Review on Tamron 18 270Mm 3 5 6 3 BOO8E Filter by Dominic Mayo

The following is my personal experience with this lens (Tamron 18-270mm VC PZD). It does NOT represent everyone else's experience as a whole. Also keep in mind that I haven't had this lens in a long time (well under 24 hours). Therefore, I reserve the right to change my opinion on this lens in the near future.PROS: This lens is very interesting. It has an amazing range (focal length wise)! And I love that I can zoom from wide to tele without changing lenses. Tamron's newer lens (16-300mm) is also an interesting development (not yet released). My first tests show that this is a very promising lens at 270mm. I have photos of my cats and the images are clear and clean. Let me add that the photos of the cats were taken in daylight at ISO 2500. I was positively surprised by the VC (Vibration Compensation). CONS: It came as a shock to me. At 18mm (wide) I couldn't get a good sharp image, at least at f-3.5. When I stopped at f-11 the problem was cut in half, although focus was still a bit soft. If you're working in portrait mode, you'll be fine as long as you set your lens to f-11 or higher (make sure you focus twice before releasing the shutter). It might be even better if you're using an 18-55mm kit lens for portraiture. If you're taking a group photo (18mm lens) with a Tamron 18-270, forget it. It's just not a good idea. However, an earlier version of this lens could prove to be a more viable alternative. GENERAL: I like this lens in general. Some people who demand perfection also live in a dream world where it is achievable. Everything always has a downside. Just make sure you're creative enough to use this lens' weaknesses to your advantage. WHY THREE STARS: I gave this lens three stars NOT only because of its soft focus on the 18mm end, but also because the seller (33rd Street Camera) sold me a lens that was out of warranty so a 6 -year guarantee is not possible. But the good news is that Revain stands behind the purchase and would like to replace the item or get my money back. Let the buyer (a) be the product.