Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro VC USD Optical Macro Lens for Canon EF AFF017C700

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This lens is almost perfection. I have always loved the 85/90mm focal length as my normal lens (I’m an introvert). The problem has always been the very limited focusing distance on the typical 85mm, especially since they are touted as “portrait” lenses. Head and shoulders, that’s it with the focusing distance on most 85mm lenses, Nikon’s stellar 1.8 and 1.4, included. I owned both of them, as well as the 105mm Nikkor macro 2.8 in both the latest version and manual focus. I liked being able to focus closely, but could never warm up to the 105 as a portrait lens or landscape lens. I owned a Tamron 90mm back in Pentax film days and loved it, but sold it when I went to Nikon. Last year I jumped the Nikon lens ship and bought the Tamron 45mm. I was so impressed with it, I started looking at other Tamron optics, saved the pennies and bought the 90mm after doing much research. Having had bad experiences with Sigma lenses, I was reluctant to try a third-party optic. I almost bought the Tamron dock, but I am happy to say that, at least on my D750, focus is spot on with both lenses right out of the box. The bokeh is creamy on this 90mm, the focusing zippy and the sharpness delightful. I am more than satisfied with this lens and doubt if I’ll ever buy another Nikkor lens after experiencing the superior performance (SP) of the Tamron line. However, I feel my needs are largely covered by the Nikkor 24mm f/1.8 and the Tamron 45 and 90 lenses for 90 percent of what I do. The balance is great on the D750 and, for the most part, they work flawlessly. I did have a moment when the D750 would not fire and went into err mode with the Tamron on it. Swapped out batteries and took the lens off, but still no good. Put a Nikkor on, worked. Put the Tamron back on, and it worked the rest of the day. The D750 I have has been notorious for this, so I don’t chalk it up to the lens but the electronics in the camera. The stabilization on this lens is great, but remember it won’t do a thing for a moving subject. That is where an f/2 would really help. I’m dreaming of a Tamron 135 f/1.8 to go up against the Sigma Art lens. That is the other focal length I love shooting with, but, again, the focusing distance has never been close enough to satisfy me. My Zeiss 135 f/2 really shines, but only when I can hit focus!

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Pros:- Excellent sharpness, colors/contrast- Solid build/nice qualityCons:- Price compared to first party lens- Some major focus huntingThe cons are the reason why I cannot enthusiastically recommend this lens. On the Fleabay you can get a Canon 100mm L Macro for $750 with a ton of assessories. Also, considering the resale value on a Canon this is a no-brainer. The Canon focuses faster and can lock in with low light without hunting.This lens is very sharp but it hunts as much as the older 60mm macro version (also made by Tamron). I love Tamron’s zoom lenses but I’ve always had issues with their macro lenses. I may be done with Tamron’s macro lenses, or I’ll just be quicker to return within the 30 day return period.

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This lens is amazing. I’m using with a Nikon D600. Laser sharp! My coworker does wedding photography as a second job and he was very impressed with the sharpness as well. I have been using it for portraits and candies of my 10 month old son and I have some of the most amazing images. I typically used my Nikon 50 1.4 for these types of photos but it’s basically rendered that lens just ok and nownslated for replacement for a higher quality option. Photo added was captured with this lens.

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Had this lens before when I had my Nikon D750 and loved it. So when I went mirrorless i knew this was going to be on my shopping list. Then I bought the EOSR mirrorless. Yes I know all the bad about it ok I got it.So I got this lens again and hooked it to the canon EF-ESO R adapter and works like a charm. I think it focuses better then it did with my nikon.This is a incredible lens not just for macro work but, as well as other things as well. I used it to take some family pics and they are so sharp.

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I am so happy they have upgraded this lens. I was going to buy the older version before this one came out. I’m glad I waited. I have only taken a few pics with it, but so far I like what I am seeing! Have not tried it from a macro perspective yet, just took a few portraits. The DOF is excellent!

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First, if you buy this lens you MUST get the Tamron Tap-in Console. There is a firmware update that corrects issues with slow focusing and improves the VC (Image Stabilization) even further. The lens will still work without the Tap-in console and update, but I am suggesting that you buy them together or make plans on purchasing the Tap-In Console as soon as you can.This lens is simply INCREDIBLE. I’m usually a Canon junky, all Canon lenses. However, I decided to finally try a 3rd party lens after being disappointed with the 100mm f/2.8L from Canon. There is a serious benefit to buying from the little guy, they gotta work harder to win your business.This lens is an L quality lens, the glass is sharp, zero chromatic aberrations, zero flare, zero ghosting, incredibly stabilization, and you save $150 for a far superior product. I’m not going to go as far to say Tamron’s newer SP series trumps in every focal length, but this 90mm is hands down the only lens that is worth your time and money in the 85mm-105mm range. I will say that I am even considering selling my canon 85mm f/1.8, yes its a faster lens, but the VC (image stabilization) makes up for the f-stop difference. I can shoot at 1/13th shutter speed and have a tack sharp image. While using my Canon 85mm 1.8 I usually have to stay above 1/40-1/60 to be sharp, but might just be a shaky mess to begin with.As far as macro capability, I attached some sample photos, it’s important to remember this lens doubles as a portrait lens as well as a 1:1 macro.

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The reviews I saw about this lens were right on. Great contrast and clarity.

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I ordered this lens to take portraits of my family. It’s very sharp and the AF is accurate and fast. What pleasantly surprised me that I could take action photos of my dogs playing. They were crystal clear and are being used for education purposes. Tamron has developed a winner!

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Amazing color and clarity without any editing, and handle low light very well. Crisp & sharp even at it’s widest aperture. The vibration control is noisy, but it is a noticeable difference in the image quality with it on. I cannot speak for it’s durability but if something goes wrong I will update this review, as this will be my first non-Canon L-series lens.

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I loved this lens but did return it as it has a few faults which made it so I couldn’t justify keeping it for the money spent. When used correctly and in the right settings, it is very sharp. However, I like to shoot with a wide aperture for portraits and the chromatic aberrations created by this lens are probably the worst I’ve ever experienced. Sure, it could be edited out, but I have other lenses that don’t create such extreme green fringe that I’d prefer to use over this. It also struggles to focus when the lighting is even slightly dim. The best photos I produced with this lens were all in well-lit, outdoor situations. For those kind of scenarios this lens is great. I really did love it but for the price, eh… it just wasn’t a keeper.