Tamron 150-600, help needed

Ted Evans · Sep 25, 2015

I am looking for some help with the Tamron 150-600. Using a Nikon D7100 and a D800e, I get very good images up to about 50-75 feet but anything beyond that, the resolution is terrible. I am using a Gitzo tripod with VC off and ISO of 400-1000, F8 & SS of 600-1500. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Braineack · Sep 25, 2015

have examples?

I've used to shoot things from great distant and came back with great results:

Boeing B-29 Superfortress "FiFi" by The Braineack, on Flickr

even these planes which were much further away and I cropped down, rendered great when you view at 100%:

North American P-51 Mustangs over D.C. by The Braineack, on Flickr

astroNikon · Sep 25, 2015

^^ not much prop blur ??

I use the same lens on a d7000 and now a d600 with no issues.
I use mine for soccer, flying aircraft, the moon and a bunch of other things. And other than the hiccup below I have no issues.

Sometimes the AF doesn't work and seems to stop working from time to time. You have to disengage the lens from the body. Then it starts working again.

From your description is it not autofocusing?
can you manually focus something past 75 feet?

Ted Evans · Sep 25, 2015

The first one is approximately 30', 1/1000, f8, ISO 400, 600mm, D800e on tripod, VC off.

This one is about 150', 1/1000, f8, ISO 400, 600mm, D800e on tripod, VC off.

The focus point of both images is on the eye and I have had the same experience with other subjects. There must be something that I am doing wrong. I will try it today using manual focus and see if that makes a difference.

JacaRanda · Sep 25, 2015

I don't see anything wrong with the first image. The eye is sharp. Are you concerned that the shoulder and rest of the right wing are not?
The second one is a tougher call, but unless the atmosphere is super clear between you and the subject at that distance - typical with that lens (in my experience).

Have you done micro adjustment on the lens?

Ted Evans · Sep 25, 2015

JacaRanda said:
I don't see anything wrong with the first image. The eye is sharp. Are you concerned that the shoulder and rest of the right wing are not?
The second one is a tougher call, but unless the atmosphere is super clear between you and the subject at that distance - typical with that lens (in my experience).

Have you done micro adjustment on the lens?

I have been very satisfied with the images out to 30-40', it is only the ones at some distance that are unsatisfactory. I am happy with the first image as it is, the second one I am not at all happy with and it was a clear morning. Yes, I have fine tuned the AF. Thanks for the comments.

Ted Evans · Sep 25, 2015

Braineack said:
have examples?

I've used to shoot things from great distant and came back with great results:

Boeing B-29 Superfortress "FiFi" by The Braineack, on Flickr

even these planes which were much further away and I cropped down, rendered great when you view at 100%:

North American P-51 Mustangs over D.C. by The Braineack, on Flickr

I would be thrilled to get images this good. The resolution on mine at any distance beyond about 40' is terrible.

Braineack · Sep 25, 2015

i have no issues with same subject/distance:

Blue Heron by The Braineack, on Flickr

although it wasn't very sharp at 100%:

jsecordphoto · Sep 25, 2015

I notice the same thing with mine, closer subjects are nice and sharp but at a distance, not so great.

Braineack · Sep 25, 2015

ill fool around with it this weekend. ill be taking it to the zoo on columbus day weekend as well.

astroNikon · Sep 25, 2015

That second one you are right. It looks like you took a photo through glass.
The tree branches when you zoom in looks like it has duplicate ghost branches. But at shutter 1/1000, f/8, 600mm, -0.5step it shouldn't do that.

Braineack · Sep 25, 2015

was VC still active at the 1/1000sec shutter speed?

JacaRanda · Sep 25, 2015

Ted Evans said:
JacaRanda said:

I don't see anything wrong with the first image. The eye is sharp. Are you concerned that the shoulder and rest of the right wing are not?
The second one is a tougher call, but unless the atmosphere is super clear between you and the subject at that distance - typical with that lens (in my experience).

Have you done micro adjustment on the lens?

Click to expand...

I have been very satisfied with the images out to 30-40', it is only the ones at some distance that are unsatisfactory. I am happy with the first image as it is, the second one I am not at all happy with and it was a clear morning. Yes, I have fine tuned the AF. Thanks for the comments.

Braineack said:
was VC still active at the 1/1000sec shutter speed?

He mentioned VC was off on both shots.

It may be time to send it in. FWIW, I have sent mine in twice for firmware updates and the turnaround times have been satisfactory.

480sparky · Sep 25, 2015

Has anyone suggested it might be either atmospheric haze or turbulence?

Ted Evans · Sep 25, 2015

Braineack said:
was VC still active at the 1/1000sec shutter speed?

No, I turn off VC when it is on a tripod. I do not understand why it can be so crisp at close distances and be so muddy at longer distances. It has always been that way but I assumed it was just my technique. The lens was sent back to Tamron when the AF failed and that feature has worked very well since. The AF fine tune was +16 before and now it is +2.