Tamron SP AF 90mm Di II Pentax DFA100mm WR
Jul 28, 2014 10:49:26 #
Tamron SP AF 90mm Di II Pentax DFA100mm WR
I have been asked to do a small comparison between my old Tamron macro lens, and current Pentax macro lens, partly to keep it short and that this the macro section I will keep comments in line with this genre for the lenses, also no mention of AF benefits etc as I use manual focus and set to 1:1 meant that it was only on the odd occasion I had to back off to fit a target into the full frame.
Size and feel:
The Tamron was definitely the bulkier of the 2 lenses, with an extending barrel when focusing closer being made of plastic though meant that it didn't feel heavier, the lens hood on this also attaches to the extending barrel meaning it gets very long if fitted (not necessary in macro to be fair)
The Pentax is a smaller aluminium body with an extending plastic barrel, this gives the feeling of being substantial and solid when cradling in the palm, the lens hood on this though attaches to the barrel body thus protecting the extending barrel which when extended is almost in-line with the front of the hood, it is a nice touch and can be reassuring when poking about try to grab that shot around stonework.
Ease of use:
Tamron wins this, down to the clutch system on the Tamron, and one of the better points over the Pentax. The Pentax body has a AF-MF switch which dis-engages the AF motor drive, now with the Pentax lens this all you have to do but it still leaves the focusing ring ready for use, be it accidentally or deliberate. The Tamron has a push/pull focus ring which when pulled allows MF so I could set the lens at 1:1 then slide the focusing ring forward into AF and it would just spin like a collar, thus always knew I was at 1:1
Image:
Both being 1:1 and true macro lens the actual image qualities are immaculate when you nail the focus, sharp across the frame with exquisite detail, currently if I had to pick a favourite of the 2 for image quality the Tamron would probably edge it, I prefer the Pentax for colour reproduction but the Tamron just had that little extra, hard to describe but almost like a 3D quality about it.
For 99% of the macro work I was using f13-f16, but there is the odd occasion where I like to play with wide open apertures and this is where the Tamron EXCELLED, both have lovely OOF areas, really smooth, but the Tamron handled the high contrast situations so much better, very little fringing visible even if pixel peeping, the Pentax wide open and high contrast displays fringing that can be noticeable (it will however eliminate almost fully in camera with the options selected but it was still there).
Overall:
I bought and kept the Pentax for the weather resistance primarily as image quality was never going to be an issue, the lack of weather sealing on the Tamron meant that dust was able to work its way into the lens, not normally an issue when just using the lens but add in 65mm+ extension tubes (could do this with the Tamron as it has an Aperture ring, I only have 65mm of auto tubes for use with the Pentax, my manual tubes means the Pentax would be stuck wide open), I was then able to see these on the images which was very frustrating and took some time to realise muck on the sensor was not the cause (big shout out to Wilkinson cameras here as they didn't charge for the time I took the camera for cleaning they looked at it and said it was immaculate).
So if it was possible to do it I would go for a Tamron with weather sealing over the Pentax but it is an ever so squeaky tight decision.
Well I hope this was a worthwhile read for you, if there are any questions on anything else to do with the lenses please feel free to ask away, finally if it was of some benefit I hope it has helped in your decision.
I have been asked to do a small comparison between my old Tamron macro lens, and current Pentax macro lens, partly to keep it short and that this the macro section I will keep comments in line with this genre for the lenses, also no mention of AF benefits etc as I use manual focus and set to 1:1 meant that it was only on the odd occasion I had to back off to fit a target into the full frame.
Size and feel:
The Tamron was definitely the bulkier of the 2 lenses, with an extending barrel when focusing closer being made of plastic though meant that it didn't feel heavier, the lens hood on this also attaches to the extending barrel meaning it gets very long if fitted (not necessary in macro to be fair)
The Pentax is a smaller aluminium body with an extending plastic barrel, this gives the feeling of being substantial and solid when cradling in the palm, the lens hood on this though attaches to the barrel body thus protecting the extending barrel which when extended is almost in-line with the front of the hood, it is a nice touch and can be reassuring when poking about try to grab that shot around stonework.
Ease of use:
Tamron wins this, down to the clutch system on the Tamron, and one of the better points over the Pentax. The Pentax body has a AF-MF switch which dis-engages the AF motor drive, now with the Pentax lens this all you have to do but it still leaves the focusing ring ready for use, be it accidentally or deliberate. The Tamron has a push/pull focus ring which when pulled allows MF so I could set the lens at 1:1 then slide the focusing ring forward into AF and it would just spin like a collar, thus always knew I was at 1:1
Image:
Both being 1:1 and true macro lens the actual image qualities are immaculate when you nail the focus, sharp across the frame with exquisite detail, currently if I had to pick a favourite of the 2 for image quality the Tamron would probably edge it, I prefer the Pentax for colour reproduction but the Tamron just had that little extra, hard to describe but almost like a 3D quality about it.
For 99% of the macro work I was using f13-f16, but there is the odd occasion where I like to play with wide open apertures and this is where the Tamron EXCELLED, both have lovely OOF areas, really smooth, but the Tamron handled the high contrast situations so much better, very little fringing visible even if pixel peeping, the Pentax wide open and high contrast displays fringing that can be noticeable (it will however eliminate almost fully in camera with the options selected but it was still there).
Overall:
I bought and kept the Pentax for the weather resistance primarily as image quality was never going to be an issue, the lack of weather sealing on the Tamron meant that dust was able to work its way into the lens, not normally an issue when just using the lens but add in 65mm+ extension tubes (could do this with the Tamron as it has an Aperture ring, I only have 65mm of auto tubes for use with the Pentax, my manual tubes means the Pentax would be stuck wide open), I was then able to see these on the images which was very frustrating and took some time to realise muck on the sensor was not the cause (big shout out to Wilkinson cameras here as they didn't charge for the time I took the camera for cleaning they looked at it and said it was immaculate).
So if it was possible to do it I would go for a Tamron with weather sealing over the Pentax but it is an ever so squeaky tight decision.
Well I hope this was a worthwhile read for you, if there are any questions on anything else to do with the lenses please feel free to ask away, finally if it was of some benefit I hope it has helped in your decision.
Jul 28, 2014 20:26:50 #
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