I have the Tamron 28-200/3.8-5.6 Model 71A zoom. It is in many ways an
amazing lens, small and light with a vast zoom range. Although I've done
no formal testing, it gives me sharp pictures. It is certainly sharp
enough for candid photographs of active small children, where keeping
them in focus is difficult anyway.
On the other hand, I don't think it's a particularly good lens for this
task, for reasons others have elaborated and others.
- It's not only two-touch (separate rings for focus and zooming), but
strange two-touch. It's a manual focus version of a lens designed for
AF, so it is focused by turning either of 2 narrow rings in front of
the zoom ring. The lens almost doubles in length as it zooms and these
rings move forward too, the closer one over an inch and the front one
about 2.5 inches. One can actually turn any part of the rings or barrel
in front of the zoom ring to focus. Perhaps if I used this lens most of
the time, I would find the setup intuitive and quick to operate, but so
far I don't.
- It's slow at the long end. Even with 2-13 screen, lenses slower than
about f4 get dimmish in the viewfinder and, more importantly for moving
targets, more difficult to focus. I took a picture of a red barn in late
afternoon sunlight just yesterday. Being sure of focus at 200mm was
difficult and Portra 160NC required 1/60 wide open at f5.6. Since the
barn wasn't moving and a cooperative fence post let me skip setting up
the tripod, I used 1/30 @ f/8, but you can't do that with kids.
- I don't think the long end is all that useful for kid pics anyway. (I
admit I photograph my grandchildren mostly with a 2x lens on a digital
camera). Handheld action shots at 200mm are tough (kids movements aren't
as consistent as race cars, so you can't pan.).
I think the ideal lens for this job is a relatively fast one-touch zoom,
(28 or 35)-(70, 85, 105,135). The Tamron SP 35-105/2.8 should be great.
I used the Zuiko 35-70/3.6 and a Tokina RMC 80-200/4 when my kids were
younger. If you really need 200mm, the Tokina AT-X 35-200/3.5-4.5 is a
great lens and the Tamton SP 35-210/3.5-4.2 optically about the same,
but a little bigger and heavier.
"How do Tamron Lenses compare with Zuiko's ?" Are you trying to start a
flame war? Seriously, the overall average quailty of Zuikos is higher
than the same for Tamrons. That said, there are some world class lenses
from both manufacturers and some less than wonderful lenses from both.
The Zuiko 35-70/3.6 is an excellent lens while the 35-70/3.5-4.8, made
by Cosina, is second rate. The Tamron SP 80-200/f2.8 is a famously great
lens (in a fl/speed category Zuiko never made), while their
80-210/3.8-4.0 is ho-hum. The Tamron SP series and Tokina AT-X series
are a good bet for quality. In older designs, the early Vivitar Series
1s, Kirons and Tokina RMCs are generally good lenses (see Skips replya
bout Viv S1s and the 'cult' lens site). Zuikos are almost always a good
bet for quailty. The earliest 50/1.4 and 50/1.8 SCs are not great and
the 2 late Cosina made zooms sold with the OM2000 have poor reps. Even
the Oly made 'S' series (consumer grade) zooms have their fans.
There are also cost/value issues. The Tamron SP 35-105/2.8 is a tiny bit
longer, but weighs less than the Zuiko 35-80/2.8 and costs 1/4 as much.
I've never seen a head to head comparison, but know the Tamron is an
excellent lens.
There are also usage preferrences. I prefer one-touch for action shots.
The Zuiko two-touch zooms place the 2 rings very consistently and use
rubber ring covers that are very tactilely distinct between zoom and
focus rings, but consistent from lens to lens, so I imagne someone who
uses only Zuiko zooms would find them very intuitive after a while.
Moose
Steve wrote:
Dear all
I've lurked on this list for a few months, ever since I inherited my
dad's OM gear. My principle subjects are my small children. Being fast
moving little critters, I think I'd find one of the wide range zooms
handy. I was thinking of the Tamron MF 28-200, but I thought I'd see
what those with greater experience have to say.
How do Tamron Lenses compare with Zuiko's ?
Does anyone on the list have any experience with this lens on an OM
series camera ?
Are there any issues I should be aware of ?
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