TAP-in Console: I just purchased a new lens (Tamron 18-400) and B&H sent me a TAP-in CON. I am completely lost as to how to us it, what it does and how to go about using it. Is it...

Ron Krause

I just purchased a new lens (Tamron 18-400) and B&H sent me a TAP-in CON. I am completely lost as to how to us it, what it does and how to go about using it. Is it something I must do or is it a correction device. I would appreciate any and all advice. Thanks in advance to all. Everyone have a great holiday season!!

bbrowner Loc: Chapel Hill, NC

I haven't the slightest idea about this. Never heard of it. But out of curiosity... I Googled it. Try that. There is stuff about it there... including some YouTubes.

Barry

Bill_de Loc: US

Google came up with a video, and a whole lot more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vm-17Pq6Jc

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dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Ron Krause wrote:

I just purchased a new lens (Tamron 18-400) and B&H sent me a TAP-in CON. I am completely lost as to how to us it, what it does and how to go about using it. Is it something I must do or is it a correction device. I would appreciate any and all advice. Thanks in advance to all. Everyone have a great holiday season!!

It depends. If the Tamron issues a firmware update for the lens, this will be the easiest way of installing it. If the 18-400 has customization switches, this is how you would program them. If you want to do fine tuning of your focus, this is how you would do that.

I have the Sigma version for their lenses and use it occasionally. But on those occasions it has been valuable.

Pistnbroke Loc: UK

May the lord help us ...This is a device to enable you to adjust the fine focus adjust at a range of focal lengths from 18-400 mmm and at a range of distances from 1.5m to infinity . If you have a Nikon D850 D500 or D7500 its easy .anything else just use it to set the fine focus adjust at infinity and 400mm or you will go mental with the stresss.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

This device allows you to update firmware in the lens. This can be for calibration or update operation. Calibration is used to adjust the lens to more perfectly match your camera and is done at various focal lengths and apertures. This is helpful for DSLRs, but I suspect only for the viewfinder since live view is WYSIWYG.

Pistnbroke Loc: UK

No its not done at different apertures ..distances and focal lengths.
The tap in enables the computer in the lens to adjust for all the variables rather than the lens designer trying to get it right in the profiles of the glass.
If you will tell us what camera you have then those of us who have the device and know how to use it can advise.

Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

I got the same thing for the same lens from them. I actually found it helpful. I increased the amount of focus I was getting at the further distances and found that I was getting sharper images after I did that. Now that I've used it at those settings for awhile now I need to go back and change it to see if I'm still seeing a difference. Overall it is a trial and error process as you have shoot some shots and see it it's focusing where you want it to. Then based on whether your focus is coming out in front of or behind where it should have in your shot is how you change the settings. Then once you do, you take some more shots and see if it helped.

JerryLS Loc: Davenport.Iowa

I have the same combination and the answers you got does not tell you how. I have a nikon D500 and would truly learn to calibrate the lense for the best sharpness. I have not been able to find that info. Thank you all

Pistnbroke Loc: UK

Well here is the information.
For 400mm set up a target at about 40m ( a cross on a white background is ok) Camera on tripod and use the auto set up procedure to find the focus shift required. Make a note of this and then repeat at all the focal lengths required. Re set the Nikon to 0 after each test .Continue at the different distances until you have a complete chart of the findings. Any that look out re check . You should find a "drift" in the figures left to right and top to bottom. Should take you about 30 min. Then enter the figures into the lens via the tap in console. Make sure the Nikon is set at 0 in the FFA table. The lens will make all the necessary focus adjustments.
For any of you that have a canon ..tough titty ..look forward to days of frustration.

donmikes Loc: Doylestown, PA

Ron Krause wrote:

I just purchased a new lens (Tamron 18-400) and B&H sent me a TAP-in CON. I am completely lost as to how to us it, what it does and how to go about using it. Is it something I must do or is it a correction device. I would appreciate any and all advice. Thanks in advance to all. Everyone have a great holiday season!!

The menu on my Nikon D7000 includes an option to fine tune autofocus, and it seems to be lens-specific. While I have never had the need to use this feature, I wonder if it would produce the same results as the Tamron tap-in console.

SeaBrat Loc: St Petersburg, FL

I have a Tamron 70-200 G2 that I used with my D850 and Z6. The tap-in console came with software allowed me to upgrade the lens firmware so it now is compatible with the Nikon Z series cameras. The Tamron tap-in console software allowed me to fine tune the lens focus at different focal lengths. I also purchased Fol-cal software that makes it easier to fine tune the lens with the Tap-in console. The lens was good before fine tuning the lens focus. Now its great! After that effort I have the lens for sale: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-618756-1.html There are a few youtube videos that help understanding the Tap-in console focus process.

markinvictoria Loc: Victoria TX

I tried the Tamron 18-400 with the tap-in a year ago. I figured with the D500 focusing and the Tamron tap-in I could get the maximum results from the 18-400. Upgrading the lens firmware...a piece of cake. Fine tuning the lens focus was the most frustrating experience I've had in quite a while. Tamron instructions basically said how to input the numbers...but no clue of how to come up with the right numbers. Also no idea of what distances to use for infinity. At the time there wasn't much on youtube that was really helpful. I got the lens working fairly acceptable...but was never happy with it at 400...so returned it.

Recently I bought the Tamron 70-200 2.8 G2 with the tap-in. With much more information available now on the tap-in I was able to get amazing results with the G2. I finally received a formula for 'infinity distances' from Tamron customer service..."900 X focal length / 25.4 = inches / 12 = feet"...but haven't taken the time try it.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Tea8 wrote:

I got the same thing for the same lens from them. ... (show quote)

It doesn't have to be trial and error. There's a well defined process by which you set up a target and determine the adjustment amount for different focal lengths and distance to subject. If you have a Nikon that has auto Fine Tuning then it's really easy to use that to get the adjustment numbers. Steve Perry has a great video on it.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

donmikes wrote:

The menu on my Nikon D7000 includes an option to fine tune autofocus, and it seems to be lens-specific. While I have never had the need to use this feature, I wonder if it would produce the same results as the Tamron tap-in console.

The difference is the Nikon adjustment only takes one value. You have to get the numbers for different focal lengths and subject distances and average them for one overall number. With the Tap-In you create a matrix that gets loaded into the lens firmware and it creates a curve of adjustments. You can also do this for multiple bodies and save the files, then depending on which body you're going to use with that lens you can load that file before you go shoot.