Review on 📷 Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 SP Di VC USD XLD: Outstanding Quality for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras by April Simpson

I had high hopes for this lens. My Tamron 90mm macro lens is incredibly sharp, even handheld in low light, so I was expecting an equally great lens. I wanted to upgrade my 55-200mm Nikkor to take better bird photos. I was totally disappointed with this lens. First, it's a monster if you're used to smaller zooms. 27 ounces may sound like little, but it's almost 2 pounds. It's 5.6 inches without the extension, so it's not meant for the average woman's hands, especially when you add in the camera width. Yes it has VC but it didn't work for me no matter what I tried. Maybe if you're one of those rare people with steady hands, you'll succeed. There is no tripod collar included, so the camera will shake a lot with a tripod/monopod. Fortunately, Manfrotto makes a lens stand. no collars and I *highly* recommend it. The support, coupled with the super powerful Manfrotto monopod, was the only reason all my holiday photos came out decently. Bought. No zoom is as sharp as a prime lens, but this lens was unacceptably soft at all distances. What good is a 300mm zoom lens if you have to keep it at 200mm to get something useful? I wanted a lens that would help me take better bird identification images, but fine detail was lost due to the softness. At the same time, the difference in birds is very small, and clear photos are crucial for identifying an individual. I returned the lens less than a month after purchase. I took it with me on vacation and tried it, but it was too disappointing. My search for a good lens has begun again.