Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP Macro for Aquatic Photograhy

[hwchoy]

well, I have not use this lens personally but reviews has been extremely positive. You can see a review here http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/len...0_28/index.htm

In fact it has been said that this lens is optically at least as good as the Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM.

More importantly it is half the price of the Canon! A new lens is selling below S$600.

Now the drawback (at least where I am concern), this lens has a protruding front element. When you focus, the lens will grow longer or shorter like Pinocchio's nose! This is not a problem if you shoot LH (such a revolting thought, I'd rather smash my camera than to do a thing like that!) but if you are shooting sub-cm things, your lens may smash into the glass of the tank during focusing.

Let's hear the experience from some real owners.

[hwchoy]

here someone is selling for $480 http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=170203

[benny]

Photo from www.photozone.de...

This is the reason why I prefer an all internal focusing model for fish photography. For less skittish and bigger fishes, it's not so much of a problem but for really close up subjects, the front protruding element can really discount your efforts in my humble opinion.

I think goondu use to have this as well as wynx. Let's hear from them.

Cheers,

[wynx]

Yes..I am a user of one. Frankly, the protuding front is a bit of a concern but in the case of fish photography, our environment is pretty much set up...so not much to worry, the focusing distance is sort of fixed, cos you know the fish you be taking, how much you fill the frame, etc. It helps that you use manual focusing cos it is noiseless unlike the auto-mode.

Talking about auto mode...the lens is slow compared to the Canon USM Lens...but not of a concern for me really as I am using manual mode when it comes to fishes...

The sharpness and all described in the article is pretty much true too. An added bonus..it is a damm good potrait lens...

[Green Baron]

Now the drawback (at least where I am concern), this lens has a protruding front element. When you focus, the lens will grow longer or shorter like Pinocchio's nose! This is not a problem if you shoot LH (such a revolting thought, I'd rather smash my camera than to do a thing like that!) but if you are shooting sub-cm things, your lens may smash into the glass of the tank during focusing.

Choy,
The lens will never smash into the glass unless the fish you are shooting is at the back of the tank . In fact most of the time my lens is at least a foot away from the front of the tank !

Most people buy this lens because it is good value for money. If one can afford the Canon 100mm, they should go for it !

I use both Auto and Manual focus depending on the type of fish I am taking.

These are some photos taken with this lens :





Trigonostigma hengeli, ( T. espei behind)

[hwchoy]

I agree you will not langar your glass shooting these fishes. I was using my Canon on some Boraras micros which I think is probably less than 10mm only, so I went in all the way to get a 1:1 magnification and realise my lens hood was almost touching the glass already. but then again, it is HALF the price!

[benny]

I think the image quality from the Tamron lens is not disputed here. I would say that it's on par with the Canon one. If the frills are within the budget, go for it. Otherwise, this baby here will still give you the images that you want.

Don't forget, at the end of the day, nobody cares about what you shot with, but it's what you shot that matters.

Cheers,

[MrTree]

i was shooting this small spider with the lens and built-in flash..ended up the flash hit the extended lens and half of the picture was black....didn't have time to take out the external flash..the spider disappeared very soon..