Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Autofocus Lens for Sony Alpha & Minolta Maxxum SLR

As Tamron’s macro has a focal length of 90mm rather than 100mm or 105mm, the lens has to be slightly closer than would otherwise be the case to record a true macro (1:1) image.

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  Great value for money

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  Wide-open non-macro MTF is poor

The Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens is a popular short-telephoto macro lens - Popular because of its modest size, good image quality, decent AF (autofocus) and reasonable price. Its small size and light weight make the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro Lens a non-burden to take with you.

The Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 Model 272E is the newest at this time of writing in a line of Tamron macro lenses dating back many years. It will carry on this proud tradition. Apart from the slightly less robust feel of the full / limit switch, I really can find nothing to criticise.

ePHOTOzine's expert Gary Wolstenholme takes a long, lingering look at a macro lens that has an enviable reputation.

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  Excellent resolution, Good build, Excellent value for money

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  Reduction in contrast at f/32

The most affordable macro option available at around this focal length, the Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 and its previous incarnations have long enjoyed popularity as a budget third-party alternative to the bigger brands.

The Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 SP Di is an excellent lens without significant flaws and it is at least as good if not even slightly better than its more expensive native Pentax counterpart. The resolution figures are impressively high, vignetting is marginal and distortions are non-existent.

Although Tamron has been producing 90mm macro lenses since the late 1970s, the latest SP AF90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 lens is the first with Tamron's latest Di (Digitally Integrated Design) technology, which matches the performance characteristics of current DSLR cameras.

A telephoto macro lens let you shoot frame-filling shots of small things without having to get too close. Here, we test a classic optic.

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  Excellent resolution, Good build, Excellent value for money

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  Reduction in contrast at f/32

This lens will not disappoint you with its sharpness, which is a match for its competition especially wide open. The lens actually read out as f/3 wide open which is not quite ‘what it says on the tin’, loosing almost a third of a stop but does come in straight away with good resolution figures.

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  Focussing speed (for a macro), Performance wide open, Lightweight

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  Build quality not quite as robust as some., Peak in wrong place for Macro (but great for portraiture), Lack of a protective case/pouch

The Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 SP Di is a superb lens without any significant flaws and it's easily as good as the corresponding (classic) Micro-Nikkor - the resolution figures are extremely high, vignetting is marginal, CAs are low and distortions are non-existent.

I will admit this lens produces some good quality, sharp picture. Both macro and portrait. And yes, it less than half the price of the Nikon 105. However, the poor autofocus is a real disappointment.

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  Good image quality Lightweight Price

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  Colour profile noisy poor auto focus

I shoot mostly macro and this lens reproduces 1:1 at its closest focus distance, has excellent IQ, decent AF performance, pleasant bokeh, acceptable but not stellar build quality, and is bargain priced.

Overall this is a very good lens. It takes some time to get used to the AF/MF switch. This lens is light weight and very sharp. At F2.8 there's some slight vignetting on my 5D Mark II--barely noticeable. Compared to my Canon EF 85mm F1.8, the auto focus of the Tamron is slow and noisy.

I picked up a Tamron 90mm Macro F 2.8 a week back and I was truly dissappointed to see the aperture change to F5.6 at close range. There is no manual way of controlling the aperture to keep it steady at F 2.8 as it is made to seem in th specs.

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  1.Good sharpness. 2.Good flash reproduction. 3.Good pricing

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  1.No F2.8 aperture control trhough the focus range. 2. No VR or IS in the lens.

I really wanted a macro lens because when you do not have the time to go out to scenic places just your backyard can open up a whole new world that is waiting to be explored and represented in beautiful pictures.

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  Bokeh, Sharpness, Color saturation, contrast, Optics overall, A six year warranty

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  I don't want to quote build quality as a weakness (but have to mention here for clarification since some people might have written it as a weakness) because you cannot expect all metal construction for the price. It is good quality polycarbonate and will surely last quite long if not forever.