Tamron has a new all-in-one 16-300mm lens out, and while this is not a lens that many professionals will be interested in, it still has potential to be a great one stop shop for the hobby and family use photographers out there.
I have not seen many reviews on this lens out yet, so when my local camera shop gave me a call to let me know they just got one in, I decided to take it out for a spin. I only had the lens for a brief period, but I wanted to share my initial thoughts on this lens.
Tamron 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Initial Thoughts and Unboxing Video
So, just to recap the video for those of you who don’t have time to watch: I liked the lens, which was a little surprising to me. It is easy to get caught up with fast F/2.8 apertures and it’s easy to forget that even these variable aperture all-in-one type lenses are still capable of quality images in the right conditions.
You also have to tip your cap to Tamron on the quality of this lens. It feels solid, not top quality by any means, but it feels like a quality budget lens that will work well for those who take care of their gear. I wouldn’t expect this lens to survive rough use, but then again, I wouldn’t expect most lenses in this class to do that either.
[REWIND: Initial Thoughts on the Sony RX10]
In my limited time shooting with the lens, the VC seemed to be nice and smooth and the AF quick and snappy. Probably the only area that gave me pause was that the zoom ring was a little tight, but not overly so, just a bit more than I usually like. Not a big deal.
Overall, keeping expectations in check, this was a great little lens. The $629 price tag isn’t bad, though for anyone entertaining aspirations of going pro, there are better zoom options for only a little bit more, and primes for cheaper. But for what it is, and what its intended uses are, this seems like a great option for anyone needing a single grab-n-go lens.
[Special Thanks To Focal Point Photography For The Review Lens]
