New Tamron 150-600 G2 on Photography Blog - test.

[billg71]

Mike Jackson posted a review on his blog a couple weeks ago:
Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens: My Experiences

 

[qilin]

I own one and love it. Also own the 200-500. Iq and build are very similar.

Hi Rick, have you seen this video?

I have never tried 200-500. Tamron 150-600 G2 is my first supertele. But I found it's hard to believe his sample images. Do you notice the same focus problems he mentioned with this lens compared to 200-500?
My purchase was influenced by Antal Kozma's opinion posted here: Tamron 150-600mm G2 or the Nikkor 200-500mm: Nikon SLR Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
I plan to use this lens for hiking and kayaking, handheld. So lightweight, weather seal and more reach are appealing to me. But I don't have much experience in wild life especially BIF. I'm still within the return window, and can get the 200-500 instead.

 

[nuclearjock]

Hi Rick, have you seen this video?

I have never tried 200-500. Tamron 150-600 G2 is my first supertele. But I found it's hard to believe his sample images. Do you notice the same focus problems he mentioned with this lens compared to 200-500?
My purchase was influenced by Antal Kozma's opinion posted here: Tamron 150-600mm G2 or the Nikkor 200-500mm: Nikon SLR Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
I plan to use this lens for hiking and kayaking, handheld. So lightweight, weather seal and more reach are appealing to me. But I don't have much experience in wild life especially BIF. I'm still within the return window, and can get the 200-500 instead.

His review is a little rough regarding the Tamron IMO, maybe I have a good sample. But I do own both lenses and what he says about the handling and weight of the two lenses is correct. If you can put that aside, I would buy the Nikon 200-500 first. I don't observe the single point jump he refers to and the VC is almost as good as the nikon's VR. But Tamron factory can tweak these issues with firmware updates which can be installed via the Tamron tap-in console which I also have and works great. This can also be used to fine tune the AF which I've also done and like.

 

[trenchmonkey]

Tried the Tamron last week, AF couldn't keep up with my demands...

 

[qilin]

Thanks Rick. I couldn't figure out what he meant by single point jump either. I'm happy with the VC. My concern is the focus tracking which I don't have enough experience to judge, and have not had a chance to try and learn. Is this the reason that you would buy 200-500 first? Or is it the apparent IQ difference mentioned by him?

Hi Will, is 200-500's AF significantly better?

 

[trenchmonkey]

Hi Will, is 200-500's AF significantly better?

More accurate, stayed locked when tracking. In fairness I did not employ the 'dock' with that Tamron.
If you want really brisk AF, Sigma Sport's the way to go...remarkable for a slow variable aperture zoom.

 

[rick_reno]

His review is a little rough regarding the Tamron IMO, maybe I have a good sample. But I do own both lenses and what he says about the handling and weight of the two lenses is correct. If you can put that aside, I would buy the Nikon 200-500 first. I don't observe the single point jump he refers to and the VC is almost as good as the nikon's VR. But Tamron factory can tweak these issues with firmware updates which can be installed via the Tamron tap-in console which I also have and works great. This can also be used to fine tune the AF which I've also done and like.

That "hairy wart on the nose" comment was rough.

 

[qilin]

Thanks Will. Sigma Sport is a bit too heavy, and priced higher. I try to narrow down to Tamron 150-600 G2 vs Nikon 200-500. For my casual use, I probably can't go wrong with either one, but do hope to have some room for grow. Don't want to become very frustrated in the near future if I see an opportunity to learn to shoot some action but the Tamron can't keep up. There aren't too many reviews out there yet, but I do see several BIF shooters posting happy feedbacks and stunning pictures on Amazon and B&H sites. I will probably end up keeping the Tamron unless I see some convincing reasons before my 30 day return window is up: those positive reviews make me feel if I can't get a good result it'll be my fault not the lens.

 

[VOLKeith]

I've got a copy in the mail. I will try it out on daytime baseball. I also have the Nikon 300mm f4 afs and 1.7tc. I want the zoom for flexibility... will report findings.

 

[Pa]

There is a new review of the Tamron G posted today at Photography Life.

 

[nuclearjock]

There is a new review of the Tamron G posted today at Photography Life.

Thx Jim. The more I shoot this lens, the more I like it. I like this lens for small perched birds. AF on the 200-500 is "snappier" so I use it for BIF. I usually roll with the D7200/Tamron for small birds and the D500/200-500 for BIF when I go to my birding spots. Warblers will be coming through soon.

 

[VOLKeith]

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Received the Tamron. This thing is an attention grabber for sure but pleasant to carry... definitely not too heavy. AF is fast much faster than expected. Good at 600mm f6.3 very good at f8. Hopefully will have some better pics to come but here is a lucky uncropped at 600mm f6.3 test shot.

 

[Randy]

IMO the sigma is way to heavy at 600mm, horrible on a monopod, not much better on a wimberly and ridiculous HH, I sold mine

 

[VOLKeith]

I created a thread in the sample image showcase. I was gonna test this against the 300mm f4 and 1.7TC but right away I knew the zoom was the only way to go. I was very happy with the results it produced. No problems with focus. I used it at all focal lengths throughout the range. Very happy with this lens...definitely glad I purchased it.

 

[qilin]

Thanks Jim for the review link.

Thanks Keith for creating the showcase thread. Added several taken this past weekend.

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gulls by qi lin, on Flickr

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egret by qi lin, on Flickr

 

[qilin]

Keith totally agree with you. I decided to keep this lens (I did not try Nikon 200-500). I anticipate a lot of use of this lens on my weekend hiking, kayaking and vacation trips. Being able to carry with a sling strap for a few hours of hiking easily and handheld most of the shots at 600 mm end makes this a really fun lens to use, perfect for a long-lens starter like me. I combined an OP/Tech utility sling, one OP/Tech lens loop, one OP/Tech uni-loop attached to a BlackRapid Fastenr FR-4 fastened to one of the tripod socket on the lens collar, with the collar turned to the left side. The carry is secure and balanced, allowing instant raise to eye level and shoot. Happy so far.

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Tamron sling by qi lin, on Flickr

 

[travelphotoclimber]

Anyone have any followup thoughts on this comparison after a couple of years? I'm considering the Tamron vs the nikkor.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Anyone have any followup thoughts on this comparison after a couple of years? I'm considering the Tamron vs the nikkor.

I am curious as well, but both of these lenses are about 3 years old now (if I am correct..), not much else to talk about...

I purchased the Nikon 200-500 in 2018. Though I am pretty happy with the results I am able to coax out of it, sometimes I feel that it is a bit too heavy. I use it while hiking and even sometimes on a bike. Just yesterday I was at Bombay Hook Nature Preserve and rode around on my bike with the 200-500 attached to my D7100, slung with an Optech strap and two points of attachment on the camera; tripod mount and body (similar to @qilin setup above...but I will look into that collar mount ). While hiking, the combination sometimes feels like carrying a toddler around.
There are times when I kind of wish I had more reach, even using the DX body and its internal 1.3x additional crop. I’m not sure the extra 100mm of the Tamron would satisfy me, or if the $16k 800mm is the way to go for true satisfaction...

The weather-seal factor of the Tamron is also what draws me to it (I have the Tamron 18-400 as a walk-around lens, also weather-sealed and falls into the G2 group), being that I move around a lot while shooting, I can get caught in a lot of different situations.
I am just blown away at the quality of the G2 lenses as a whole. I thought I’d never buy another Tamron after the 1st gen 18-270 (non-piezo) I had. That thing became a dog after 3 years of use.