Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di 1:1 Auto Focus Lens for Pentax K Mount

2012-08-29T21:00:00

Use for 1:1 copying of hundreds of slides in DNG with a Pentax K-7 on a tripod; Have a vertical light table with slide racks and I simply move slides into position in "live view", focus manually with camera on "user" settings, and shoot with a Pentax remote. Then save to my laptop and manipulate in LR3 (crop, exposure, sharpness, etc.). Far more accurate and faster than using extenders, which are basically useless and a waste of time from a performance viewpoint. If you are thinking about scanning slides instead, that takes much more time per slide and the output is generally JPG which offers less ability to manipulate later.

ROBERT K.

2012-05-06T21:00:00

I picked up this lens for use as a good value telephoto, and I wasn't disappointed in the least. Image quality is excellent even wide open, and AF was speedy and reliable, even when used in fast-moving crowds. I barely even used this lens as a macro lens, but when I did, I was not disappointed in the least. This is an excellent lens from top to bottom. Bonus points as well for the focus limiter, which kept the lens from being psychotic when being used for non-macro purposes, and also for the lightness of the lens itself. The only real disadvantage of the lens is its all-plastic construction, but it's well-made plastic with no creakiness or wobbliness that I could detect. In studio conditions, this doesn't matter at all. Even if you use the lens just outdoors like a normal person would, this still doesn't matter. I'd even say that this lens, if you take good care of it, could go with you on a hike. However, if you plan on using this lens in wet, demanding conditions, you might want to think twice about it, and I certainly wouldn't hammer a nail with it.

Corpulence P.

2011-11-06T19:00:00

This is a very good lens and it has an attractive price. It does a great job on close-up and macro photography, which is all I've used it for. The focus will sometimes hunt for a few seconds in the macro mode before it locks on the subject, which is why I checked slow focus as a con. The f2.8 aperture provides a nice bright image in the viewfinder, but also has the disadvantage of a very limited depth-of-field if that aperture is used for the image in the macro mode. I found that it works very well if I use a higher ISO in the macro mode so I can use a smaller aperture. Overall, this is the best bang for the buck in a true macro lens.

DOUGLAS C.

2011-10-16T21:00:00

I have not used this lens for long, but so far I am very impressed with the results. I use it mainly for Macro photography and take pictures of flowers and insects. So far it exceeds my expectations and I am very happy I purchased this lens.

Mark A.

2011-10-09T21:00:00

I use this lens for macro photography, bugs, etc. I also use it for portraits and when I do not want to miss a shot. This lens is so good. If any, maybe too sharp.

Pepe G.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

This is a very good macro lens at a very competitive price. The f2.8 lens is great for macro, even at low light levels.

Doug

2010-07-26T21:00:00

The large focus ring makes this lens easy to focus manually and is a definite plus since MF is usually what you will use when doing macro photography. The lens is also very sharp, even wide open. AF speed is good for a macro lens when you make use of the focus limiter. The push/pull AF/MF switch on the lens seems a little weird at first, but it has a very nice feel. Just remember to switch AF/MF on the camera body as well. One slight issue that I found is that when the lens is off camera and set to AF, it is somewhat easy to accidentally push the extending part of the lens forward (especially when the lens hood is attached in reverse), but other than that, I haven't noticed any sort of focus creep. In my use of this lens so far, I feel that it offers a very comfortable focal length and I don't really feel the need to change lenses very often.

Jacob

2010-07-25T21:00:00

This lens opened up a whole new world of photography for me. I have another macro lens, but this is GREAT! When the world of winter was bleak and gray, I took things out of drawers and cupboards and took photos of them. I had a lot of fun experimenting and learning. And I think I took some good photos! It's good outdoors for garden macros, too. It isn't always good for longer shots, but I've gotten some good ones there as well.

IRENE T.

2008-09-03T21:00:00

I have six or seven Pentax mount lenses that range in age from about 30 years to less than a year. This is the best lens in my bag. A macro lens is not a first or second lens for most beginning photographers, but you should own one if you intend to do more than just snapshot photography. It opens up an area of photography that lends itself to great, eye-catching pictures. When I am walking around a park or botanical garden in bloom, this is the lens on my camera and I rarely take it off. It is exceptionally sharp, and the manual focus is easy to use. Manual focus control is very important for macro photography because you will rarely use autofocus when you are deciding which half of the bee on the flower you want in focus. I can't imagine anyone being dissappointed with this lens. On an APS-C sized camera (all Pentax DSLRs) it makes a fine 135mm telephoto lens when not serving as a macro lens. It is no coincidence that your best pictures are those taken with your best lenses. This will be one of your best lenses.

Scott

2007-08-12T21:00:00

I use this lens on my D80 Nikon and it has exceeded my expectations in every respect. It's a bit slow when autofocus is enabled, but for macro work I almost always manually focus, so the slow focus isn't a big deal.

Mr B.