I bought the Tamron 70-300mm Macro Zoom lens for my Canon camera back in June, 2017. I used it once or twice at the start then it got shelved. That is, until this past few weeks. I got into doing indoor vintage style still photos after the autumn weather turned bad and re-discovered this lens.
After more than a year of complete neglect, I fell in love with this Tamron lens. I found the quality and sharpness of the images to be amazing with this easy to use accessory. Considering the low price, the quality far exceeds expectations.
I paid $164.81 CAD for this product back in June, 2017. There was a $21.07 shipping fee tacked on for a total of $185.88. Now, you can get the same exact lens off Amazon for just $133.85 Canadian dollars and the shipping is free. For those in Canada, it should be noted that Amazon has started tacking on GST to all orders.
I should make it clear that the image above was taken with the lens and is not the lens! The photo is a closeup of an old Pentax Spotmatic camera I had in college some 30 years ago. At that time, it was a long outdated antique camera but it worked well and I learned a lot from using it.
See below the gallery for actual pictures of the Tamron 70-300mm lens. I took those photos with a recently acquired Oshiro 60mm Ultra Macro lens. This is another lens I’m quickly falling in love with and will feature that product in an upcoming article.
Image Gallery Using Tamron 70-300mm Macro/Zoom
Below is a collection of photos taken with the Tamron 70-300mm Macro Zoom lens. The top three have been cropped slightly for balance only. The bottom six are not cropped and are what you get right out of the camera (as far as closeness and sharpness).
High resolution versions of these images and other photos from the same day are available at Dreamstime. Want to earn cash from your own photos? Why not sign up for free with Dreamstime and start submitting now: Become a paid photographer!
My Experience With This Lens
This is an auto-focus lens but does not have image stabilization. I pretty much always set up on a tripod and am a big fan of manual focus (if Thomas Heaton is a proponent of manual focus with his much higher grade camera, then I am too). In saying that, I have used the zoom with auto-focus on and it did an adequate job. The AF, however, can be a bit slow and noisy.
The cry of Canon users in the product reviews on Amazon was that the zoom ring operates in the opposite direction to a standard Canon lens. This, by no means, affects quality. It just takes a bit of getting used to to turn the lens the right way when zooming in and focusing. Also, the button that switches from zoom to macro takes some getting used to and can seem a little finicky.
For my needs, the sharpness far exceeds that of the Canon brand zoom lens that came with the camera. Close-up still scenes are a breeze. For the price /quality combination, you simply can’t go wrong with adding this photographic tool to your arsenal.
Video From Hockley Valley Provincial Nature Reserve
The video below was taken entirely with the Tamron 70-300 Macro Zoom Lens attached. The clips and photos were taken at Hockley Valley Provincial Nature Reserve near Orangeville, Ontario, Canada on November 1, 2018. If you like what you see, please give it a ‘Thumb’s Up’ in YouTube. We would so appreciate if you’d consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel!
Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens
Tamron claims it is setting the standard for lightweight long-range zoom lenses. The lens weighs in at 458 grams or 16.2 ounces. This is indeed quite a bit lighter than any OEM Canon 70-300mm product. They also boast low dispersion glass for greater lens sharpness and reduced chromatic aberration. I’ve found nothing with the quality of images that would say any different.
Amazon Product Description
Designed for optimum handling ease and portability, the Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 AF Lens is ideal for handheld shooting with full-frame and APS-C format SLRs. Its unsurpassed close-focusing ability makes it perfect for nature and portrait photography. Picture takers eager to bring distant sports or wildlife subjects closer, as well as bringing tiny, close range subjects into clear focus will appreciate the standout macro function, available at focal lengths between 180 and 300mm, with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2 (one half life-size).
From The Manufacturer
Designed for optimum handling ease and portability (it weighs only 458g <16.2oz.> ), it’s ideal for handheld shooting with full-frame and APS-C format SLRs. Its unsurpassed close-focusing ability (down to 0.95m (3.1 feet ) or 1:2 in macro mode) makes it perfect for nature and portrait photography.
Specifications
Model No: A17
Focal Length: 70-300mm
Maximum Aperture: F/4-5.6
Minimum Aperture: F/32
Minimum Object Distance: 0.95m
Maximum Magnification Ratio: 1:2
Groups/Elements: 9/13
Angle of View: 34-8
