An image quality comparison ...

[DonSchap]

The 70-300 is looking real good.
Frank

Purple fringe and all, Frank? Remember, my 70-300mm f/4-5.6 is a slightly older, non-Di lens. I got it for $129 when they cleared them out for the new Di ones.

I don't know if anyone actually noticed, as no one has commented on it, but the A700 shots are better defined, especially in the background. I kind of wanted a side-by-side, at 135mm ... to be fair on the two platforms. So, if you were even considering an A700 ... you can plainly see the improved performance of the sensor.

[sparkie1263]

I thought that was just the light from the flash.
Frank

[DonSchap]

Frank ... they are all with the same pop up flash ... same angle of incidence. Uh huh, now, you're scared, eh? The "Di" coating may reduce this purple-fringe effect ... I cannot say, don't have one. I know the utility lenses, with it, don't show it as much.

Okay, here are 100% 90mm crop-shots from the following lenses, all on the A700 w/ yeah, the pop-up flash.
I figure that would be repeatable by anyone with the camera.

Target Distance: 10-feet

TAMRON SP AF 90mm F/2.8 Di LD 1:1 MACRO (PRIME lens)

(no purple fringe)

Tokina AT-X 840 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6

(just a little purple fringe)


TAMRON AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD

(a lot o' fringe!)

TAMRON AF 18-250mm f/3.5-5.6 XR Di-II LD

(fringe well taken care of)



Again, I cannot say enough about the "bang-for-buck" ratio of the 18-250 lens. This lens makes life easy.

I know some of the exposures on these are ...well, strange ... but remember, the TTL pop-up makes the call ... so altering the settings still messes with what you want. I would have to do a studio set-up and while you get perfecto-mundo lighting conditions, then you get into all kinds of controls which you wouldn't really experience in the real wild world we all share. This is just sitting here, snapping and changing glass. Same target ... same camera ... the camera making the call for flash ... the end. If you want a perfect exposure, then you will have to go out, get the lens and monkey with it yourself. This exercise is just to point out some shortfalls that are readily apparent, no adjustments, just the naked truth.

[DonSchap]

I then went to 180mm ... which, by the way, is the focal length limit of the 18-250 at a subject distance of ten feet. (This has to be a consideration when you are lens shopping. The only way you can get this particular lens out to the full 250mm is to focus on something more than 27 feet away.)

Anyway, same conditions ... and the various lenses

TAMRON SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD 1:1 MACRO (PRIME lens)


Tokina AT-X 840 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6


TAMRON AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD


TAMRON AF 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD



You can see that the PRIME lenses (90mm in the earlier series and the 180mm in this one) tend to really flatten out and true up the color of the subject. The long zooms tend to allow highlights to flare and the 18-250 reduces ... but, still has some)

Anyway, here you have an idea of what a PRIME can do for your image, if you decide to go that route. They are sharp, the reduce flare and tend to have uniform color throughout.

[dr4gon]

mmmm, is it just me, or does the 90mm/2.8 not look too impressive? Why do you think that is? I've seen macros it's put out and they are great.

The 18-250 is impressive throughought! And yikes on that PF on the 70-300/4-5.6 (non di)

[DonSchap]

Yeah, that purple fringe is nasty stuff. The 70-300mm rarely gets much work, in light of the 18-250mm Di-II's better overall performance. I keep it around for the 35mm-film cameras. The Di-IIs do not work on them.

As far as the 90mm goes, it's always been a little "iffy." It really does great close-up work as designed and I rarely use it as a portrait lens. I mean, I have it ... but, I usually use the 50mm f/1.4 and just get closer.

I suppose, one day, I may spring for the CZ 85mm f/1.4, but definitely not this year. Got bigger things in mind.

I've been out pressure-washing the patio ... preparing for a Labor Day bash, in the backyard. Let me see if I can produce a nice 90mm shot (same subject) with the macro and reassure you, it can do it. Humbly, I just slapped the shutter and unloaded the lens, for the test.



EDIT:

TAMRON SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di 1:1 MACRO

EXIF: A700 @ f/13 - 1/60th - ISO-400 - Manual External flash (1:1 full power)

I like a good flash burn when I do it .. none of that TTL nonsense. This is straight out of the camera, except for a straightening and crop ... note that there are no noise sparkles, like there were earlier, even though the aperature is much tighter. Class, any idea as to why? Yes, you in the back ... that's riight, plenty of light to work with (from the external flash) for the sensor and the lens. Insufficient flash leads to digital NOISE!

Pop-up flashes are hard to work with, in my opinion, and should be used as a last resort, if you truly want nice looking images. Oh, you might get an occasional image that looks acceptable, but as a rule, it can be deeply frustrating. You almost need to be a hard-core photographer to finally understand how TTL truly works. If you can afford an external flash ... just do it. It changes the way you shoot ... for the better.

@Dr4gon: I hope this reassures you of the quality image you can get with this lens. By the way, everything is handheld. LOL

Wider aperatures always soften a shot ... and while that maybe fine for a face or two, it kind of lacks for shadow and detail. Tighter aperture, more control of the light spectrum.

[dr4gon]

Yeah that's a lot better. From what I've been reading at dyxum, it seems Tamron (in Japan) has run dry and distributers (retailers) here in the states don't know when they'll be getting them (at least that's the word form b&h, and everyone is OOS, out of stock). So I hope my order goes through in time before I have to submit the rebate in mid September from Amazon. If it doesn't go through, and there's not another rebate, well..... I'll have to use the money on a different lens. And I don't see anything else right now in that price range that really catches my eye, YET! I'm sure I'll find something

Thanks for a reshoot . I know sean was also wanting to get that lens (or maybe it was sparkie). We all have the same line up..... we learn from the master!

[DonSchap]

Hey ... it's a matter of interest, that's all. I've spent some serious hours playing with all sorts of configurations and levels of light to appreciate the lower-end stuff. Of course, anyone can appreciate the expensive stuff. The challenge is certainly reduced, judging from that CZ 135mm f/1.8 I picked up.

Good luck in locating a SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di 1:1 MACRO

I'll see what I can find around here, but you are right ... it doesn't look good. Appears like SONY is really SLAMMING that door to alternatives to their high-end lens line. The days of cheap Minolta and TAMRON alternatives are over. SONY has a controlling interest in TAMRON ... and that pipe is, for all practical purposes, shut off. Oh sure, they will still pump out lenses for Canon and Nikon ... to drain the competing OEM lens resources, but that won't be happening to SONY from here on out.

"Welcome, to the Dark Side."

[seanhoxx]

good work Don, a direct view assessment, very interesting. I don't see any of the purple fringe with my 70-300 tamron but it is the newer one, and I mostly shoot outdoors with it. and yes the SP AF 90mm is on the short list of lenses to buy. Man what is it, a curse or what, the 90mm is now hard to find also, the Minolta 50mm 1.7 price climb, the tamron 70-200 waiting, waiting....waiting LOL Don I REALLY like the looks of the Tokina shots, is that the one you said you looked for a year to find and got from Japan? So another great lens, hard to find, don't make it anymore, can you get it repaired?

[DonSchap]

Yes, Sean ... the Tokina AT-X 840 was the lens I waited a long time to get my hands on. I just knew they'd be rare as hen's teeth once Tokina stopped producing Minolta-mount lenses. It's a 5-contact lens, also.

I heard that Tokina made a couple hundred AT-X 840 "D" Model II (8-contact) lenses before the plug got pulled, but I haven't ever seen one. Dyxum forum has a report on them, that confirms the build.

You might put a "continual search" up on ebay that will e-mail you automagically if one shows up. Then, let the bidding begin, because that will be a prize.