24-70: The widest lens I’ve ever used.

Okay, so in terms of the angle of view, that’s not true at all. But physically, the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD is a large lens. Within its class, it appears to be the only with a thread larger than 77mm (at 82mm). This does has some relevance on the use and optical characteristics of the lens, so I thought it was discussing this in further detail.
Since the lens is quite compact, and shorter than some of its counterparts, the large front element does contribute to the pronounced vignetting when shooting at maximum aperture, since the distance from the centre of the lens to the edges is proportionally larger than in other lenses. I’ve talked about this in a previous post, and have said before that I don’t view vignetting as an issue, since there are certain circumstances where an aperture-controllable vignette might actually be an advantage. In any case, vignettes are easily removed with even the most basic software these days, and if it’s a choice between a vignette-free lens or a sharp lens, I’ll pick the detail every time. Since the large front element collects plenty of light, the resolution is excellent.
The more obvious effect of the large elements is the size and weight of the lens, and how it handles on a camera. This is quite an important factor, as it can potentially limit who buys the lens.

Handling

Since the Tamron is also the only lens in class to come armed with a stabiliser, the bulk at the front of the lens is balanced by the bulk at the back of the lens. It’s got some girth. I am very aware of how heavy it is whenever I use it. Of course, this is a lens designed for full-frame cameras, so extra size and weight is to be expected.
While this weight reassures me that it’s a quality product, I find myself gripping my camera very tightly, and can lead to some discomfort when shooting vertically. I have quite small hands, so my grip only reaches half way around the Tamron 24-70mm VC. A battery grip helps by giving a larger surface area to hold on to with the other hand and giving balance, but that does add more weight.
Recently I was looking for an arca-swiss type tripod plate that would allow me to use a sling strap at the same time. I stumbled on to the Joby Ultraplate, and ordered one that came bundled with a hand strap. This turned out to be a very good buy, as it’s solved the problems of wrist pain, as I can now relax my grip without fear of dropping the camera (Note: I’m a huge fan of Joby’s newest line of products, from the Ballhead X to the Ultra fit sling strap – they’re all really well designed with very little that I’d do differently). I no longer feel the need to use an additional grip for most shooting, and feel a lot more comfortable when using the Tamron as a result.

Filters

Because of the 82mm thread, I’m not currently able to use my filters with the Tamron 24-70mm VC. Up until now, my top quality lenses both had a 77mm thread, and I’ve used stepping rings to use my circular polariser with my smaller lenses. This much more economical than buying a filter for every lens. However, I will have to invest in a larger filter now in order to cover the front of the Tamron. The price difference between 77mm and 82mm filters is only about 10%, so if you chose to buy the Tamron before buying a filter, it’s not an issue. However, replacing a polariser is a costly affair, so this is a clear negative if you’re thinking of upgrading or replacing an existing lens in your current lineup.

Advanced shooting

The increased weight comes in handy when shooting from a tripod, since it takes a stronger wind to affect the stability. The shot below was taken with the camera perched on top of handrails, with the legs splayed over a bridge and using a radio trigger to open the shutter.

Since I can’t use my filters, I’m now more likely to use sensor dodging to control my exposures when shooting in low light. The good news is that the large element means that it’s easy for me to visualise the movements I need to make with my hands in order to make the necessary adjustments to my images. In fact, the technique is easier with this lens than with any other I’ve used, allowing me to get detailed and colourful images like those below without too much trial and error. And because I’m not using an optical filter, the “hand-filtered” images are as sharp as they can possibly be.

As with any attribute, there’s a balance to be struck. Now that I’ve sorted out the handling of the lens with my choice of straps, I’m able to enjoy to the fullest extent the things which cause the lens’s heft and girth: an outstanding image stabiliser and a large piece of glass which allows me to shoot more creatively. The fact is, I can take images with this lens that I can’t get with any other 24-70mm in the same circumstances.

New arrival: 24-70mm F/2.8

Two days.

That’s how long it’s taken me to fall in love with this lens. It’s that good.

When I said goodbye to my D300 and moved to full-frame, I think I found it harder to come to terms with the realisation that my 17-55 was going to have to follow. It was my preferred walkabout lens for a number of years, and was very crisp, but after identifying my upgrade path, I had to trade it in. So when Intro 2020 asked me if there was another lens I would like to try, the Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD was right at the top of my list. It has a full-frame coverage that almost matches that of the 17-55mm DX pairing, and throws in the added bonus of image stabilisation.

I caught myself smiling while opening up the box when it arrived the other day. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve been so excited to use a lens before. My first observation was that it’s a chunky monkey. The lens feels robust, and is heavier than it looks. The barrel is almost a uniform diameter, which makes it very comfortable to grip. There are some nice little design touches like an asymmetrical focus ring and chamfered edges to the zoom ring and barrel which makes it feel like a premium product, and the lens hood clicks into place firmly. I’ll be sure to include some photographs of some of these details in a future post. The model number is the A007, which is probably what made Tamron use a spy theme in the above ad campaign. If not, it’s an amusing coincidence…

I didn’t waste much time in getting out with the 24-70mm either, heading out to Rivelin Valley again. The weather took a turn for the worse a couple of hours in, so straight away I can confirm that the “drip proofing” works. No adverse affects at all, even though I was initially concerned about water seeping in through the telescoping barrel. 

The 24-70 proved its versatility during the course of my walk. The argument over whether to use primes or zooms has, in my opinion, been academic for some time. The quality of modern zooms far outstrips that of older prime lenses, so nowadays it’s really just down to the weight. Of course, when the weather is poor, the additional weight of a zoom lens seems inconsequential. Two prime lenses will quickly amount to more than one zoom lens.

My early findings are that vignetting is apparent when shooting wide open, but it’s hard for me to see this as a major problem when it’s so easily corrected at the first step of my raw workflow. Furthermore, I don’t often shoot subjects where it would be an issue anyway. Regardless, it goes away pretty quickly when stopping down even moderate amounts. What is also very obvious is that the sharpness across the frame is excellent, even when shooting at very wide apertures.

I’m really looking forward to using this lens a lot over the coming months. It really is a beauty.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD; 70mm @ 13.3m; F/9; ISO 50; 1s.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD; 24mm @ 11.9m; F/9; ISO 50; 1.3s. Tripod mounted.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD; 24mm @ 11.9m; F/18; ISO 200; 4s. Tripod mounted.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD; 24mm @ 4.5m; F/1; ISO 200; 1s. Tripod mounted.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD; 24mm @ 0.7m; F/3.2; ISO 1000; 1/60s. Tripod mounted.
Compare with the shot above, taken at the same focal length but moving in closer for this shot. The effect on depth of field is quite pronounced.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD; 70mm @ 1.1m; F/6.3; ISO 100; 0.8s. Tripod mounted, cropped by 50%

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD; 24mm @ 3.2m; F/11; ISO 50; 8s. Tripod mounted.

70-200: Turbines and tripod collars

This evening there was a beautiful lavender sky, so I headed up to my local windfarm to try to make the most of it. What follows is a pair of shots taken with the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 SP Di VC USD. Both were tripod mounted, and the second shot was actually underexposed during shooting to maintain the shutter speed I wanted. You can see that even shooting full frame, there is no loss of sharpness at the edges of the frame.

Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 SP Di VC USD,
70mm; ISO 50; F/14, 1.6s

Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 SP Di VC USD,
155mm; ISO 50; F/16, 1.3s

On the subject of tripods, I’ve not mentioned the tripod collar before. It’s a removable, wrap-around design, with a large release knob. I’ve found that this is easy to use, and doesn’t have to be tightened all the way to give a good grip on the lens barrel. The foot itself is a wide-based unit, which sits very well in the hand if not on a tripod, and makes for easy adjustment of the manual focus ring. When used as it’s designed, the large surface area makes good contact with your choice of quick release plate. There is a non-stick pad on the inside of the collar, which made for easy rotation of the collar when straight out of the box. However, I have found that over time, the adhesive which holds this pad in place will work its way into the groove for the collar, and I’ve had to maintain smooth running with a little light oil. 

Tripod collar of the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 SP Di VC USD