Tamron SP 150-600mm ?? Im considering exchanging my Canon 100-400mm f/4L for this new Tamron SP 150-600mm. Anyone have firsthand experience with this new Tamron? My Canon lens is too...

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Im considering exchanging my Canon 100-400mm f/4L for this new Tamron SP 150-600mm.

Anyone have firsthand experience with this new Tamron?

My Canon lens is too soft focused for my tastes and from what I read so far, the Tamron seems to have hit a good balance between focus, versatility and reach.

Is anyone able to talk me out of this potentially foolish lens exchange?

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Festina Lente wrote:

Im considering exchanging my Canon 100-400mm f/4L for this new Tamron SP 150-600mm.

Anyone have firsthand experience with this new Tamron?

My Canon lens is too soft focused for my tastes and from what I read so far, the Tamron seems to have hit a good balance between focus, versatility and reach.

Is anyone able to talk me out of this potentially foolish lens exchange?

I have heard good things in general about the 150-600. Susposed to be quite sharp out to 500mm but somewhat soft at 600mm. I was thinking about the Tamron but decided to go with the 150-500mm Sigma instead. Sharp out to 500 and is said to have better construction. Plus it is less money and no waiting. I found a good used one here on the Hog. Just waiting for it to show up. This review may be of interest to you:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/sigma/150-500mm.htm

RegisG Loc: Mid-Tennessee

Lots of examples here on UHH.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

LFingar wrote:

I have heard good things in general about the 150-600. Susposed to be quite sharp out to 500mm but somewhat soft at 600mm. I was thinking about the Tamron but decided to go with the 150-500mm Sigma instead. Sharp out to 500 and is said to have better construction. Plus it is less money and no waiting. I found a good used one here on the Hog. Just waiting for it to show up. This review may be of interest to you:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/sigma/150-500mm.htm

Thanks LFingar. I had not seriously considered the Sigma until your post above.
Perhaps I'll hang on to the Canon 100-400L for a while until I determine whether the Tamron or the Sigma would be better for my needs.
The Tamron sure has everyone's attention with lots of positives and a few negative posts and rumors of early problems.
But hiking the in the Northwest with a 150-600mm and tripod sure takes car of most photo opportunities without having to lug around three lenses and switching them with Murphy looking over my shoulder.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Just search "Tamron 150-600" on the forum here to get lots of examples.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Festina Lente wrote:

Thanks LFingar. I had not seriously considered th... (show quote)

My thought process was that if it was only sharp to about 500mm or so, then why pay for the extra 100mm? I know a lot of professionals say sharpness doesn't really matter, but I'm not a professional and I like sharp images right out of the camera. MT Shooter, a Hog member and owner of a camera shop in Montana, tells me he has the Sigma and is very happy with it. I am eagerly awaiting the one I bought.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

robertjerl wrote:

Just search "Tamron 150-600" on the forum here to get lots of examples.

Thanks. I spent over an hour doing just that before posting.
I'm really looking for someone with experience with both the Canon 100-400 and the Tamron.

Most opinions posted tend to be subjective and relative to one's previous experience. I'm looking for sharper images at the 300 to 500mm range.

The Canon seems to fail to deliver tack-sharp images past 300mm (at least mine does, despite numerous in-camera calibrations.)

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

LFingar wrote:

My thought process was that if it was only sharp to about 500mm or so, then why pay for the extra 100mm? I know a lot of professionals say sharpness doesn't really matter, but I'm not a professional and I like sharp images right out of the camera. MT Shooter, a Hog member and owner of a camera shop in Montana, tells me he has the Sigma and is very happy with it. I am eagerly awaiting the one I bought.

Good point about the 500mm to 600mm difference. I'm already looking at the Sigma as it is available for immediate shipment; the Tamron is on back order everywhere currently.

"I know a lot of professionals say sharpness doesn't really matter..."
I don't think I've ever met one (at least one that admitted it... :) ).
All of the professionals I know or work with believe that focus is paramount. A great photo out of focus is always deleted as no one but a bride and groom would accept it, professionally.
As a professional, I tend to agree.

Sharp focus is not always easy to attain as so many factors besides the lens are involved, but I believe it is critical for most images.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Festina Lente wrote:

Thanks. I spent over an hour doing just that before posting.
I'm really looking for someone with experience with both the Canon 100-400 and the Tamron.

Most opinions posted tend to be subjective and relative to one's previous experience. I'm looking for sharper images at the 300 to 500mm range.

The Canon seems to fail to deliver tack-sharp images past 300mm (at least mine does, despite numerous in-camera calibrations.)

Canon is reportedly going to be announcing a new 100-400 L in a few days. I would assume it will be a noticeable improvement, but for the reported price you could probably buy both the Sigma and the Tamron!

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

LFingar wrote:

Canon is reportedly going to be announcing a new 100-400 L in a few days. I would assume it will be a noticeable improvement, but for the reported price you could probably buy both the Sigma and the Tamron!

Good point. At close to the rumored double the current price for the currently selling 100-400L, I'm curious as to what has been done to improve it.
I'm hoping that it will be sealed (no pumping), have improved ESIII, and maybe be a f/3.5 throughout its focal range. That might be worth the additional couple grand.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Have you watched this video? It covers the Canon 100-400, Canon 400 prime and Tamron 150-600.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fmMG5jgDwk

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Festina Lente wrote:

Good point about the 500mm to 600mm difference. I... (show quote)

I didn't say that I had heard professionals say that focus is not important. The reference was to statements about sharpness which is not necessarily the same thing as I understand it.

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Festina Lente, take a look at the photos Regis has posted with his Tammy all the way out to 600. They look really sharp- made me a believer. ;)

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

robertjerl wrote:

Have you watched this video? It covers the Canon 100-400, Canon 400 prime and Tamron 150-600.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fmMG5jgDwk

Yes, just now. Thanks!!!
Naturally any prime will be sharper than a equivalent focal length telephoto.
But the information in this video got me to thinking that a 400mm prime and a 1.4x teleconverter, while not as flexible a the 150-600mm, might be my best bet for what I want.

Thanks again. You helped solve two problems for me and that is a lot.

gawler Loc: rural south australia

Festina Lente wrote:

Im considering exchanging my Canon 100-400mm f/4L for this new Tamron SP 150-600mm.

Anyone have firsthand experience with this new Tamron?

My Canon lens is too soft focused for my tastes and from what I read so far, the Tamron seems to have hit a good balance between focus, versatility and reach.

Is anyone able to talk me out of this potentially foolish lens exchange?

my wife and i own the tamron 150-600 sigma 150-500 and the canon 100-400 i nearly always put on the tamron the wife likes the sigma and the canon well it stays in its case most of the time
all our lens are calibrated to bodys tamron works best on the 6d
sigma 5d mark 3 , not sure why this is , we mainly shot wild life so i guess the extra reach helps . we are well aware that close close close is the best rule with birds ect but the canon just does not cut it in my opinion
i have said this all on Uhh before upsets a few but it is only my opinion of our copy