[netrex]

So I seem to be getting this lens. I have the Pentax DA* 50-135mm now, but I want a bit more reach, and I got a really great deal on the Tamron.



I've read that the Tamron which only gets screw drive AF on Pentax not micro motor as it apparently get on Nikon and Canon, has faster AF on Pentax as a result, though it will make more noise, so it will be interesting to see how it fares against the DA* 50-135mm which is no speed demon.



Image quality wise I'm sure it will deliver. It even has 9 aperture blades, which are curvy, so it creates nice looking light sources.



So I'm kinda excited about this <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> I'll be going out of town to photograph snowmobile cross and reindeer racing at the end of the week, so hopefully it will get here before then.



Does anyone have any experience with this lens other than the review here on this site?

[Guest]

I had it once, mounted to my Fuji S5. Great image quality in every respect, which means high sharpness and contrast, very nice bokeh. But AF via micro motor was very slow and not the most precise one. I think you will be better of with the Pentax version: from what I've seen on youtube, AF is markedly faster without the micro motor.



Chris

[netrex]

Yes, definitely faster:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKH25FhK8b4



And this guy says the same thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctopOqYl-oI



So it will be interesting to see, I'm expecting it to focus faster than the DA* 50-135mm.

[thxbb12]

[quote name='TheChris' timestamp='1333357115' post='17279']

I had it once, mounted to my Fuji S5. Great image quality in every respect, which means high sharpness and contrast, very nice bokeh. But AF via micro motor was very slow and not the most precise one. I think you will be better of with the Pentax version: from what I've seen on youtube, AF is markedly faster without the micro motor.



Chris

[/quote]





What kind of AF accuracy issues did you encounter exactly?



I'm considering the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 on a D800...



Thanks.

[goran h]

[quote name='Alexander ' timestamp='1333337453' post='17274']

So I seem to be getting this lens. I have the Pentax DA* 50-135mm now, but I want a bit more reach, and I got a really great deal on the Tamron.



I've read that the Tamron which only gets screw drive AF on Pentax not micro motor as it apparently get on Nikon and Canon, has faster AF on Pentax as a result, though it will make more noise, so it will be interesting to see how it fares against the DA* 50-135mm which is no speed demon.



Image quality wise I'm sure it will deliver. It even has 9 aperture blades, which are curvy, so it creates nice looking light sources.



So I'm kinda excited about this <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> I'll be going out of town to photograph snowmobile cross and reindeer racing at the end of the week, so hopefully it will get here before then.



Does anyone have any experience with this lens other than the review here on this site?

[/quote]

This is really a nice lens if you get a good sample without decentering problems. I have it with pentax mount. Af accuracy is surprisingly good with my sample, in fact one of my better lenses in this respect. Focus speed is pretty fast, but I would not recommend it for fast sports as basket. I use it mainly for portraits, flowers and landscape. For that kind of phoyography it is a very good lens with a very pleasing bokeh.



Göran

[netrex]

Which Pentax are you using it with?

[Guest]

[quote name='thxbb12' timestamp='1333461810' post='17299']

What kind of AF accuracy issues did you encounter exactly?



I'm considering the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 on a D800...



Thanks.

[/quote]



It was slow and the motor had difficulties to cope with the masses of the lens groups it had to move. AF accuracy wasn't always spot on, a slight deviation could be observed. But I attribute that to the weak AF motor.



Chris

[goran h]

[quote name='Alexander ' timestamp='1333493222' post='17305']

Which Pentax are you using it with?

[/quote]

First on K10D and now on K5.



Göran

[netrex]

Ok. Did you notice a difference in the focus speed from the K10D to the K-5? I think you would just cause the system is better in the K-5, but I'm thinking about the speed of the screw drive.



If it hadn't been for Easter, I would have gotten my lens tomorrow <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> Now I'll have to wait until Tuesday.. So no 70-200 for the snowmobile cross and reindeer racing this weekend.

[goran h]

As you say, af is a little bit better with K5 compared to K10D - more distinct and faster with all (or most?) lenses, but I haven´t done a side by side test for this specific lens with both cameras.



Göran