Within a photographer’s arsenal of lenses, macro lenses generally play a very specific role and typically only come out when it’s time to capture close-up, detailed shots. Or, we might break them out to capture portraits here and there. We recently got our hands on Tamron’s 90mm macro lens, and we wanted to see how this lens would perform in scenarios that go beyond standard expectations. Rather than dive deep into a technical review of the Tamron 90mm Macro lens, we’re going to test this lens’ versatility with a practical demonstration in and around Long Beach, California, and we’ll cover a number of different techniques along the way. Let’s get into it.
Video: Tamron 90mm Macro Lens Hands-On Review
Gear List
Here’s the gear used to create the images in this article.
- Tamron 90mm F/2.8 DI III VXD M1:1 Lens (available for both Sony & Nikon Z cameras)
- Sony A7 IV Camera
Scenario #1: Playing with Dogs on the Beach
While walking the beach in search of subjects to test the Tamron 90mm macro lens, we happened upon some dogs playing down by the water. For action shots, especially photos of dogs running around, we wouldn’t typically use a macro lens. The reason for that is that most macro lenses tend to be slow to focus. This lens, however, is quick to grab focus and therefore had no problem capturing tack sharp images of the dogs as they ran to and from the camera. That’s partly due to the Sony system, but it’s also due to the Tamron lens itself.
Even when shooting wide open at f/2.8, the lens nailed focus on every shot. The bokeh rendering also looks great as well.
Scenario #2: Photographing a Family on the Beach
For the next test, we photographed a couple sitting on the beach with their puppy. The goal here was to capture a family style portrait while also looking at how the lens would render the background in terms of bokeh, especially in this bright, backlit scenario.
Thanks to the wide dynamic range of the Sony camera, we were comfortable placing the family with their backs to the sun using only natural light, knowing we could lift the shadows in post without ruining the portrait. With the couple and their puppy in place, all that was left to do was direct them into various poses and capture the shots.
Sometimes, in this type of scene, certain lenses will produce a distracting or busy rendering effect in the background. The Tamron 90mm macro lens, however, produces a nice clean bokeh that isn’t too busy, and the tack sharp focus came through once again as well.
Scenario #3: Capturing Motion with Passing Bikes
For our third scenario, we wanted to test the Tamron 90mm macro lens while capturing motion shots of cyclists riding by on the bike path.
You likely know this as using a shutter drag, in which we slow down the shutter speed and pan from left to right to keep our subject in focus while also capturing motion. One thing to note is that panning shots can be difficult to capture without stabilization built into the lens. You’ll need to pay close attention to framing the shot and holding the lens stable while panning across the frame.
The Tamron 90mm macro doesn’t include stabilization, but that is expected given the lens’ low price point, which lands at $699 USD (for both Sony E and Nikon Z mount versions). Considering what you’re getting in terms of lens quality and image output, however, it’s a steal at that price. That said, there are some limitations, and stabilization is one that would be nice to have, even if the lens were a bit more expensive.
Scenario #4: Getting Close to Dessert in the Park
Now, it’s time to get up close and personal to our subject to test the lens’ macro features. Our subject this time around is a fresh-made acai bowl.
Changing up our angles allowed us to get some different looks for the acai bowl against the grassy backdrop.
We expected to see some more distracting bokeh elements at the wider aperture, which is common with lower priced prime lenses, but the results from this test actually came out very pleasant.
Scenario #5: Revealing Depth with Tall Buildings
For our final scenario, we’re going to capture some shots of the buildings in downtown Long Beach. With these photos, we can check edge-to-edge sharpness and see what else we find in the process.
While walking around, we found a section of buildings that showcased some interesting lighting and color patterns, so we put the lens to work. While this isn’t a scientific, technical test for checking sharpness, the results are pretty apparent.
We captured a couple different shots at different aperture settings and found a bit of vignetting when shooting wide open at f/2.8, but it looks nice and adds a bit of character to the image. At f/7.1, the edges get slightly brighter.
Thoughts on Price Point Vs. Features
Again, stabilization is not included, but the camera’s in-camera stabilization compensates a bit for this and the $699 USD pricepoint on the lens is very affordable. The lack of stabilization, then, is by no means a deal breaker.
In other areas, focus is a real standout. It is consistently quick and reliable, even when capturing fast-paced action. Out of all of the macro lenses we’ve used (which is most often for capturing detail shots during weddings), none have focused like the Tamron 90mm macro lens. The accuracy sort of blew us away. If you love macro photography, picking up this lens is kind of a no brainer.
Lastly, the lens’ bokeh rendering looks phenomenal. Some higher end lenses might yield a slightly smoother bokeh effect, but as evidenced above, the results you get with this lens are very nice.
Conclusion
We hope you found this practical review of the Tamron 90mm Macro Lens and the various techniques we covered helpful. From the tests we ran above in this practical hands-on review, the lens proved to be a very versatile and great all-around lens, and it’d make a great addition for both Sony & Nikon users. It exceeds the basic expectations you might have for a macro lens and serves as a multi-purpose tool that photographers can put to good use in a wide range of genres.
