Jacqui Burke Loc: Perkiomenville, PA

I have a first generation 150-600 mm Tamron tele lens that I use on a Nikon D7200 to shoot wildlife. Earlier in the year it got some moisture in it when I forgot my rainsleeves during a drizzle. I was in Baja and there were endangered Guadalupe for seals to shoot, so...I dried the lens with a hair dryer and all seemed well, except I later discovered that the lens was grossly overexposing at small aperatures, as when shooting a group of birds at a time.

I sent the lens to Tamron for servicing and just got it back this week. I tried it out today. It is now intermittently grossly focus hunting, even when pointed at a large still object with good contrast and in good light. When the lens does focus lock in this situation, the focus is grossly off. If I continue to “ask” the lens for focus with the BBF button, it will eventually focus clearly and be sharp. At other times, it focuses as well as it ever has in the four years that I have owned it.

Obviously the unreliable focus is untenable for wildlife photography. Should I send it back to Tamron for round two of servicing, bite the bullet and get a new lens, or is there some quick fix? I admit that I have not updated the firmware in my D7200 for about two years.

Thanks!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Although it is possible that an update of the firmware of your D7200 could fix your problems with the lens keep in mind that Nikon cameras were made for Nikon lenses.
You cannot sell the lens the way it is now so if I were you the lens should go back to Tamron.
Perhaps a 200-500 AF, VR Nikon lens is in your future.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

If it were me, I would send it back to Tamron for servicing. When you get it back sell it to B&H and arrance the price difference for the Nikon 200-500 lens. I have one and they are great.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Sounds like they didn't get it right. I'd send it back. If they can't get it right, you should politely insist on a replacement, since I am assuming it was fine before you sent it in the first time.

2/3s of my lenses are Nikkors, but the other third are a mix of Sigma and Tamron - 50-500mm, 18-50mm, 150-600mm, 100-300mm, 150mm Macro, 180mm Macro - and all work just like my Nikkor lenses.

FWIW, I like the 150-600 Tamron as much as the Nikkor 200-500, but I much prefer the G2 - which is considerably sharper.

Jacqui Burke Loc: Perkiomenville, PA

Before I sent it in the aperature blades were not working well; they wouldn’t close down to smaller aperatures. The autofocus always had a tendency to freeze from time to time for the entire time I owned the lens. I asked them to address that issue which likely led to the creation of the new issue, which is far worse.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Hi Jacqui. I, too, have the lens that you do. And, I too, got some water in it not too long after I got it. The lens did dry out, although I could not use it on that trip, and I did use it again a couple of times if I recall correctly. Then, took it on a shoot to New Mexico for birds and the autofocus went out and I could not use it on that trip either! Sent it to Tamron, they fixed it under warranty and sent it back. I bought a Nikon 200-500 and used that instead and the Tamron lens simply sat; I can't remember if I even checked it when I got it back. Maybe six months ago I loaned it to someone who does not have a long lens. She called me and said I can't get the lens to focus; I checked it and, sure enough, the auto focus was out again! I sent it to Tamron again and received it back just a few days ago and still need to check it. Tamron did pay as, apparently, the lens has a five-year warranty and I was lucky that I'm still in a few months of warrently. I did write them that the lens was a lemon and that I would never buy any Tamron lens again because of that (like they really cared!). So, after I check it I think I'll take the advice someone gave you about trading it in on B&H (assuming that it now works) and buying something else. I've got the 500mmPF Nikon lens ordered but, darn, not through B&H this time around! I guess I'll have to buy something else!! I love the Nikon 200-500 but wanted to try a fixed lens this time around. I have no plans to get rid of the 200-500.

Jacqui Burke Loc: Perkiomenville, PA

The lens is wrapped to return to Tamron. Once I get it back I am getting rid of it right away; you have all convinced me of that. I mostly use it on international wildlife viewing trips and it would be horrible for it to go out early on a two week trip to a once-in-a-lifetime destination.. Thanks for the advice.

Donkas1946 Loc: Southern NH

Probably too simple but did you check the focus limiter switch when you got it back?

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Updating firmware will not help because it would not be for Tamron lenses, only Nikon lenses. YES THEIR IS A DIFFERENCE. That is why I caution AGAINST 3rd party glass.
Do yourself a favor and buy a NIKON 200-500 5.6 lens. Then, you will be happy. And, they are currently on sale.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1175034-REG/nikon_af_s_nikkor_200_500mm_f_5_6e.html?sts=pi&pim=Y

Jacqui Burke Loc: Perkiomenville, PA

Yes. In addition, sometimes the lens focuses well and sometimes it focus hunts excessively. I am stopping by my local camera store after work to have them ship it back to Tamron. I am considering the 200-500, but like the longer reach of the Tamron.

gnawbone Loc: Southern Indiana

I've owned 2 Tamron lenses in the last 3 years and returned then both because of slow or non-existent focusing - one was the lens you're referring to. I'm done with Tamron. On my Nikon I use either Nikon or Sigma lenses and that's it.