Help choosing Tamron lens

mbk318 · Mar 27, 2011

Alright I want to surprise my fiance with a lens for his birthday. I know he has been wanting theTamron SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC for his Canon 7D. The question is I found the same lens without the Vibration control and actually read that it produces sharper images. I don't really know much about lens so can you take pics with the non-vc model without using a tripod or would the images be blurry from shaking. I don't want to get him something that he would always have to bring his tripod with him. Thanks for the help.

Derrel · Mar 27, 2011

It seems from the testing sites that the earlier, NON-VC model has higher image sharpness, but has somewhat more linear distortion, while the VC or Vibration Control model has slightly lower, although still very good, optical performance BUT with lower distortion levels...and both are quite,quite good for their category (17-or 18- to 50-55mm f/2.8 zooms) AND are quite good in terms of bang-for-buck spent. If your fiance does a lot of architectural work, or interiors, I'd say buy the VC model. Otherwise, the non-VC model is quite good,and costs less as I recall. ALso, the 17-50mm range is a pretty easy range to shoot without a tripod, and without Vibration Control or Image Stabilizer.

PhotoWrangler · Mar 27, 2011

VS, VC, IS, OS - whatever you want to call it - is only good if your shooting landscapes. Its useless for anything over 1/125th.

mbk318 · Mar 27, 2011

Thanks for the help. I think he is wanting to use it for cityscapes. If the pics will turn out fine without VC then I'll most likey get him the non VC version then.

GooniesNeverSayDie11 · Mar 27, 2011

If you can afford it, I would recommend looking at the Canon 17-40L. ( around $800 so a little more than the Tamron with VC ). Its an "L" lens. Its weathersealed ( like his 7D is ) it is internal focusing and internal zooming, and it has a USM motor and will focus much faster and more quietly than the Tamron. The only thing the Tamron has going for it in my opinion is that its 1 stop faster. If he is doing landscape/cityscape, he would most likely be using a tripod and slower shutter speeds anyway. Also, the 7D has pretty decent ISO range so I would much rather shoot the 17-40 at ISO 200 than the Tamron 17-50 at ISO 100. ( which would make the speed issue moot ). You may be able to get a little extra background blur at 2.8 than f4 more easily, but again, landscapes and cityscapes wouldn't have much use for that.

jth · Mar 28, 2011

If VC is what he wants then definitely buy a VC version or he'll be disappointed, he's opinions might be different from the opinions given in here. And if needed VC can be turned of in VC version.

mbk318 · Mar 29, 2011

Would the Canon 17-40L f/4 be sharper than the Tamron 17-50 at f/4? I'm wanting to guess the L would be the best, followed by the Tamron, then the canon non L version?

GooniesNeverSayDie11 · Mar 29, 2011

There may be some focal lengths of the zoom where the Tamron is as sharp or sharper due to it being designed strictly for cropped sensors ( thats not to say the L lens isn't very sharp as well, but if you strictly look at sharpness tests in controlled environments the Tamron may win, I don't have time to search ), but combined with the other features of the "L" lens along with the color and contrast of an L lens and its a no-brainer to me. ( This is one of the cheaper L lenses in price, but thats mainly because its F/4 and non-IS )