Tamron 60mm f/2 1:1 macro - meet SAM!

[stevecim]

Hmmm the new Tamron 70-300 is also a internal focusing non extending lens, will be interesting if it's just has good has the 60mm f2.

It could be tamron's turn to be "King of the Hill" ?

[David Kilpatrick]

The new Tamron 70-200mm VC is also SSM and the sharpest lens ever made in this class, so Tamron's UK staff tell me. More LD glass than any other similar design. I will be getting one to test.

David

[redsim74]

Well, I've just come back from the camera store and have placed a special order for the 60/2. It will be about 3 weeks before it comes in. They had them in for Canon and Nikon mounts and I was surprised how dinky the lens is.

It seems my timing was good as the NZ dollar crashed out overnight which would have raised the price, thankfully I already had a quote, which they honoured.

[Birma]

I expect it will be a frustrating wait - but soon over Glad to hear that there is still honour in camera stores!

[redsim74]

I'll be over in Australia most of next week, so that will help pass some of the time.

[redsim74]

Well, it's four weeks now and still no new lens for me.

I rang the camera company, who rang the distributor, who said it should have been in their shipment from Japan over a week ago. Only it wasn't.

Next shipment is at the end of the month, so hopefully it will arrive with that. Or, it won't.

[redsim74]

OK, roughly two months later... I now have my Tamron 60/2. Just picked it up from the Camera store.

Quick impressions are that it is very sharp. The SAM motor is quite interesting, makes sort of a whizzing noise. A fair bit quieter than the standard screw drive but no exactly silent either.

My big issue - and I fear it's the camera - is that I'm getting significant back focus at moderate distances. I struggle with my SAL50/1.4 as well so I may have an issue that the faster lenses make obvious. I'll try it on my KM5D as well to try and confirm.

[Birma]

Hi redsim74 - glad to hear you finally have your lens. How about some pictures ?

Mmm - the back focus problem sounds annoying. I'm sure someone here will have some ideas about that.

I have a bad case of GAS (gear aquisition syndrome ) and this lens is top of the list for me, although a good deal in the UK at the moment for the Sony ZA 16-80mm has me hesitating.

[David Kilpatrick]

Back focus sounds like a problem with a lens of this type - it's so sharp that any BF will be obvious. My sample here does not have any BF/FF problems with any body I have so far used it on.

David

[redsim74]

It's all very frustrating, I returned a Tamron 90/2.8 a couple of years ago for the same problem.

Some very quick testing with my KM5D - before the battery died on me - suggests that focussing is better than on my A700. I won't have time to be more scientific about it until at least next week, unfortunately.