The Tamron SP 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC (B005) offers some very appealing features for those in the market for a fast, moderately wide zoom lens. Image quality is quite good when the lens is stopped down, however we saw some unwanted softness when using faster (wide open) aperture settings.

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  Very well built, Comfortable controls, Capable VC system, Fast f/2.8 maximum aperture, Produces beautiful results when stopped down, Appealing focal range, Half the price of it's Nikon and Canon competitors

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  Quite soft when wide open, Small amount of visible CA, I felt the zoom ring had a bit too much resistance, AF and VC systems make a good amount of noise, Some front focusing was noted while capturing indoor portraits

A full Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC Lens review is planned, but here is a quick lab-only review: Preliminary findings from lab-only testing have been somewhat disheartening however. You can see the image quality results in the ISO 12233 resolution chart link above.

This lens has turned out to be a very interesting alternative to manufacturer's own offering in this focal range. It is capable of producing images with very good resolution, especially in the centre of the image and the Vibration Compensation feature has proved itself a worthy addition, greatly...

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  Excellent resolution in the centre at most apertures and focal lengths, Vibration Compensation is very effective, Good value for money

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  Falloff in resolution at 50mm and f/2.8, Flare control

The Tamron 17-50/2.8 Di II VC is a viable alternative to the Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM , ( ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ) ( review ) at a price that’s about $450 lower. The image stabilization is very effective and overall performance is good, though not quite as good as the Canon lens, especially wide open...

This high-speed digital only ultrawide ($650, street) upgrades Tamron’s nonstabilized 17–50mm f/2.8 ($460, street). Like the earlier lens (which remains in the lineup), this version uses an Extra Refractive (XR) element, two elements of low dispersion, and three of compound aspheric glass—adding up...

The Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II VC is a standard zoom lens designed for primary shooting duties. The lens aims to stand out for its f/2.8 designation, which is a fast, open aperture designed for low light shooting.

Tamron's SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC lens is designed exclusively for cameras with APS-C sized sensors and covers the popular standard zoom range of focal lengths. On Nikon cameras it is equivalent to 26-78mm in 35mm format, while on the Canon EOS 40D body we used for our tests, the equivalent...

A fast aperture standard zoom with Vibration Compensation for Nikon or Canon APS-C sensor digital SLR cameras.

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  Excellent resolution in the centre at most apertures and focal lengths, Vibration Compensation is very effective, Good value for money

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  Falloff in resolution at 50mm and f/2.8, Flare control

The Tamron AF 17-50mm f/2.8 SP XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] VC is a very promising lens based on its specifications. However, it falls somewhat short of the high expectations especially when considering the excellent performance of its non-VC variant.

The Tamron AF 17-50mm f/2.8 SP XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] VC is a very promising lens based on its specifications. However, it falls somewhat short of the high expectations especially when considering the excellent performance of its non-VC variant.

I am a wedding and event photographer and was looking to replace an older lens. This lens worked flawlessly at the first event I shot. the focus was quick and sharp as a tack. The build feels solid. The lens was bigger than I had expected but still very manageable.

Bought this for my D90. This is a nice lens with reasonable price. I've taken some outstanding photos with it. VC is fantastic, I have taken many photo with slow shutter speed. Focusing is not too loud for me. But the focus is a bit slow but fast enough for normal use.

This lens is well worth the money asked. It might take a little experience before you obtain optimal results each time, but it will definitely help an amateur or enthusiast photographer grow in the art

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  F2.8 gives you the edge in low light situation, solid construction excellent sharpness, excellent colors, excellent stabilisation, excellent depth of field, sufficient zoom coverage, low distortion, fast glass, smooth focus ring.

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  Many think that the lens has trouble with focus. You should consider that while shooting in F2.8, the focus zone gets really small. Here's some trick to achieve better success rates: 1- Looking in the eyepiece, select the focus point the is located in the zone you want to focus to.

My second Tamron 17-50 2.8 lens, both are great lens. I use them to take group shot in church. I recently photographed 2 weddings and the lens performed exceptionally well.

The lens is great for the price. It takes really good photos and sharp above f3.5 - The VC (Vibration Control's) motor is noisy when it engages and disengages. It is really annoying especially if you have tried Nikon's VR and Sigma's OS version of vibration control.

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  Compact Design, Easy To Use

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  Poor Clarity

I wanted to provide some detail about my experiences with this new lens, and it's performance in my day to day photography work. If you had asked me 15 years ago, I would have been very hard pressed to recommend a Tamron Lens, but with some work and time, they have managed to sell me on this...

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  Solid Construction: OK, we hear a lot about "plastic" feel and less than rugged construction. I think we will have to get used to this construction method as it will be the norm going forward.

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  Auto Focus Lock: OK here is where I will complain about Tamron's way of doing things. On other AF lenses that I have from Nikon, you can turn the Auto-Focus Ring, while the lens is set to Auto and it freely turns without causing any potential damage to the lens.

After a couple of months I started having issues with this lense. It would not focuss. Sometimes i have to press the shooting button several times before i can take the picture. I am very unhappy with this lense. I recomend you not to buy it. Moreover. Dust comes into the lense.

Great lens with light weight (compare to other similar spec.) and very sharp. Effective image vibration control. But not the latest silent motor, still acceptable with the price difference compared with the latest version of this lens.

Love this lense goes everywhere with me brought for my daughters wedding and wasn't disappointed good in low light just what I needed and very good value for money the professional at the wedding was also impressed

Picture quality is no where close to Nikon lens. So you get what you paid for.