N-Photo

SHARP WHERE IT COUNTS, IT’S VERY NEARLY FABULOUS SLIM, SOPHISTICATED AND REASONABLY PRICED

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR

Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] £ 3330 , $$ 650

Nikon AF-S DX 16-85mm

f/3.5-5.6G ED VR ££ 430 , $ 700

The newest version of Tamron’s

‘Super Performance’ standard

zoom has the same fast,

con st a nt f/2 .8 aper t u re a s it s

forebear, but adds Vibration

Compensation. That’s Tamron’s

proprietary three-axis optical

stabiliser, and it performs well

in fending off camera shake.

The optical design includes

an XLD (Extra Low Dispersion)

and an LD element, the pairing

aimed at delivering ‘contrast

and brilliance’ while reducing

colour fringing. The build is

compact for an f/2.8 lens, one

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at t ac h ment t h read i s 72m m

rather than the usual 77mm.

Performance

Sharpness is excellent across

most of the frame, but the

corners suffer at both ends of

the zoom range. The electric

AF motor is clearly audible,

as is the optical stabiliser, but

autofocus is fairly quick, only

slowing noticeably under very

dull lighting. Handling could be

better, though. The focus ring

rotates during autofocus and,

in our review sample, both the

zoom and focus rings felt a bit

sticky and jerky in operation.

Compared with Nikon’s much

newer 16-80mm lens, this is

about the same length but

sl i m mer, w it h a dia meter of

72mm instead of 80mm, and

with a 67mm rather than a

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the same weight and, in the UK

at least, less than half the price.

Nevertheless, it boasts some

sophisticated features that

include a weather-sealed

mount, ring-type ultrasonic AF

and dual-mode normal/active

VR (Vibration Reduction).

This lens comes second only

to the Nikon 18-105mm in this

group for zoom range, and beats

the Nikon for wide-angle

coverage. The optical path also

includes two performance-

enhancing ED (Extra-low

Dispersion) elements.

Performance

Despite this lens’s ring-type

ultrasonic autofocus system,

AF speed is a little pedestrian.

Even so, it’s whisper-quiet and

boasts manual override via the

focus ring. Centre sharpness

st a r t s i s good at t he w ide -a ngle

end, but tails off at mid to long

focal lengths, where corner

sharpness is also poor.

Su p e r b sh a r p n e s s i s o n l y l et d ow n by s of t

corners at either end of the zoom range.

f/4-5 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16 f/22 f/32

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

f/2.8-3.5

18mm 24mm 35mm 50mm

Centre sharpness (Higher is better)

It ’s a sli g h t u n d e r a c h i eve r a t m i d-r a n ge

apertures, especially in image corners.

f/4-5 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16 f/22 f/32

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

f/2.8-3.5

18mm 50mm 70mm 85mm

Centre sharpness (Higher is better)

Short 1.59 Mid 0.69 Long 0.35

Minimal fringing at short zoom settings

a n d n e a r l y n o n e a t m i d to l o n g o n e s.

Edge fringing (f/8) (Lower is better)

Short 3.02 Mid 0.88 Long 2.07

Fringing is on the high side at 16mm, but

better contained at longer zoom settings.

Edge fringing (f/8) (Lower is better)

Features

Build/Handling

Performance

value for money

OVERALL

Very good overall performance makes

this lens excellent value for money.

Verdict

Features

Build/Handling

Performance

value for money

OVERALL

Features and handling are very good, but

sharpness could be a little better.

Verdict

Pronounced at 16mm but not overly bad,

considering the large viewing angle.

Distortion (Nearer 0 is better)

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 123

SHORT -3.48

B a r re l d is to r ti o n i s re s tr a i n e d a t 17m m.

There’s little distortion at longer lengths.

Distortion (Nearer 0 is better)

-4 -3 -2 -1

MID 0.76

LONG 0.29

SHORT -2.68

01

MID 1.15

LONG 1.18

132 March 2016 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com

GEAR ZONE THE BIG TEST