Sharpest Aperture on Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 (A007N)

[HeldInTheMoment]

As the title says, anyone know the sharpest aperture for the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 (A007N)?

I have been playing around with it for landscapes. I prefer the higher f-stop for a larger focal plane, but worry about diffraction and loss of detail in some areas.

Some of my portrait shots are hit or miss too with pin-point sharpness, any ideas for the best aperture for this style of shooting with this lens?

My Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 is tact-sharp almost every time! ...but I am finding this is not as often the case with the 24-70. Trying to figure out why.

 

[Braineack]

mines pretty sharp at 2.8, at f/8-11 it's crazy sharp.

DSC_5985 by The Braineack, on Flickr

 

[goodguy]

mines pretty sharp at 2.8, at f/8-11 it's crazy sharp.

DSC_5985 by The Braineack, on Flickr

Now that's sharp at f2.8

Both the Tamron 24-70mm 2.8 and 70-200mm 2.8 are amazingly sharp lenses and have one of the best (best in my limited experience) vibration control.
If your 24-70mm isn't as sharp as you expect it to be then either fine tune your camera or send it to Tamron for a tune.
When I bought my Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 VC it wasn't sharp out the box, I had to fine tune it to -20 to get it sharp.
Then I decided this is crazy so I sent it to Tamron for a tune, I got my lens in 2 days and reset the camera fine tune and the lens was even sharper then when I fine tuned it, its just wonderful.
So going to Tamron is worth the trip.

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

Well my lens isn't "that bad" and I sometimes get amazingly tact-sharp shots that I am very impressed with, but not as consistently as I had hoped. Maybe it's user error, I am not saying I am perfect. That's why I was asking for others input on a good aperture to test more in dept with.

The sad part is, I bought mine on the "Grey Market" with the International Version, so no USA warranty...not sure what it would cost to send to Tamron for a fine tune. Though, I do have a MAC Warranty that the lens came with...maybe they cover something?

Since my Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 is amazingly sharp, I was curious if the 24-70 isn't as sharp (but all the review says it's neck-and-neck with the Nikkor)...more testing is needed I guess and maybe call Tamron to see what they can/will do.

 

[robbins.photo]

Well my lens isn't "that bad" and I sometimes get amazingly tact-sharp shots that I am very impressed with, but not as consistently as I had hoped. Maybe it's user error, I am not saying I am perfect. That's why I was asking for others input on a good aperture to test more in dept with.

The sad part is, I bought mine on the "Grey Market" with the International Version, so no USA warranty...not sure what it would cost to send to Tamron for a fine tune. Though, I do have a MAC Warranty that the lens came with...maybe they cover something?

Since my Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 is amazingly sharp, I was curious if the 24-70 isn't as sharp (but all the review says it's neck-and-neck with the Nikkor)...more testing is needed I guess and maybe call Tamron to see what they can/will do.

My recommendation might sound odd, but first thing I would try is to shut the vc off and shoot some shots at shutter speeds of 1/320 or even a bit higher.

See what sort of results you get, and are they consistently sharp.

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

 

[dxqcanada]

Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD review

 

[SCraig]

That looks like it might be an original GT40. Very few made, even fewer left now. Beautiful shot.

 

[Piccell]

A smaller opening gives a sharper image. Try looking through your fingertips making a tiny opening to look through.

 

[Braineack]

That looks like it might be an original GT40. Very few made, even fewer left now. Beautiful shot.

yup. right-hand drive and all. Lots of money in McLean VA.

 

[greybeard]

I do not yet own this lens but I'm gas'en badly for one.
This test shows the highest resolution across the field is at 5.6.
But, from what it shows, it is very sharp at any aperture. I'd shoot it at what ever gave the DoF I was after and not worry about the highest resolution. (jmho)
Tamron AF 24-70mm f/2.8 SP Di USD VC (FX) - Review / Test Report - Analysis

 

[Peeb]

A smaller opening gives a sharper image. Try looking through your fingertips making a tiny opening to look through.

That statement is true up until the point that it is not true. Then it's false.

MOST (not all) lenses are sharper at about f/8 as compared to wide open, but as the aperture value increases beyond a certain poiont, diffraction kicks in and hampers sharpness.

 

[greybeard]

The only way you are going to see any difference in sharpness is shooting a test chart and then magnifying it to the max. DxoMark shows this lens sharp edge to edge up to f16 and then it starts falling off at 22 but that is diffraction. Tamron SP 24-70mm F2.8 Di VC USD Nikon mounted on Nikon D800E : Measurements | DxOMark