TAMRON - 16-300 mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Nikon F Cameras - Black - B016N

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Dave, you say I'm making a "pointless observation" because the lens will only be for casual snapshots. Thanks. But in your desire to put me down, I think you've missed what I'm really getting at, the context. Broadly speaking, there are two extremes of photographer in this world – the happy snapper and the pixel-peeper. The pixel-peeper is serious about technical quality and is prepared to sacrifice convenience to achieve what he believes is perfection. The happy snapper enjoys taking pictures and isn’t too worried about the finer points of quality, but wants to be able to enjoy his hobby. This final shot was taken at Duranbah beach, on Australia’s Gold Coast. It is a wonderful view looking down at this beach during the day and this shot was taken at 225mm, handheld (effectively 360mm). Again, I used Tamron’s Vibration Control system to stabilize the image and the sharpness throughout the frame is fantastic. At 16mm and maximum aperture, the sharpness delivered by this lens in the centre of the frame is already outstanding, and clarity towards the edges of the frame is fairly good. Stopping down improves performance across the frame, with peak sharpness being achieved at f/8. Here clarity is outstanding in the centre, and excellent towards the edges of the frame. This time though, the focal length range also extends wider, from 18mm to 16mm (28mm to 24mm equivalent), bringing serious wide-angle capability to the superzoom category for the first time. A couple of millimetersimprovement over the previous Tamron 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD may not sound like much, but it makes a very useful difference at short focal lengths and the extended range now sets a new record with a whopping 18.8x zoom ratio. Closest focusing distance has also been reduced to earn the 'Macro' designation (even if it's hardly macro in the true sense of allowing 1:1 reproduction).

The scale on the left side is an indication of actual image resolution. The taller the column, the better the lens performance. Simple. The Tamron AF 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD does suffer from chromatic aberrations, more so at the edges of the frame when shooting wide-angle, but it's really not too bad at all. As with most gear, people place varying degrees of importance on minute details. Here are a few small points that impressed me about the Tamron 16-300mm. If DP Review had said the lens is only for casual use, I wouldn't have added my 2 cents. Furthermore, the reviewer says that the softness issue only comes into play at 200-300mm. That's factually incorrect. It's actually there from 50mm.This photo above was taken during the typhoon season which hits Japan from July to November every year. I shot this at 280mm, which was effectively 450mm with the APS-C sensor. This place doesn’t allow you to get a close vantage point so having the incredible zoom capability of the Tamron 16-300mm was a huge bonus in allowing me to get this shot. When we convert the marked focal lengths into measurements we can relate to 35mm or full-frame systems, we are presented with the effects of a 25-465mm focal range. The significance of this is that most zooms of this type designed for APS-C cameras start at 18mm, or 28mm in full-frame language. That 2mm difference, which seems nothing when marked on a barrel, makes a whole focal-length step in the real world – we all understand the genuine difference switching from a 28mm to a 24mm lens can make. In this sense, then, it takes a tiny but important step beyond lenses such as Nikon’s AF-S DX 18-300mm, and offers something more in line with the kind of wideangles that bridge cameras offer. Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR– Highlights include a fast ring-type ultrasonic autofocus, updated stabilizer, four extra-low dispersion elements, sealed mounting plate, and super ED element.

Finally at 300mm, overall performance is reduced a little, but the lens still holds up very well, especially when the huge zoom range is taken into consideration. At f/6.3, sharpness approaches very good levels in the centre of the frameand is fairly good towards the edges. The performance towards the edges of the frame doesn't improve by much with stopping down, but sharpness does reach excellent levels in the centre between f/8 and f/11. This is what superzooms are all about - one lens, that goes from wide-angle, through the standard focal length range, and on to a very respectable telephoto. Tamron has even trade-marked the term 'all in one' and its 16-300mm lens leads the class with an 18.8:1 zoom ratio. When looking through the viewfinder while engaging and disengaging the VC, you can truly see an immediate and substantial smoothing out of camera shake. Though definitely not a replacement for a good tripod and steady hands, the VC made a noticeable difference in the sharpness of images taken at slower shutter speeds in low light. Small Details All test images are presented with no alteration in color, sharpness, contrast, or clarity except where indicated. Only small adjustments in exposure were made to test images. Gear used for this review and tests – Canon 7D and a Manfrotto 190 tripod. The sharpness at 16mm and maximum aperture are outstanding, and peak sharpness is attainable at f/1.8. However, it reduces considerably towards 70mm, and some clarity at the edges of the frame is noticeable. Chromatic aberrations are an issue at 300mm and highly visible along the edge of the frame. While its macro performance tends to reduce at 300mm, this lens holds up nicely considering its wide zoom range.Any lens that is capable of taking good shots in a variety of conditions will always be a hit and high in demand. All-in-one lenses offer more flexibility than any other kind, eliminating the need to lug around too much gear. Images: With the lens set at 70mm, I shot this scene across the entire aperture range. You can see how resolution increases to f/11 and then falls off beyond f/16 Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro vs Nikon AF-S DX 18-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR vs Nikon AF-S DX 18-300mm f3.5-6.3G ED VR: Nikon options just have the edge The version of this Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro lens I had to test was fitted for Canon EF-S, so I chose to mount it on an EOS 70D – being perhaps at the upper end of the kind of camera with which we might expect this lens to be used. Extended or contracted, the lens makes a fine mate for the body. The two balance well, and while somewhat heavy for all-day carrying, it is no worse than most enthusiasts are prepared to lumber themselves with.