Tamrom or Canon 70-200

selo · Mar 7, 2017

Im looking to buy a 70-200 f2.8 for my canon 6d. I am usi g a Tamron 24-70 f2.8 for years now and i like it a lot. The price difference has always been a reason for me to go for a tamron or sigma. But right now for the 70-200 the lrices are very close.

Tamron just releaser their new 70-200 gp2. All the tests i watched seem to like it a lot. But the Canon 70-20 is only 200 euro more for me. Only thing that I dislile is that the zoom ring is the other way around. Which will make it annoying when switching from my tamron 24-70 to the canon 70-200 while having a photo session. I sometimes use 2 bodies with 24-70 and 70-200 at the same time.

If i go for the canon, i will probably change the 24-70 as well for that zoom reason.

Besides the zoom issue... and since there is almost no price difference... would you pick the Tamron version 2 or Canon 70-200, and why?

table1349 · Mar 7, 2017

This. Why, because it damn well works. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/680103-USA/Canon_2751B002_EF_70_200mm_f_2_8L_IS.html

dasmith232 · Mar 7, 2017

The zoom ring and the focus ring direction is a pretty big deal for me. Anyone that uses manual focus or needs to override the auto focus with a manual adjustment will quickly realize that. So that's my reason for sticking with the same design (which defaults to same brand).

I have a Sigma story, which may or may not have any relevance to Tamron. But the theme is price.

A guy that I usually shoot weddings with got the Sigma 70-200/2.8. I went with Canon originally. The optical clarity was pretty good. He and I did a side-by-side once and the Canon seemed clearer in some cases, but we must have gotten bored with the testing because we didn't go much further. In practice, both lenses were pretty sharp for real-world conditions.

Keep in mind that this is wedding photography and the action is faster and there are more bumps and bruises to be felt on the equipment. During one wedding, his lens "broke". The zoom ring went dead. It turns out that the Sigma had a plastic cam part where the Canon version is metal for the zooming action. We both shoot with the same body and had enough lenses to really not miss much of the action. It was after getting the lens serviced that he learned about the plastic part. He subsequently sold the (repaired) Sigma and bought a Canon.

OGsPhotography · Mar 7, 2017

Or, is it because it works damn well? Thats my reasoning.

SuzukiGS750EZ · Mar 8, 2017

I've been considering the tamron as well. I've got the tamron 150-600 g2 that i'm happy with. I've actually thought about selling my 18-55 stm and 55-250 stm to contribute to the 70-200 fund.

Derrel · Mar 8, 2017

Over a five- to 10-year timeframe, the resale value on the Canon will likely be significantly higher if you decide to sell the lens. The new Tamron is supposed to be a very good performer, but it is **very early** for this lens! it has NOT proven itself in any way what-so-ever,m and I mean that literally: this lens has not been out long enough to even begin to judge hoiw well it will hold up, and hold up is what a 70-200/2.8 is supposed to do: it is THE workhorse tele-zoom for most working shooters. I've on ly seen the Nikon-mount version reviewed by The Angry Photographer. Lensrentals.com will likely do a fgull teardown report on the lens, so we can maybe learn how the internals have been constructed.

Of course, the big issue for some people might be the placement of the zoom and focusing rings; as I understand it the new Tamron is following the "new" NIkon pattern of where the focua and zoom rings are placed, with is the opposite of the "old Nikon way", and so the focus and zoom rings are "wrong" for some other brand shooters too. I am not sure which direction the rings rotate in, but it sound like this lens is unappealing to Canon shooters who want a lens that perorms in the same way as a Canon EF lens does (???).

So...maybe for some buyers the 200 Euro price premium for the Canon would actually be worth the extra money.

coastalconn · Mar 8, 2017

Yeah, if pricing is about the same I would probably go with the Canon. In the US, the Tamron is $650 cheaper than the Canon and $1500 than the Nikon. Makes the Tamron a much easier choice in the US..

table1349 · Mar 8, 2017

This might be worth the reading. It's a Nikon mount.
https://petapixel.com/2017/03/07/hands-new-tamron-70-200mm-f2-8-g2/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+PetaPixel+(PetaPixel)

selo · Mar 9, 2017

In The Netherlands Price of Tamron is 1599
And Canon after cashback 1869

+ I get a slightly more VAT refund for the Canon

So the difference is under €250 ish

I like the Tamron because it is newer and i allready use a Tamron lens. So switching lenses will be less awkward.

I like the Canon because it is a Canon but since the zoom rotates the other way than my Tamron 24-70.. it would be very annoyinh to switch lenses while having a photosession. I can see this resulting in missing shots. So the solution is getting the Canon 24-70 as well.

The extra money i have to spend on Canon glass (for both 24-70 and 70-200) is in my opinion not worth it... i rather invest the difference in extra gear or maybe a newer body.

I dont think i will ever sell it. Without the canom cashback i wouldnt even consider getting the canon 70-200.

Looks like i have to go for the Tamron