REVIEWS
Left
85mm f/2
Narrowing the aperture
to f/2.5, depth of field
is rather less tight, but
defocussed backgrounds
still look nice and smoothFar left
85mm f/1.4
Although two-thirds of
an f-stop slower than the
other lenses, the Tamron
delivers soft bokehRight
This is no ‘downmarket’
f/1.8 lens
With its weather-sealed
metal barrel, the Tamron
feels a solid contender and
has the performance to
match, plus the bonus of
optical stabilisationPRICE: £749 / $749
Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD
Among 85mm lenses, f/1.8 models are often seen as the inferior option. Not this time
Canon and Nikon both offer low-cost 85mm
lenses with an f/1.8 aperture rating. The
Canon costs £365/$369 whereas the
Nikon sells for £429/$477, so they’re a
fraction of the price of their sibling f/1.4
lenses. This Tamron 85mm f/1.8 is larger
and feels a lot more substantial. At 700
grams, it’s twice the weight of the Nikon
f/1.8, and has a relatively complex optical
path containing 13 elements. It also adds
optical image stabilisation, or VC (vibration
compensation) as Tamron calls it.
The lens is very smartly turned out, with a
premium metal barrel, weather seals and afluorine coating on its front element. Optical
attractions include LD (low dispersion)
and XLD (extra low dispersion) elements
to increase sharpness and contrast while
reducing colour fringing, and also Tamron’s
nano-structure eBAND and BBAR coatings,
which work to minimise ghosting and flare.
As with the f/1.4 lenses in the group,
Tamron has aimed for optimum sharpness,
coupled with the smoothest possible bokeh.
That’s more of a challenge with an f/1.8
lens that’s two-thirds of an f-stop slower.
Even so, a tight depth of field is available
and the aperture remains well-roundedwhen stopping down a little, thanks to a
nine-blade diaphragm. As in the Sigma, the
diaphragm is electromagnetically controlled
in both the Nikon and Canon mount versions.
Sharpness is good rather than great when
shooting wide open. Centre sharpness is on
par with the Nikon lens at f/1.8, although
the Tamron is sharper in the corners. In
fact, sharpness is impressively even across
the whole image frame. Remarkably, bokeh
is very smooth when shooting wide open,
and remains so when stopping down. Coma
can be rather noticeable at f/1.8, but bokeh
fringing is negligible.REVIEWS
Left
85mm f/2
Narrowing the aperture
to f/2.5, depth of field
is rather less tight, but
defocussed backgrounds
still look nice and smoothFar left
85mm f/1.4
Although two-thirds of
an f-stop slower than the
other lenses, the Tamron
delivers soft bokehRight
This is no ‘downmarket’
f/1.8 lens
With its weather-sealed
metal barrel, the Tamron
feels a solid contender and
has the performance to
match, plus the bonus of
optical stabilisationPRICE: £749 / $749
Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD
Among 85mm lenses, f/1.8 models are often seen as the inferior option. Not this time
Canon and Nikon both offer low-cost 85mm
lenses with an f/1.8 aperture rating. The
Canon costs £365/$369 whereas the
Nikon sells for £429/$477, so they’re a
fraction of the price of their sibling f/1.4
lenses. This Tamron 85mm f/1.8 is larger
and feels a lot more substantial. At 700
grams, it’s twice the weight of the Nikon
f/1.8, and has a relatively complex optical
path containing 13 elements. It also adds
optical image stabilisation, or VC (vibration
compensation) as Tamron calls it.
The lens is very smartly turned out, with a
premium metal barrel, weather seals and afluorine coating on its front element. Optical
attractions include LD (low dispersion)
and XLD (extra low dispersion) elements
to increase sharpness and contrast while
reducing colour fringing, and also Tamron’s
nano-structure eBAND and BBAR coatings,
which work to minimise ghosting and flare.
As with the f/1.4 lenses in the group,
Tamron has aimed for optimum sharpness,
coupled with the smoothest possible bokeh.
That’s more of a challenge with an f/1.8
lens that’s two-thirds of an f-stop slower.
Even so, a tight depth of field is available
and the aperture remains well-roundedwhen stopping down a little, thanks to a
nine-blade diaphragm. As in the Sigma, the
diaphragm is electromagnetically controlled
in both the Nikon and Canon mount versions.
Sharpness is good rather than great when
shooting wide open. Centre sharpness is on
par with the Nikon lens at f/1.8, although
the Tamron is sharper in the corners. In
fact, sharpness is impressively even across
the whole image frame. Remarkably, bokeh
is very smooth when shooting wide open,
and remains so when stopping down. Coma
can be rather noticeable at f/1.8, but bokeh
fringing is negligible.REVIEWS