TAMRON - 16-300 mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Nikon F Cameras - Black - B016N

Product Information

For those looking for an all-in-one super-zoom DSLR lens, the Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro provides the best zoom range available, with a useful 24.8mm equivalent, and 18.8x optical zoom reach, zooming to 465mm equivalent. An added bonus of the lens is a rather impressive close focusing distance of 39cm, which provides very good macro results, far beyond what is expected from a super-zoom lens. Broadly speaking, there are two extremes of photographer in this world – the happy snapper and the pixel-peeper. The pixel-peeper is serious about technical quality and is prepared to sacrifice convenience to achieve what he believes is perfection. The happy snapper enjoys taking pictures and isn’t too worried about the finer points of quality, but wants to be able to enjoy his hobby. The overall build quality and finish are impressive. Its zoom and focusing rings have a great feel. Bokeh is creamy and color reproduction quite impressive. The inclusion of three aspherical lens elements helps keep aberration and vignetting at bay. There is discernible softening around the edges at wider apertures. Design Images: With the lens set at 70mm, I shot this scene across the entire aperture range. You can see how resolution increases to f/11 and then falls off beyond f/16

The IQ is very low at extreme zoom settings. I was comparing the 16mm with Tamron XR DiII SP 17-50mm which outperforms this superzoom at all apertures. At 300mm, it frames close to Canon EF-S 250mm, but the 5x times less expensive Cannon gives significantly sharper images at the same aperture settings. And the old Tamron SP is crispy sharp at 300mm! This superzoom is not even close. The zoom ring is a tough large rubber ring with straight edges for a modern looking design. Between the front zoom ring and focus ring, which is closest to the camera, is a distance scale to let you know the distance from the lens and the subject marked in metres and feet. The construction is a pretty complicated business, with 16 elements arranged in 12 groups. The more significant area is inevitably at the front end, where Tamron has used an element of only about 60mm in diameter made from the company’s ultra extra refractive (UXR) glass, the refractive properties of which are claimed by Tamron to play an important part in the miniaturisation of the whole unit. An additional forward lens is made from extra refractive (XR) glass, and there are four aspherical lenses to ensure good sharpness and contrast from all that light passing through highly refractive elements. At the 300mm end, the angle of view is 5°20', which is the same as that of a 450mm lens on a 35mm full-frame camera. So if you’re looking for a lens that you can take anywhere with you and will be suitable for almost any conditions you encounter then I can’t go past the Tamron 16–300 mm.The lens features 16 elements in its optical path. The arrangement includes LD (Low Dispersion), XR (eXtra Refractive) and ASL (Hybrid Aspherical) elements, along with multi-coatings. Tamron’s VC (Vibration Compensation) system is also featured, which gives optical image stabilization to the tune of around 4 stops. aperture blades with a cicular diaphragm (This circular diaphragm stays almost perfectly circular up to two stops down from maximum aperture, f/3.5.) In the DSLR sector, Tamron faces superzoom rivals in every camp, and some of the designs are notably similar. Alphabetically, the Canon EF-S 18-200mm 3.5-5.6 IS looks a little behind the curve these days, though it's a proven good performer. Nikon has a history of occasional cooperation with Tamron and matches the long-end reach with its Nikkor 18-300mm F3.5-6.3G AF-S DX ED VR. The Pentax SMC DA 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 ED SDM bears more than a passing resemblance to the superseded Tamron 18-270mm. Not to be outdone, Sigma joins the up-to-300mm superzoom club with its revamped 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM C, and Sony has the DT 18-250mm F3.5-6.3. Angle of view At the wide-angle end, sharpness is very high, right to the corners from f/5.6. At 16mm (24mm equivalent) it's wider than any other superzoom. There's obvious barrel distortion and CA visible in this uncorrected image.

As with most gear, people place varying degrees of importance on minute details. Here are a few small points that impressed me about the Tamron 16-300mm. When we convert the marked focal lengths into measurements we can relate to 35mm or full-frame systems, we are presented with the effects of a 25-465mm focal range. The significance of this is that most zooms of this type designed for APS-C cameras start at 18mm, or 28mm in full-frame language. That 2mm difference, which seems nothing when marked on a barrel, makes a whole focal-length step in the real world – we all understand the genuine difference switching from a 28mm to a 24mm lens can make. In this sense, then, it takes a tiny but important step beyond lenses such as Nikon’s AF-S DX 18-300mm, and offers something more in line with the kind of wideangles that bridge cameras offer. Tamron’s Vibration Compensation System does not disappoint when it comes to image stabilization. It makes a massive difference in image quality, even at 300mm and below the standard hand-holding threshold. It sets a baseline that accounts for individual variables and establishes acceptable limits of sharpness. Autofocus The focus is internal so nothing on the outside moves when you focus. It is quiet and fast. Once or twice it had difficulty when I focussed on two flowers at slightly different distances and it jiggled between them. When you use most zooms as Macro lens, you have to stand-off from the subject. With this lens I could get as close as 6" at 16mm. More remarkably, at 300mm, I could get as close as 3" between the UV filter and the subject (I tested on a barcode). So this lens does a great job as a macro lens.

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