Tamron lenses

[Bootneck3]

In spite of some adverse criticism, I am still contemplating buying a Tamron lens as a general purpose walk about lens thus avoiding carring the lens kit bought with the Sony A200 camera.

I am looking at the 18-200 or the 18-250. The 18-200 would be sufficient for my use and $A100 cheaper but I have seen a report stating that this lens is nowhere near as good as the 18-250.

The specs do not seem to differ except for an extra lens in the 18-250. Is there that much difference. Does anybody know?

[JimC]

Judging by all reports I've seen (including users that have owned both lenses), the newer 18-250mm is a much higher quality lens. I'd probably avoid the 18-200mm.

[TCav]

I've owned the 18-200. It suffers from geometric distortion at the wide end, chromatic abberation at the long end, and is soft and dim throughout it's range.

By all accounts, the 18-250 is an improvement over the 18-200, and is arguably the best example of a superzoom lens currently available. But it is still not as good as 2 or 3 lenses with less ambitious zoom ranges.

See the tests at SLRGear.com:

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showp...uct/170/cat/23

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showp...ct/1009/cat/23

If you're looking for something that will let you take snapshots, either of these will be ok. But if you review your results with anything approaching a critical eye, I think you'll be disappointed.

If you really want a superzoom lens, as I've said, the 18-250 is the best in its class but the Sony is a rebranded Tamron with AF gearing that is better adapted for Sony dSLRs, so I think you'd be better off with the Sony.

[Bootneck3]

Thanks guys for the constructive replies. The 18-200mm is definately out but am still considering the 250mm. I do have a friend with one (albeit he uses a Canon) and to my uncritical eye, the results look OK.

I do take my photography seriously and strive for good quality but intended usage and bank balance necessitates compromise.

I am beginning to miss my Panasonic FZ20 with it's 2.8 Leica lens across the whole zoom range

Fred

[TCav]

Bootneck3 wrote:

I am beginning to miss my Panasonic FZ20 with it's 2.8 Leica lens across the whole zoom range

I would too.

[TCav]

Bootneck3 wrote:

I do take my photography seriously and strive for good quality but intended usage and bank balance necessitates compromise.

If having a "Jack of all trades and Master of none" lens isn't your motivation, you might do better (quality-wise as well as bank-balance-wise) by considering some used Minolta lenses. KEH.com and eBay have the best selections, but Adorama.com, BHPhotoVideo.com, and CraigsList.com are good to.