Tamron 180 macro issue

GDHLEWIS · Oct 7, 2013

Well after a few weeks of waiting my new Macro lens the Tamron 180 has finally arrived BUT... yes there is a but

it will not auto focus, although this doesn't overly bother me as Ill be using manual for my macro shots I was hoping to use it as a telephoto as well and would have liked to have had auto focus for that. I'm using a Nikon D3200 so does any one have any ideas what may be the issue?

Derrel · Oct 7, 2013

Ummmm...that particular lens was first issued with a screw-drive autofocusing link at the back of the lens...meaning an in-camera AF drive system, which the D3200 lacks, is needed. I'm not 100% positive, but I "thought" that after the D40 was introduced, that Tamron updated the lens to one with an in-LENS autofocusing motor; I KNOW for sure that Tamron did update/re-engineer several other lenses in Nikon mount to the in-lens AF system, based upon the BHUGE sales success that was the original Nikon D40. The Tamron 90mm AF-SP macro, and their very popular 28-75mm f/2.8 zoom were the first two lenses that had the Nikon-moun t versions updated to the new in-LENS AF motor design. The Tamron 180 macro came out back during the Nikon D70 era, before Nikon removed the in-camera AF motor system from its lower-priced models.

GDHLEWIS · Oct 7, 2013

Cheers Derrel,

I kind of figured as much as well, but needed another opinion, Iv just had a little play with the lens out and about at work and found that the focusing on the lens is as easy as it get's so any niggle of not having the auto focus has kind of gone now

Bloody arms a little tired tho, it is a relatively heavy fella after a few hours

Derrel · Oct 7, 2013

I recall the Tamron 180mm macro as having one really distinguishing feature: beautiful bokeh character. Really first-rate. Just lovely bokeh quality....I'm not talking about the degree of background blur, or the ability for the lens to do selective focus; I mean the bokeh rendering characteristics of that lens are very,very nice, very desirable.