I own the Tamron 150-600 G2 (about two years now) and have had nothing but great results using the 6D Mark II or 90D bodies. I did spend a good deal of time initially calibrating the lens at various focal lengths using the TAP-IN Console that I got with the lens, and found the results to be excellent. I have recently gotten the EOS R5 and am even happier with the lens as it focuses faster and has the additional eye-tracking features which are wonderful for wildlife. I do some airshows and have found the results to be excellent again. I bought the 1.4 Tamron teleconverter but found it to be useless on the DSLR bodies - slow or nonexistent autofocus and very much subject to vibration but using it with the mirrorless R5 is like a whole different set-up. The internal stabilization works great and the autofocus is fast and reliable.
I totally LOVE it! Coupled with the R5, it shines, true, not in every shot, but for the price, it is a true gem. Canon RF lenses would take me to unacceptable apertures, like f/9 or even f/11, that's crazy. I don't live in Mercury! Warmest regards!
I had Canon 90D with Tamron 150-600mm G2 and worked perfectly. Sold eventually both then got Canon R10 but thinking to get Tamron 150-600 back....should work in front of Canon R10 yes?(With a converter)
Many thanks Stuart for your review and I was so pleased to see that I'm not the only one. I have had the same Tamron G2 lens for about 18 months and went through the same experience, trying all the settings but I didn't get it calibrated or sent back to Tamron. I have a 7D MkII and a 5D MkIV and tried it on both camera bodies but it was the same. I found that birds weren't too bad at close distance but at the longer distance and also in flight when panning it was soft and just not sharp at all. I have a Tamron 28-300mm lens which is fantastic and sharp and have used this on both bodies without any problems. I took this 28-300mm lens to RAF Valley on Anglesey and got some really great shots of the aircraft and also in the Mach Loop. I took the Tamron 150-600mm G2 to RAF Valley and my shots of the aircraft were just awful; easy shots but not sharp at all. I persevered for a very long time with this lens and had enough of it and I have just bought the Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. This is an incredible lens, so sharp and so quick at focusing. I just couldn't believe it and it has totally restored my interest in photography. I have never taken so many shots with a lens as the results are just fantastic and the only problem now is, it takes a long time to decide what is the bad shot! I am certainly looking forward to testing this Canon lens out at RAF Valley and the Mach Loop!
Hi stuart . me and my friend have been using tamron g2´s paired with a 7d mkii and a d5600 (my friends camera) for a while now and i and he can also say that the results with it are mostly just dissapointing . For some reason , I can get pretty sharp pics when im only shotting at 150mm´s ,and if i even try to zoom out a little bit, the pics just turn out extremly soft and lacluster . a couple of weeks ago ,I got to try talking some pictures with my friends sigma 150-600 c at different focal lengths and the pics tournd out wayyyyyy better and sharper than my tamrom . Ive been wanting to uprgade to a new lense for a while now , but i frankly dont know what lens to get . Ive been thinking of the sigma 100-400 or 150-600 because I just cant be bothered using tamron lenses anymore. I do want to get a canon usm lense, but they are just wayyyyyy to expensiv for me . :/
Had this lens for 6 years and it's been a huge disappointment. It never has acquired me focus of anything that moves faster than a snail and it is funny because I have a Sony A77II that is able to keep focusing everything while shooting even coming at me but not with this lens, it has to correct focus or restrict shooting just to never get a single usable shot. All my photos taken with this lens are manual focus. I was stupid for not returning it and getting a used 70-400 G II. Maybe it has to do something with the country of origin? it's chinese. And yes, it does get worse with time... really bad.
On paper the G2 looks quite good, but after viewing some samples around the web, I'm not so sure. IQ and AF standards for third party lenses (especially in the "budget" price range) are almost always going to be lower than that of the OEMs (even their budget lines in most cases) for cost and price reasons (they're trying to hit a certain target market -- ie. the budget market in this case). So some compromises and QC issues may arise or be higher than you'd find with even the same class of lens from the OEM.
I looked at the Canon 100-400 mk2 and the 150-600 G2 and like you went for the extra reach and reading the reviews of the G2 and it was very hit and miss, I had the tap in console, and Focal and tried firmware updates, one day it was good the next it wasnt, after a while of thinking it was poor technique I bit the bullet and brought a 2nd hand 100-400 mk2 and the difference was huge at the Midlands air festival, Swansea air show tomorrow with a 1.4 extender for the reach and feeling more confident now. Hope that you resolve your problems
Don’t beat up Tamron too much. I had the same with a Nikon 200-500 used on a D7500 - and I was only photographing gliding red kites and swimming ducks. I ditched it and went for a two prime solution - the 300/f4 and 500/f5.6 pair of PFs (both used - very good value in theses days of Z mount).I did this because neither the 80-400 or 200-500 were as good as my old 300/f4D. I might miss some shots but I can’t fault the lenses.
I'm using this lens on a canon r6 and r7 and I am struggling with it. So much so that at the EAA Airventure last year I stopped shooting with it and just used the Tamron 70-200 2.8 G2. The 70-200 I haven't had any issues with at all, but the 150-600 has been nothing but trouble. Saving to buy the RF 100-500. Going to sell off the 150-600
The 70-200 G2 has had great reviews. The trouble with a superzoom like the 150-600 is that it’s trying to do too much and there will always be optical compromises. I’d quite like to see Sigma or Tamron make something like a 300-600mm zoom. But I think you’re doing the right thing, the RF 100-500 should be awesome. How do you find the R7?
Have this lens which I use on my 90D. I have a love/hate relationship with it. Some days I get some decent images with it and then other days all my images are useless. If I could afford to change it I definately would - but I cant so i'll stick with it for now.
I have repaired more than a few lenses in my time..Tamron are a junk brand and it's only when you open them ,then you realise what junk is .The internal plastic is hard but brittle ,so brittle one bump and misalignment is inevitable There's no adjusting screws for lens centering just alufoil shims .Not designed for long term use and an absolute no no to buy used.
I have the Tamron 150 to 600 mm G2 lens on my Canon R7 with a two times teleconverter Japan optics on it and My R7 just loves that setup, the focus is rocket fast and pinpoint accurate I bought the lens used couple weeks ago I'm very happy with it...
I'm Stewart I got a good used 150 to 600 from a camera vendor in Texas and I try not to lunch yesterday with a Canon EOS R3 and it was nothing but trouble I tried with my R7 it was a little bit better tried it on my 1dx work better on the digital SLR then it did on the mirrorless cameras a my conclusion on this lens is I'm sending it back I've tried the Canon 100 to 500 I wasn't happy with that lens whatsoever the big problem with that lens is when you attach a teleconverter you cannot use the entire focal length on that lens it will only be used when it goes from 300 to 500 mm what is the use of having a zoom if you cannot leave a teleconverter on all the time , Canon like Nikon should have their own 200 to 600 or in Nikon's case they have a 180 - 600 . I personally am more disappointed with Canon then I am the aftermarket lens manufacturers because Canon will not allow them to make the RF lenses to work with a mirrorless bodies .
I have D500 and a brand new 150-600 G2 , and also the images come out very soft, shooting at birds that are 5-10 meters away, the feathers and details are soft , and when zooming in there is a grain in the image as if the ISO where quite high…. Also tried at different focal lengths and have the same issue. I beleive good light hitting the object improves the situation…. But in general I think I’m going to get rid of the lens….
I am having the same exact issues with my Nikon D850. Just junk. Last weekend, all the birds I photographed were junk. ISO was 640 to 800 on an overcast day. Shutter speeds from 800 to 1600. Should have been good images. I thought I was struggling and have been completely frustrated.
I've never been a Tamron lover. No matter what lens I use, Chromatic Abberation, the rubbers on zooms, all a problem for me. Whereas with Sigma or Nikkor, for me at least, never a problem. I have the Sigma 60-600mm Sport f mount, attached to a D5. It's fantastic. I have the ftz adapters so I can mount it on my Z6/Z7s.
Hi Stuart.. My goto is Nikon D500 and G2 150-600mm And I do Airshow too. What I’m thinking is what you are guessing. Bad copy, like the Nikon 500mm F4. That lens has a copy issue to if the buyer has some bad luck with it. But, when I’m setting my lens G2 to 550mm the lens is much sharper then 600mm. But still, I’m thinking you have a bad copy.
Totally agree, I’m convinced it was a particularly bad copy. It was producing totally unusable images. Anyway, it has now gone and my new replacement Canon 300 2.8 prime with 2x Extender is exceptional. Thanks for your comment! 👍🏻
I "upgraded" from a Sigma 100-400 that takes very sharp shots after I calibrated it myself using their USB dock and software. The Tamron has not given me a single good shot out of hundreds of bird shots. I bought their USB Dock and tried to calibrate this lens myself after doing it for my Sigma and found basically no improvement. I have sharper images by shooting with my 100-400 and cropping to the same size as the Tamron. I'll be selling mine shortly 😒. I'm shooting on a 80D for reference.
couple off tips: get a tap-in console and periodically calibrate it yourself Also try calibrating the micro adjustments on your camera bodies you may be amazed !
I had that all done professionally by an expert and you’re right, it completely sorted my close range focus. But it also totally ruined long range focus!
@sturousephoto with the tap-in console you adjust your lens for different focus ranges. I used that in combination with the jjc lens calibration tool.
I shot some birds for the first time when I got this lens and the results were absolutely stunning, then I tested it on people and they were very soft and way less sharp. Shot a spots event and the images were sharp and few blurry. I wonder if buying the tap-in console would make a difference.
I had mine professionally calibrated and it didn’t really help I’m afraid to say. They used the tap in console to apply the calibrated corrections. I concluded that the lens is just too soft with too much unreliable focussing for my liking.
I'll say the same comment you did at the end that based on the number of reviews that say this is an excellent lens when compared against others and then I find ones like yours, I have to believe their manufacturing process is not reliable.
I have the other version of this lens and love it for the money but it is important to realize what you are buying. These are the cheapest usable 600mm lenses out there. A pro level 600mm lens costs at least $14,000 before tax and shipping. Two of the many advantages of pro models are vastly superior low light performance and autofocus speed and accuracy. The lens you have is excellent considering how incredibly inexpensive it is but it will never have the sharpness, af speed, low light performance, build quality, and reliability of a high end lens. I have been able to get some beautiful wildlife shots with mine but miss many of them due to the incredibly slow autofocus of these cheap 600mm lenses. Good for what I payed though. I believe Sigma makes a higher end 500mm lens for $26,000 before taxes and shipping but most people would probably just rent it for a day.
D500 with G2 - it has been hit and miss for me in the past but I put this largely down to poor technique. I think my copy is good although I mostly seem to be at 300-450 which is where it is particularly sharp. I reckon it is a really versatile lens and not too heavy. Had it for over 5 years now. I still haven't found anything I would rather use instead.
I had the first Tamron 150-600mm lens, which I was extremely happy with as it produced some great aviation images for me, however, I have recently sold it as it was rather heavy and after 6-7 hours at an air show my arms would ache. So I had a look at the G2, if it was lighter, but it is almost identical in weight and a friend had already advised me that it was not as good as he thought it ought to be, describing identical issues you mention in your very informative video. He still has the original lens. I made the choice to go for a lighter and inevitably smaller lens for Nikon and results are very pleasing so far even in marginal condition at Lakenheath in poor light. So ended my relationship with the Tamron 150-600, which by the way was perfect for landscape photography using a strong tripod to support its weight. With my impending visit to Oshkosh next week I am very happy with the change
I have this lens and am having issues similar to this. I shoot birds and even with good lighting and right setting my photos aren't sharp anymore either and I'm having issues with the autofocus "bouncing" off of my subject even in manual focus. I'm actually considering just getting the canon 100-400 or the Sigma 150-600.
Hi Stuart, I had to watch this video again. I have been thinking about buying a new lens. I already have a Nikon 200-500mm lens. But I'm curious about the Tamron again. I know what it's like to have a lens that does not perform well. The hours, days, and weeks of trying to figure out what is going wrong. Then I have some Nikon lenses that are perfect and there is never a problem with their performance. I have learned not to struggle for too long with a dysfunctional camera lens.
I'm having similar issues with mine. Very disappointed in the autofocus. I'm about to sell it, but honestly don't know what else to purchase in its place
I have always struggled with third party lens and as a result have kept mostly to Nikon ones. 600mm sure would be a nice focal length for those one plane demos that you seem to never get close enough to. I've been hoping they would release their 200-600 before airshow season starts here in New England here in States but not holding my breath. I'm going to use the 100-400 with a TC to get close to that range, although at slower f8. It will be interesting to see which lens you decide to go with. I really enjoy seeing your aviation photography.
Thanks very much for your kind words 🙏🏻. 600mm is certainly a sweet spot for aviation photos. If you can get your 100-400 to work at f8 then that should be fairly decent. Good luck, hope it goes well!!
Hi. I got tamron 150 600 G2 with D500 or D90. Got some issue with the focus as well. I just notice that the problem comes from the pins and fixation of the lens. There is not only little play but some pin spring seems not sufficient causing bad contacts. I think I gonna contact Tamron for aftersales service.
I have to ask - if you wanted the extra range but knew there would be a dropoff in image quality, what stopped you from just buying a 1.4x teleconverter for the 100-400mm canon lens?
Hi Stuart Its just like the sigma 150-600 the results are almost terrible and I will sell my sigma 150-600mm contemporary ASAP. It seems that the Tamron and sigma suffering with both the same problem and you made a wise decision using canon lenses. Looking forward to getting my canon 400mm this week. Thanks Stuart
Hi I've got the V1 of this lens for Nikon using nikon D610. I must explain that the only time I could use it was when I went on Holiday, and because I GOT MY OWN BUSINESS , IT WAS NOT VERY OFTEN. I love wildlife and also aviation, and used the lens for wildlife once in 2015 with great results. then I did not use it until 2018 where my problems started not long after I started shooting in one of our parks in South Africa. Needless to say, I did my holiday using manual focus only because the lens focus system was hunting all the time and battled to focus. When I got home , I send it in for repair thinking that I had a 5 year warrenty just to find out that we in South Africa only got a 3 year warrenty whereas the rest of the world got a 5 year.....unacceptable to me to be quite frank. After bringing it up to tamron SA they did however give me a discount on parts they had to replace, but the lens has never been the same as when I used it on my first outing on a wildlife expedition. lens was never dropped and is still like new, and yes it is a small bit better after the repair, but because of the bad experience with tamron service here in SA, I will rather buy the Sigma or geniune lense for the system I am using. I since changed to Canon because Nikon AF system was not good on the z7II system, and when the Z9 got launched, the only time they became readely available was nearly 2 tears after the launch here in SA. Seemed like only the ambassadors for Nikon got bodies.
many people have experienced back and front focusing issues . micro adjustments or even sending the lens into tamron has not solved the issues as well as I know a youtuber who has had 2 copys and still no joy in the end sold it and went the canon 500mm f4 route. your not the only person to have problems. I tested this lens vs the sigma and my testing showed the sigma was way better. sharper. quicker. some youtubers have tested the tamron and claim its sharper over the sigma but these tests were at infinity. you can never test a lens at big distances.and compare it to another because atmoshere plays a big role. you must test both lens in a lab enviroment .
@@m1gs363 if your talking about a nikon DSLR you would be fine with any of the sigma 600mm zooms the contemporary 150-600 is a good lens not as well built as the sport 150-600 but both are good thier is also the 60-600 which is well made like the sport lens the only issue with it is CA between 60-150mm but apart from that its a good lens.
Sorry to hear you have a problem with the tamron G2 150-600mm as i think its a fine lens. I have this lens for 3 years now and am very happy with image quality and focus. Used on canon 5d mk4, 7dmk2, 1dmk4, 1dx mk2, R6. Not as good as canon 100 400 mk2 but very close and my go to lens for wildlife photography. I also use the 800mm f11 lens which is very good but tamron better.. I had the sigma c version but wasn't happy with it. It does seem strange your lens started off as a good one, must be very frustrating. I had 2 versions of tamron 100 400 but auto focus problems forced me to reluctantly sell as loved the colours and contrast which why I tried to make it work. Once you lose confidence in a lens or camera it has to go. Good luck with your next lens camera combo. Will watch your channel to see what happens next. Keep enjoying your photography.
My opinion may be worth less than your lens but I had that lens for only a single airshow as I rented it and it seemed to do FINE. Not amazing just fine. Video was also a fine and to be honest I didn’t even think to rent a pro prime. I have heard others say to get the G2 as it’s a great lens and the only other that trumps it is the Sigam 150-600 sport
Interesting, thanks for your comment. Like I said, I’ve had great photos from it but something has changed. I read many good reviews, which is why I went for it. Maybe it’s just my copy!? Who knows…..
I have stuggled with the same lens. I frist used it on a Canon 5D Mark II and the Mark II had issues focusing, I tried a Canon 5D Mark IV and the focusing worked better. But it is not as sharp as my Canon 150-400. I will probably stsy with the Canon lens. I shoot mostly landscape and started to shoot wildlife.
I am seeing the same issue with my Sigma 150-600 (C). Really stumped as to the problem causing this. Going to calibrate mine using the Sigma dock and a calibration target see what happens.
+1 for calibration. It was amazing the difference it made for my Sigma 100-400 C. I assume you will see similar results, take a few shots of like a sidewalk crack or something at a distance and zoom in and see if you're focusing near or far that's basically all the calibration will fix. If you find you're not focusing the right spot calibration will make the lens significantly better.
Hi, I have the G2 and the previous version. I use my G2, not for aircraft, but birds. My bodies are 7D2, 5Dsr and R6. I have to use the micro adjust on my EF bodies and redo them about annually. The amount of adjustment needed is surprisingly high; my 5Dsr is curranty set at +16 for 600mm. I worked with microfilm equipment during my working days (now close to 80years old) so focus and resolution are second nature. I'm getting crackingly sharp images 90% of the time. I use a monopod steadied on my disability scooter. I've compared the G2 with my RF600 and I prefer the G2 rather than be stuck at f11.
Hello and is it working fine on your R system? without using animal tracking... I can't decide whether to buy a Sigma 150-600C or a TAMRON, personally I really like the external style of the tamron... I want it for deer photography/filming and I still have a 40D and RP in the future I will probably buy R6
My Tamron G2 Is cracking sharp on my R6 however, I often find that I prefer my old 5Dsr to the R6 mirrorless. Think about the limited resolution of the R6 before you decide.@@MrRaduso
@@michaelktori5178 I understand that, and you're certainly not the first to point out the resolution of the R6, so I took the RP also for its compactness. But thanks for the information about the sharpness of the Tamron lens, can you also tell me the video recording, isn't it noisy when the stabilization starts? I had a tamron 70-300 SP VC and I was satisfied, now I have a canon 70-200IS and it has a very loud stabilization compared to the tamron. Do you have your photos on the web somewhere ?
So I had one of these mated to a D810. The only issue I’ve had with the G2 series lenses was that once in a great while, the AF would just go full possessed. It would blow right by the sharp stop and circle back missing the focus point again. Out of shooting a full marathon, it would probably happen once or so. Had it for two years and tried the switch to mirrorless (to which I immediately regretted). Resolved it by turning off the camera, re-attaching the lens and it would be fine for the rest of the event. If Tamron could firm up their QA/QC on this kind of stuff, they could SERIOUSLY contend with brand name glass.
Such a shame! It’s a great lens, the design, features, construction, materials and ergonomics are superb. It’s just really unfortunate that it can’t be relied on to provide consistent results - as you say, maybe it’s a QC issue.
I got the point that somehow over time the focus for long focus lenghts shifts. However I am not sure whether you got a front or back focus then or something else. My G2 had a front focus and I readjusted that with the tap-in console. If you want an almost worryless gear, I'd recommend the r7 plus the rf 100-500. But don't shoot w 30pics/s as the sensor is too slow.
Hi Stuart, sorry to hear of this misfortune with the Tamron G2 150-600. With my set up, I use the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary, and I must say for £800+ that I paid for it, I’m impressed with it. My only issue with the Sigma lens is the aperture, and with it being only 6.3, is not that great in low light, so when photographing fast jets, it becomes an utter nightmare, because obviously you need a fast shutter speed to get sharp shots, but then with a faster shutter speed in poor light, the image in turn becomes under exposed. The cameras I use is the Canon 4000D and the Canon 5D MkIII. Both cameras are great and I’d be more inclined to use the 5D in low light situations, with it having more megapixels than the 4000D. The 4000D on the Sigma 150-600 however is great for contrail spotting, that’s depending of course that the sky’s plenty clear enough with no haze. If I was a millionaire, then I’d treat myself to the Canon 600mm F4 lens or the Sigma 500mm F4 Sports lens, but with lenses like that at £13-£15,000 is just not justifiable haha I hope you find the best replacement for what you need 😎📸✈️
Hi Dave, thanks for your comment. I’m pleased that you’re impressed with the Sigma and are getting some really Good results with it. I think we as aviation photographers probably forget or don’t realise how difficult it must be to make a 600mm zoom of decent quality for a sensible non-pro price!! f/6.3 is ok but as you say, realistically you can’t really get anything much faster without spending £10k on one!! However, crank up that ISO - have you seen the new Lightroom DeNoise update? Watch out, I’ll soon be doing a video on it for aviation photography on this chanel!! And also watch out to see what my new lens is…..🤔 (video coming soon!)
Yours will probably be fine, there are plenty of people happy with them with good reviews. I hope you get great results with it. Are you on Canon or Nikon? I’m curious if there’s a difference. Let me know how it goes. All the best 👍🏻
I love the lens, some people have reported inconsistencies between each model bought, I must have been lucky with mine. I would highly rrecommend it. Although I recently purchased the Nikkor 100-400 which I now use more
Heck no, used to work in Aviation, I would only pointed my 600mm on vintage planes. Newer models (commercial or military) have a tendency to break my gear if you believe that kinda thing :-) From the free world I probably can shoot Russian planes without side effect I think :-)
I had the Mk1 Tamron 150-600mm for my Nikon D800, and it was great, i then chopped it in for the Sigma 150-600mm and the results were much better. If it was me id rent out a sigma and maybe a canon party lens and do a comparison between the 2. Great work keep it up 👍👍
![Why not to buy a tilt-shift lens [Fuji 30/5.6].Tilt-shift isn't magic, what do the lenses really do](/img/n.gif)
Thank goodness for that! I thought it was only me. Tried every setting and can't get a sharp image out of it.
I own the Tamron 150-600 G2 (about two years now) and have had nothing but great results using the 6D Mark II or 90D bodies. I did spend a good deal of time initially calibrating the lens at various focal lengths using the TAP-IN Console that I got with the lens, and found the results to be excellent. I have recently gotten the EOS R5 and am even happier with the lens as it focuses faster and has the additional eye-tracking features which are wonderful for wildlife. I do some airshows and have found the results to be excellent again. I bought the 1.4 Tamron teleconverter but found it to be useless on the DSLR bodies - slow or nonexistent autofocus and very much subject to vibration but using it with the mirrorless R5 is like a whole different set-up. The internal stabilization works great and the autofocus is fast and reliable.
I totally LOVE it! Coupled with the R5, it shines, true, not in every shot, but for the price, it is a true gem. Canon RF lenses would take me to unacceptable apertures, like f/9 or even f/11, that's crazy. I don't live in Mercury! Warmest regards!
I had Canon 90D with Tamron 150-600mm G2 and worked perfectly. Sold eventually both then got Canon R10 but thinking to get Tamron 150-600 back....should work in front of Canon R10 yes?(With a converter)
Many thanks Stuart for your review and I was so pleased to see that I'm not the only one. I have had the same Tamron G2 lens for about 18 months and went through the same experience, trying all the settings but I didn't get it calibrated or sent back to Tamron. I have a 7D MkII and a 5D MkIV and tried it on both camera bodies but it was the same. I found that birds weren't too bad at close distance but at the longer distance and also in flight when panning it was soft and just not sharp at all. I have a Tamron 28-300mm lens which is fantastic and sharp and have used this on both bodies without any problems.
I took this 28-300mm lens to RAF Valley on Anglesey and got some really great shots of the aircraft and also in the Mach Loop. I took the Tamron 150-600mm G2 to RAF Valley and my shots of the aircraft were just awful; easy shots but not sharp at all. I persevered for a very long time with this lens and had enough of it and I have just bought the Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. This is an incredible lens, so sharp and so quick at focusing. I just couldn't believe it and it has totally restored my interest in photography. I have never taken so many shots with a lens as the results are just fantastic and the only problem now is, it takes a long time to decide what is the bad shot! I am certainly looking forward to testing this Canon lens out at RAF Valley and the Mach Loop!
Hi stuart . me and my friend have been using tamron g2´s paired with a 7d mkii and a d5600 (my friends camera) for a while now and i and he can also say that the results with it are mostly just dissapointing .
For some reason , I can get pretty sharp pics when im only shotting at 150mm´s ,and if i even try to zoom out a little bit, the pics just turn out extremly soft and lacluster . a couple of weeks ago ,I got to try talking some pictures with my friends sigma 150-600 c at different focal lengths and the pics tournd out wayyyyyy better and sharper than my tamrom . Ive been wanting to uprgade to a new lense for a while now , but i frankly dont know what lens to get . Ive been thinking of the sigma 100-400 or 150-600 because I just cant be bothered using tamron lenses anymore. I do want to get a canon usm lense, but they are just wayyyyyy to expensiv for me . :/
Had this lens for 6 years and it's been a huge disappointment. It never has acquired me focus of anything that moves faster than a snail and it is funny because I have a Sony A77II that is able to keep focusing everything while shooting even coming at me but not with this lens, it has to correct focus or restrict shooting just to never get a single usable shot. All my photos taken with this lens are manual focus. I was stupid for not returning it and getting a used 70-400 G II. Maybe it has to do something with the country of origin? it's chinese. And yes, it does get worse with time... really bad.
On paper the G2 looks quite good, but after viewing some samples around the web, I'm not so sure. IQ and AF standards for third party lenses (especially in the "budget" price range) are almost always going to be lower than that of the OEMs (even their budget lines in most cases) for cost and price reasons (they're trying to hit a certain target market -- ie. the budget market in this case). So some compromises and QC issues may arise or be higher than you'd find with even the same class of lens from the OEM.
I looked at the Canon 100-400 mk2 and the 150-600 G2 and like you went for the extra reach and reading the reviews of the G2 and it was very hit and miss, I had the tap in console, and Focal and tried firmware updates, one day it was good the next it wasnt, after a while of thinking it was poor technique I bit the bullet and brought a 2nd hand 100-400 mk2 and the difference was huge at the Midlands air festival, Swansea air show tomorrow with a 1.4 extender for the reach and feeling more confident now. Hope that you resolve your problems
Don’t beat up Tamron too much. I had the same with a Nikon 200-500 used on a D7500 - and I was only photographing gliding red kites and swimming ducks. I ditched it and went for a two prime solution - the 300/f4 and 500/f5.6 pair of PFs (both used - very good value in theses days of Z mount).I did this because neither the 80-400 or 200-500 were as good as my old 300/f4D. I might miss some shots but I can’t fault the lenses.
had mine on my R6 for years, 90% are awesome, problem free, you must have a dud...did you test with an ND filter?
I'm using this lens on a canon r6 and r7 and I am struggling with it. So much so that at the EAA Airventure last year I stopped shooting with it and just used the Tamron 70-200 2.8 G2. The 70-200 I haven't had any issues with at all, but the 150-600 has been nothing but trouble. Saving to buy the RF 100-500. Going to sell off the 150-600
The 70-200 G2 has had great reviews. The trouble with a superzoom like the 150-600 is that it’s trying to do too much and there will always be optical compromises. I’d quite like to see Sigma or Tamron make something like a 300-600mm zoom. But I think you’re doing the right thing, the RF 100-500 should be awesome.
How do you find the R7?
Have this lens which I use on my 90D. I have a love/hate relationship with it. Some days I get some decent images with it and then other days all my images are useless. If I could afford to change it I definately would - but I cant so i'll stick with it for now.
I'm using the same body and lens as you and I also have a love-hate relationship with it for the same reason. it's inconsistent.
Does anyone know the right calibration for Tamron 150-600 g2 to use with R5C video?
I think you’ll find it will be unique to your own particular lens and camera body.
Remove the UV filter. Everything will be as fine as before.
I have repaired more than a few lenses in my time..Tamron are a junk brand and it's only when you open them ,then you realise what junk is .The internal plastic is hard but brittle ,so brittle one bump and misalignment is inevitable
There's no adjusting screws for lens centering just alufoil shims .Not designed for long term use and an absolute no no to buy used.
I have the Tamron 150 to 600 mm G2 lens on my Canon R7 with a two times teleconverter Japan optics on it and My R7 just loves that setup, the focus is rocket fast and pinpoint accurate I bought the lens used couple weeks ago I'm very happy with it...
I'm Stewart I got a good used 150 to 600 from a camera vendor in Texas and I try not to lunch yesterday with a Canon EOS R3 and it was nothing but trouble I tried with my R7 it was a little bit better tried it on my 1dx work better on the digital SLR then it did on the mirrorless cameras a my conclusion on this lens is I'm sending it back I've tried the Canon 100 to 500 I wasn't happy with that lens whatsoever the big problem with that lens is when you attach a teleconverter you cannot use the entire focal length on that lens it will only be used when it goes from 300 to 500 mm what is the use of having a zoom if you cannot leave a teleconverter on all the time , Canon like Nikon should have their own 200 to 600 or in Nikon's case they have a 180 - 600 .
I personally am more disappointed with Canon then I am the aftermarket lens manufacturers because Canon will not allow them to make the RF lenses to work with a mirrorless bodies .
Third party budget lenses just dont track very well. Its just a fact.
I have D500 and a brand new 150-600 G2 , and also the images come out very soft, shooting at birds that are 5-10 meters away, the feathers and details are soft , and when zooming in there is a grain in the image as if the ISO where quite high…. Also tried at different focal lengths and have the same issue. I beleive good light hitting the object improves the situation…. But in general I think I’m going to get rid of the lens….
I am having the same exact issues with my Nikon D850. Just junk. Last weekend, all the birds I photographed were junk. ISO was 640 to 800 on an overcast day. Shutter speeds from 800 to 1600. Should have been good images. I thought I was struggling and have been completely frustrated.
All these tips are great. At the end of the day you shouldn’t have to do anything to get sharp photos. The lens is bad.
Thank you. Once you take tack sharp photos, after that anything less is disappointing!
I've never been a Tamron lover. No matter what lens I use, Chromatic Abberation, the rubbers on zooms, all a problem for me. Whereas with Sigma or Nikkor, for me at least, never a problem. I have the Sigma 60-600mm Sport f mount, attached to a D5. It's fantastic. I have the ftz adapters so I can mount it on my Z6/Z7s.
Thanks for the comment - I’ve never had a Sigma so I don’t know first hand how they compare.
Hi Stuart.. My goto is Nikon D500 and G2 150-600mm And I do Airshow too. What I’m thinking is what you are guessing. Bad copy, like the Nikon 500mm F4. That lens has a copy issue to if the buyer has some bad luck with it. But, when I’m setting my lens G2 to 550mm the lens is much sharper then 600mm. But still, I’m thinking you have a bad copy.
Totally agree, I’m convinced it was a particularly bad copy. It was producing totally unusable images. Anyway, it has now gone and my new replacement Canon 300 2.8 prime with 2x Extender is exceptional. Thanks for your comment! 👍🏻
I use mine with the Canon R5 and get much better results than I did with the DSLR perhaps I’ve just been lucky.
But it suffers from "pulsing"
Mirrorless uses sensor for autofocus hence much better than dslr
I "upgraded" from a Sigma 100-400 that takes very sharp shots after I calibrated it myself using their USB dock and software. The Tamron has not given me a single good shot out of hundreds of bird shots. I bought their USB Dock and tried to calibrate this lens myself after doing it for my Sigma and found basically no improvement. I have sharper images by shooting with my 100-400 and cropping to the same size as the Tamron. I'll be selling mine shortly 😒. I'm shooting on a 80D for reference.
Sounds very familiar!!
couple off tips: get a tap-in console and periodically calibrate it yourself
Also try calibrating the micro adjustments on your camera bodies
you may be amazed !
I had that all done professionally by an expert and you’re right, it completely sorted my close range focus. But it also totally ruined long range focus!
@sturousephoto with the tap-in console you adjust your lens for different focus ranges. I used that in combination with the jjc lens calibration tool.
The Sony 200-600mm G Master Lens is a great option for me because of its great and fast autofocus tracking, but sadly you're using a Canon camera.
The 200-600 Sony looks like a very nice lens!
I shot some birds for the first time when I got this lens and the results were absolutely stunning, then I tested it on people and they were very soft and way less sharp. Shot a spots event and the images were sharp and few blurry. I wonder if buying the tap-in console would make a difference.
I had mine professionally calibrated and it didn’t really help I’m afraid to say. They used the tap in console to apply the calibrated corrections. I concluded that the lens is just too soft with too much unreliable focussing for my liking.
I'll say the same comment you did at the end that based on the number of reviews that say this is an excellent lens when compared against others and then I find ones like yours, I have to believe their manufacturing process is not reliable.
I think you might be right, perhaps a quality control issue!?!?
That lens doesn’t work well with a crop sensor…..that is what I’ve learned with numerous other photographers on this venue….save it for the RF system…
Didn’t work well on my full frame either! Anyway, it’s now gone!
I have the other version of this lens and love it for the money but it is important to realize what you are buying. These are the cheapest usable 600mm lenses out there. A pro level 600mm lens costs at least $14,000 before tax and shipping. Two of the many advantages of pro models are vastly superior low light performance and autofocus speed and accuracy. The lens you have is excellent considering how incredibly inexpensive it is but it will never have the sharpness, af speed, low light performance, build quality, and reliability of a high end lens. I have been able to get some beautiful wildlife shots with mine but miss many of them due to the incredibly slow autofocus of these cheap 600mm lenses. Good for what I payed though. I believe Sigma makes a higher end 500mm lens for $26,000 before taxes and shipping but most people would probably just rent it for a day.
D500 with G2 - it has been hit and miss for me in the past but I put this largely down to poor technique. I think my copy is good although I mostly seem to be at 300-450 which is where it is particularly sharp. I reckon it is a really versatile lens and not too heavy. Had it for over 5 years now. I still haven't found anything I would rather use instead.
That’s great, pleased to hear it’s working well for you!
I had the first Tamron 150-600mm lens, which I was extremely happy with as it produced some great aviation images for me, however, I have recently sold it as it was rather heavy and after 6-7 hours at an air show my arms would ache. So I had a look at the G2, if it was lighter, but it is almost identical in weight and a friend had already advised me that it was not as good as he thought it ought to be, describing identical issues you mention in your very informative video. He still has the original lens. I made the choice to go for a lighter and inevitably smaller lens for Nikon and results are very pleasing so far even in marginal condition at Lakenheath in poor light. So ended my relationship with the Tamron 150-600, which by the way was perfect for landscape photography using a strong tripod to support its weight. With my impending visit to Oshkosh next week I am very happy with the change
Interesting to hear so many people’s thoughts on the Tamron first version and the G2. Oshkosh, that’s awesome, have a great time! 👍🏻
I have this lens and am having issues similar to this. I shoot birds and even with good lighting and right setting my photos aren't sharp anymore either and I'm having issues with the autofocus "bouncing" off of my subject even in manual focus. I'm actually considering just getting the canon 100-400 or the Sigma 150-600.
Hi Stuart, I had to watch this video again. I have been thinking about buying a new lens. I already have a Nikon 200-500mm lens. But I'm curious about the Tamron again. I know what it's like to have a lens that does not perform well. The hours, days, and weeks of trying to figure out what is going wrong. Then I have some Nikon lenses that are perfect and there is never a problem with their performance. I have learned not to struggle for too long with a dysfunctional camera lens.
I have the same issue.
Sorry to hear that.
I'm having similar issues with mine. Very disappointed in the autofocus. I'm about to sell it, but honestly don't know what else to purchase in its place
I have always struggled with third party lens and as a result have kept mostly to Nikon ones. 600mm sure would be a nice focal length for those one plane demos that you seem to never get close enough to. I've been hoping they would release their 200-600 before airshow season starts here in New England here in States but not holding my breath. I'm going to use the 100-400 with a TC to get close to that range, although at slower f8. It will be interesting to see which lens you decide to go with. I really enjoy seeing your aviation photography.
Thanks very much for your kind words 🙏🏻. 600mm is certainly a sweet spot for aviation photos. If you can get your 100-400 to work at f8 then that should be fairly decent. Good luck, hope it goes well!!
Thank you for the honest lens review.
Hi. I got tamron 150 600 G2 with D500 or D90. Got some issue with the focus as well. I just notice that the problem comes from the pins and fixation of the lens. There is not only little play but some pin spring seems not sufficient causing bad contacts. I think I gonna contact Tamron for aftersales service.
I have to ask - if you wanted the extra range but knew there would be a dropoff in image quality, what stopped you from just buying a 1.4x teleconverter for the 100-400mm canon lens?
Hi Stuart
Its just like the sigma 150-600 the results are almost terrible and I will sell my sigma 150-600mm contemporary ASAP.
It seems that the Tamron and sigma suffering with both the same problem and you made a wise decision using canon lenses.
Looking forward to getting my canon 400mm this week.
Thanks Stuart
Hi I've got the V1 of this lens for Nikon using nikon D610. I must explain that the only time I could use it was when I went on Holiday, and because I GOT MY OWN BUSINESS , IT WAS NOT VERY OFTEN. I love wildlife and also aviation, and used the lens for wildlife once in 2015 with great results. then I did not use it until 2018 where my problems started not long after I started shooting in one of our parks in South Africa. Needless to say, I did my holiday using manual focus only because the lens focus system was hunting all the time and battled to focus. When I got home , I send it in for repair thinking that I had a 5 year warrenty just to find out that we in South Africa only got a 3 year warrenty whereas the rest of the world got a 5 year.....unacceptable to me to be quite frank. After bringing it up to tamron SA they did however give me a discount on parts they had to replace, but the lens has never been the same as when I used it on my first outing on a wildlife expedition. lens was never dropped and is still like new, and yes it is a small bit better after the repair, but because of the bad experience with tamron service here in SA, I will rather buy the Sigma or geniune lense for the system I am using. I since changed to Canon because Nikon AF system was not good on the z7II system, and when the Z9 got launched, the only time they became readely available was nearly 2 tears after the launch here in SA. Seemed like only the ambassadors for Nikon got bodies.
many people have experienced back and front focusing issues . micro adjustments or even sending the lens into tamron has not solved the issues as well as I know a youtuber who has had 2 copys and still no joy in the end sold it and went the canon 500mm f4 route. your not the only person to have problems. I tested this lens vs the sigma and my testing showed the sigma was way better. sharper. quicker. some youtubers have tested the tamron and claim its sharper over the sigma but these tests were at infinity. you can never test a lens at big distances.and compare it to another because atmoshere plays a big role. you must test both lens in a lab enviroment .
@@m1gs363 if your talking about a nikon DSLR you would be fine with any of the sigma 600mm zooms the contemporary 150-600 is a good lens not as well built as the sport 150-600 but both are good thier is also the 60-600 which is well made like the sport lens the only issue with it is CA between 60-150mm but apart from that its a good lens.
Sorry to hear you have a problem with the tamron G2 150-600mm as i think its a fine lens. I have this lens for 3 years now and am very happy with image quality and focus. Used on canon 5d mk4, 7dmk2, 1dmk4, 1dx mk2, R6. Not as good as canon 100 400 mk2 but very close and my go to lens for wildlife photography. I also use the 800mm f11 lens which is very good but tamron better.. I had the sigma c version but wasn't happy with it.
It does seem strange your lens started off as a good one, must be very frustrating. I had 2 versions of tamron 100 400 but auto focus problems forced me to reluctantly sell as loved the colours and contrast which why I tried to make it work. Once you lose confidence in a lens or camera it has to go. Good luck with your next lens camera combo. Will watch your channel to see what happens next. Keep enjoying your photography.
My opinion may be worth less than your lens but I had that lens for only a single airshow as I rented it and it seemed to do FINE. Not amazing just fine. Video was also a fine and to be honest I didn’t even think to rent a pro prime. I have heard others say to get the G2 as it’s a great lens and the only other that trumps it is the Sigam 150-600 sport
Interesting, thanks for your comment. Like I said, I’ve had great photos from it but something has changed. I read many good reviews, which is why I went for it. Maybe it’s just my copy!? Who knows…..
I have a G1 and it works well. The reviews for the G2 are terrible.
All the reviews I have read the G2 out performs the original in every aspect, link the terrible reviews please !
I have stuggled with the same lens. I frist used it on a Canon 5D Mark II and the Mark II had issues focusing, I tried a Canon 5D Mark IV and the focusing worked better. But it is not as sharp as my Canon 150-400. I will probably stsy with the Canon lens.
I shoot mostly landscape and started to shoot wildlife.
Thanks for the comment, the 100-400 is certainly known for being a sharp lens!
The great thing about canon mirrorless cameras is the focus is sorted by the camera sensor.
You replacing that with Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary?
Er…no!?
I just got the same lens, and having soft images as well with planes. Using 80D. Did you ever get yours sorted?
Nope! I have up on it, couldn’t rely on it all. I have now replaced it with something else - see my latest vlog!
Same issue+1
I am seeing the same issue with my Sigma 150-600 (C). Really stumped as to the problem causing this. Going to calibrate mine using the Sigma dock and a calibration target see what happens.
Good luck, I hope you get better results! 👍🏻
@@sturousephoto I’ll let you know how it worked out.
+1 for calibration. It was amazing the difference it made for my Sigma 100-400 C. I assume you will see similar results, take a few shots of like a sidewalk crack or something at a distance and zoom in and see if you're focusing near or far that's basically all the calibration will fix. If you find you're not focusing the right spot calibration will make the lens significantly better.
Hi, I have the G2 and the previous version. I use my G2, not for aircraft, but birds. My bodies are 7D2, 5Dsr and R6. I have to use the micro adjust on my EF bodies and redo them about annually. The amount of adjustment needed is surprisingly high; my 5Dsr is curranty set at +16 for 600mm. I worked with microfilm equipment during my working days (now close to 80years old) so focus and resolution are second nature. I'm getting crackingly sharp images 90% of the time. I use a monopod steadied on my disability scooter. I've compared the G2 with my RF600 and I prefer the G2 rather than be stuck at f11.
Hello and is it working fine on your R system? without using animal tracking... I can't decide whether to buy a Sigma 150-600C or a TAMRON, personally I really like the external style of the tamron... I want it for deer photography/filming and I still have a 40D and RP in the future I will probably buy R6
My Tamron G2 Is cracking sharp on my R6 however, I often find that I prefer my old 5Dsr to the R6 mirrorless. Think about the limited resolution of the R6 before you decide.@@MrRaduso
@@michaelktori5178 I understand that, and you're certainly not the first to point out the resolution of the R6, so I took the RP also for its compactness. But thanks for the information about the sharpness of the Tamron lens, can you also tell me the video recording, isn't it noisy when the stabilization starts? I had a tamron 70-300 SP VC and I was satisfied, now I have a canon 70-200IS and it has a very loud stabilization compared to the tamron.
Do you have your photos on the web somewhere ?
Could it be... a camera body problem???...
No, it behaved like it on 3 bodies, full frame and cropped.
No problems at all with this lens using a Nikon Z6
Great news 👍🏻
Did you consider getting an R7?
Ive been testing this lens on my R7 and am having the same soft image issues. Seeing if I can figure it out now
So I had one of these mated to a D810. The only issue I’ve had with the G2 series lenses was that once in a great while, the AF would just go full possessed. It would blow right by the sharp stop and circle back missing the focus point again. Out of shooting a full marathon, it would probably happen once or so. Had it for two years and tried the switch to mirrorless (to which I immediately regretted). Resolved it by turning off the camera, re-attaching the lens and it would be fine for the rest of the event.
If Tamron could firm up their QA/QC on this kind of stuff, they could SERIOUSLY contend with brand name glass.
Such a shame! It’s a great lens, the design, features, construction, materials and ergonomics are superb. It’s just really unfortunate that it can’t be relied on to provide consistent results - as you say, maybe it’s a QC issue.
I got the point that somehow over time the focus for long focus lenghts shifts. However I am not sure whether you got a front or back focus then or something else. My G2 had a front focus and I readjusted that with the tap-in console.
If you want an almost worryless gear, I'd recommend the r7 plus the rf 100-500. But don't shoot w 30pics/s as the sensor is too slow.
Hi Stuart, sorry to hear of this misfortune with the Tamron G2 150-600.
With my set up, I use the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary, and I must say for £800+ that I paid for it, I’m impressed with it.
My only issue with the Sigma lens is the aperture, and with it being only 6.3, is not that great in low light, so when photographing fast jets, it becomes an utter nightmare, because obviously you need a fast shutter speed to get sharp shots, but then with a faster shutter speed in poor light, the image in turn becomes under exposed.
The cameras I use is the Canon 4000D and the Canon 5D MkIII.
Both cameras are great and I’d be more inclined to use the 5D in low light situations, with it having more megapixels than the 4000D.
The 4000D on the Sigma 150-600 however is great for contrail spotting, that’s depending of course that the sky’s plenty clear enough with no haze.
If I was a millionaire, then I’d treat myself to the Canon 600mm F4 lens or the Sigma 500mm F4 Sports lens, but with lenses like that at £13-£15,000 is just not justifiable haha
I hope you find the best replacement for what you need 😎📸✈️
Hi Dave, thanks for your comment. I’m pleased that you’re impressed with the Sigma and are getting some really
Good results with it.
I think we as aviation photographers probably forget or don’t realise how difficult it must be to make a 600mm zoom of decent quality for a sensible non-pro price!! f/6.3 is ok but as you say, realistically you can’t really get anything much faster without spending £10k on one!!
However, crank up that ISO - have you seen the new Lightroom DeNoise update? Watch out, I’ll soon be doing a video on it for aviation photography on this chanel!!
And also watch out to see what my new lens is…..🤔 (video coming soon!)
Sorry to hear this, doubly so as I recently purchased one, not tested extensively yet though.
Yours will probably be fine, there are plenty of people happy with them with good reviews. I hope you get great results with it. Are you on Canon or Nikon? I’m curious if there’s a difference. Let me know how it goes. All the best 👍🏻
@@sturousephoto Nikon Z 9 Stuart. Hoping to use for wildlife. Will let you know
@@cheemy1000what’s your experience after 9 months? I’m looking for a 150-600-ish lense for Nikon (d750 and z 6 II). Thanks!
I love the lens, some people have reported inconsistencies between each model bought, I must have been lucky with mine. I would highly rrecommend it. Although I recently purchased the Nikkor 100-400 which I now use more
@@cheemy1000 thank you, I’ll probably buy it then
Heck no, used to work in Aviation, I would only pointed my 600mm on vintage planes. Newer models (commercial or military) have a tendency to break my gear if you believe that kinda thing :-) From the free world I probably can shoot Russian planes without side effect I think :-)
I had the Mk1 Tamron 150-600mm for my Nikon D800, and it was great, i then chopped it in for the Sigma 150-600mm and the results were much better.
If it was me id rent out a sigma and maybe a canon party lens and do a comparison between the 2.
Great work keep it up 👍👍
Thanks. Watch this space to see what happens!! Did you go for the Sigma Contemporary or Sport?
@Stuart Rouse i went for the contemporary as the sport was, A. More pricey and B. Has a metal lens hood which unbalanced the lens and made it heavier.
There doesn’t seem to be any advantages in going for the Sport. The Contemporary seems to be the most popular and wisest choice by far. 👍🏻