic products to lucky dPS readers.
We are lucky enough to be able to do it again this week.
Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD Macro
This prize is designed to help every level of photographer create BETTER pictures. Tamron is the world’s most awarded photographic lens line. Here’s what you, our dPS reader, could win:
Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD Macro – Retail Value $ 629
For canon, Nikon or Sony small-sensor cameras.
Learn a little more about Tamron here.
To win this contest you need to:
The deadline to enter is May 19, 2015, Midnight PDT. Comments left after that date and time will not be considered.
Photo by Ken Hubbad
By “best” – we’re looking for people who have an understanding of the lenses and how they will best suit their needs. So you’ll need to check out the product pages to put yourself in the best position to win.
There’s no need to write essay length comments to win – but we’re looking to hear what you like about the lens and how it would help your development as a photographer.
This competition is open to everyone, no matter where you live – but there is only one entry per person. To enter – simply leave your comment below.
About Tamron
Disclaimer: Tamron is a paid partner of dPS.
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The post Contest – Win a Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD Macro All-In-One Zoom Lens by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.
The Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD is a general purpose ‘carry everywhere’ zoom for users of APS-C format DSLRs. Covering an equivalent focal length range of 24-450mm, this lens should be a perfect camera for travel and day-to-day use, allowing you to frame a huge variety of different subjects without changing lenses. We’ve been using one for a while and we’ve prepared a gallery of samples. Click through to take a look
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
All test images are presented with no alteration in color, sharpness, contrast, or clarity except where indicated. Only small adjustments in exposure were made to test images. Gear used for this review and tests – Canon 7D and a Manfrotto 190 tripod.
There is no denying that any lens capable of shooting in a wide range of conditions will always be in high demand and very popular. So called “all-in-one lenses” are most definitely a great way to be flexible in more situations without lugging around a lot of gear.
One of Tamron’s latest additions to this category is the 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro. Don’t worry, all of those letters will meet with explanations shortly. It is a lens that is marketed as a go-to option for shooting wide angle scenes, as well as zooming in very tight for those dramatic close-ups. It is intended for those who want to pack as little gear as possible, but still keep consistent quality through a huge range of focal lengths.
Here is the nitty gritty for this lens. The specifications are taken directly from the Tamron USA website. Please note that the lens I worked with was a Canon mount and these specifications are for Nikon mounts, but the numbers should be very similar.
Let’s talk about all those letters on the side of the lens that were mentioned earlier and go over their meanings. The “Di-II” designation simply means that the lens is intended for use with digital SLR cameras. The “VC” means that the lens is equipped with a vibration compensation (image stabilizer) feature and the “PZD” indicates the lens has Tamron’s proprietary Piezo Drive autofocus mechanism.
The lens shipped from Tamron USA, included a nice hood, and of course front and end caps. Taking the lens in hand, you really get a feel for the weight. My first impression was that it felt somewhat heavy but after further handling I prefer to call the weight of the lens substantial rather than heavy. Tamron lists the lens as weighing 19 ounces (540g) which is actually lighter than some other lenses of similar zoom range and aperture.
For the amount of zoom power that has been packed inside, I was very surprised at the shear compactness of this lens. Tamron’s 16-300mm is just under four inches in length at 3.9 inches (9.9cm). Here is a side-by-side comparison with my trusty Canon 28-135mm.
The lens feels very solid in hand and fits securely to the camera with no rattles or gaps. All of the on-lens controls are very crisp in their function and are well placed for easy no-look operation.
The rubber used for the zoom and focusing ring has just enough bite to securely adjust the lens, without the overly rubberized and sticky feel of some manufacturer’s lenses. Straight out of the box I did notice the the zoom was very tight – and I do mean tight. However, over the course of using the lens for a few weeks the tightness quickly lessened, and the zoom remained very responsive and firm for the duration of use.
The balance on the lens is acceptable even when fully extended to 300mm. I attribute this to the relatively slender profile that keeps most of the weight close to the camera and makes this lens very nimble. That being said, you will still definitely know it is attached to your camera. Always practice good camera holding mechanics when using this and other larger lenses in the field for long periods of time.
Now, on to the good stuff. I was quite impressed with the overall image performance of the Tamron 16-300mm lens. The sharpness was much better than I had expected for such a wide range variable zoom lens, even when shooting at the maximum f/3.5. Color reproduction was very good bordering on superb, and the bokeh was surprisingly creamy.
This roll of tape was shot wide at 16mm and then again at 300mm.
There was very little vignetting around the edges of photos and little discernible chromatic aberration. The lack of this aberration is possibly due to the choice by Tamron to include three aspherical lens elements within the internal glass array. Though debated, aspherical lenses are known to produce less optical distortion and aberrations than conventional round lens elements. Still, at the widest angle of 16mm, there is some small but noticeable barrel distortion and edge darkening of images taken at or near the minimum focusing distance of 15.3 inches (38.9cm).
Also, at wider apertures, again there is a small but still discernible edge softening of images. Here are five images shot over varying apertures. Notice the increasing edge softness as the size of the aperture increases.
f/44
f/22
f/16
f/10
f/6.3
The proprietary Piezo Drive autofocus seems to live up to the manufacturer’s acclaim. Autofocus is very fast and accurate. The focusing mechanism itself is very quiet but there is a somewhat audible clicking sound that is present when operating in AF-Servo (continuous AF) mode but it is not loud enough to cause panic for wildlife and nature photographers.
Tamron has possibly hit a home run with the image stabilization system on this lens. Referred to as Vibration Control by Tamron, the image stabilization on this lens is outstanding.
When looking through the viewfinder while engaging and disengaging the VC, you can truly see an immediate and substantial smoothing out of camera shake. Though definitely not a replacement for a good tripod and steady hands, the VC made a noticeable difference in the sharpness of images taken at slower shutter speeds in low light.
As with most gear, people place varying degrees of importance on minute details. Here are a few small points that impressed me about the Tamron 16-300mm.
All in one lenses are loved, hated, and everything in between. Regardless of your inclination, the Tamron 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro seems to be a strong candidate for those looking to have one lens to cover most everything they will be shooting. It is a well constructed, reasonably compact, zoom lens that can shoot landscapes and high zoom with good image sharpness and color. Wildlife and street photographers will find this lens to be outstanding for long range subjects where camera shake can make or break a photograph. Overall, this is a lens that I would be happy to have in my bag.
These are some sample images taken with the Tamron 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro and processed in Adobe Lightroom 5.
The post Review of the Tamron 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Macro Lens by Adam Welch appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Tamron has announced pricing and availability for its 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro 18.8x superzoom for APS-C SLRs. The lens, which was announced in February, will go on sale in mid-May at a street price of $ 629. The 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro will offer an unusually wide angle view for its class (24-450mm equivalent), while also allowing close-up shooting with 0.34x magnification. It has an ultrasonic-type autofocus motor, splashproof construction and optical image stabilization. Learn more
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Tamron has announced the development of an all-in-one ‘superzoom’ lens for APS-C SLRs with a huge 18.8x range. The 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro will offer an unusually wide angle view for its class (24-450mm equivalent), while also allowing close-up shooting with 0.34x magnification. It has an ultrasonic-type autofocus motor, splashproof construction and optical image stabilization. Pricing and availability are still to be announced. Learn more
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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