Marty Hudzik |
February 10th, 2010 01:24 PM |
Not that I think the Tamron is a bad lens or anything like that, but I decided on the used Canon 17-55 f2.8 IS USM model instead, and sent the Tamron back.
I still stand by the things I said about the Tamron, but I found that I liked the focus mechanism on the canon better, the USM autofocus seems faster but for sure it is quieter and the image was overall sharper when zoomed. Also the fulltime manual focus is great.
Overall, the reviews and images I saw on the web of comparing the lenses at different focal lengths and apertures consistently put the Canon ahead. Many professional reviews claim the glass is "L" series quality, which is saying something! Less CA and fringing too.
The one thing I originally loved about the Tamron was the focus ring was smooth and easy to turn with little resistance. The Canon initially turned me off as the focus ring felt a little stiff and jerky. But it seems to have loosened up a bit and i now find that I overshoot focus with the Tamron. THe canon tends to stop more precisely when rack focusing and the Tamron slides right past the mark sometimes. Just a completely different feel, and if all I was going to use just the Tamron....that would be okay. I intend on owning several pieces of Canon glass and just thought for consistency with focal direction and feel....I'd stick with Canon. At a cost premium obviously.
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