Used Tamron SP 200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon AF-D

2014-06-16T21:00:00

Is a good lens overall. what impressed me the most is its weight for this zoom range. Auto focus is decent Picture quality is good Not a fast lens though.. need plenty of light for hand held shots Also lack of image stabilization will mandate the use of a monopod or a tripod etc

the w.

2014-01-20T19:00:00

I use this lens for distant wildlife photography. You can't beat the price for the reach. As I titled, you have to know how to use the lens and what the right conditions are to use it. The lens does get soft if you're shooting a small object far away. The moon... forget it. However, if you are shooting, say an animal, at a reasonable distance and you're using the zoom to bring the animal in to fill the frame you can get some great pictures. That is the key, zoom to bring in an animal and mostly fill the frame. I also found this lens, even when tripod mounted, is best used when following the focal length to shutter speed rule. This lens loves good to bright light. Tripod is highly recommended, mono-pod if you're steady. The lens is heavy, but not unduly so for being a 500mm lens. The focus is reasonably fast considering it's half the price of its competitors and it's a 500mm lens. Photos added are only cropped off the width to fit 8x10, no other cropping.

GEORGE P.

2013-01-17T19:00:00

I have tested the lens taking pictures of birds using a tripod at different settings not very clear at 500 mm had hoped for a clearer focus. Ok .

Richzki

2012-12-12T19:00:00

First, my experience with Adorama was excellent and i managed to buy a used lens that was in absolutely mint condition for a great price. Now as to the results i got with this lens they have been nothing short of amazing. Not really meant for super fast sports but if you know what you're doing and where to place yourself as well as some idea of where the shot is going to be then this lens is as good as anything else. In good light you don't need anything else. focus was much faster than I expected. I am truly pleased with this lens. I have even captured some great shots of the moon and that was hand-held!!!!

Ed

2012-10-16T21:00:00

Lens does an admirable job for the price. Prints from 500mm are not tack sharp but are very acceptable. Use only with monopod or tripod FIrst time dealing with Adorama Used Department. Very good experience... Good advice and quick service. Would not hesitate to recommend Adorama for equipment purchases

Otto N.

2012-05-06T21:00:00

Possible to get a sharp photo but very difficult without a tripod and remote shutter release. Poor in low light and slow focus.

ELWYN F.

2012-03-19T21:00:00

For the size/ price focus is quick and easy. It's a bit heavy for me so I always use it on a tripod or monopod to get sharp focus

GEORGIA W.

2011-12-05T19:00:00

This lens allows great wildlife shots from a distance Easy to use, although really needs a tripod or monopod for sharp focus

GEORGIA W.

2011-11-20T19:00:00

After several years of shotting with a 80mm - 400mm zoom lens on a D 300s I decided to extend my reach this fall and purchased the Tameron 200mm - 500mm for the fall bird migration season. While I had basically been satisfied with the 80 - 400 I decided that I wanted the extra reach provided by the Tameron. Prior to placing the order I spoke with people using the big pro glass from N & C and the "Bigma", viewed examples of their work and considered the costs. Obviously the Tameron can not match the performance of the pro glass, but the Tameron is much more economic and I could not justify the investment that would be required to purchase a long pro lens. After viewing work produced with the "Bigma" I concluded that the Tameron is ever so slightly sharper and since I only use this lens on a tripod I could do without the stabilization offered by the "Bigma". If you plan to hand hold your lens , your needs may be different. After using the Tameron this fall I am completely satisfied with my purchase. The Tameron is sharp throughout the focal ranges and provides good resolution. The focus speed is adequate, hey it could always be faster, and the lens does everything I have asked it to do. The adjustment from landscape to vertical format while mounted on the tripod is quick and easy and I have not experienced the lens to camera body mounting problems reported by others. The hood provided by Tameron appears to be a little longer than needed, but this simply reduces the potential of flare. After placing my order on a Sunday afternoon I received the package Tuesday pm. Adorama shipping always does a great job. The one curious thing is that the product description on the web site did not list a lens case as being included even though my package included an adequate case. All in All I am pleased with my purchase, enjoy using the lens and recomend it as a reasonable alternative to the much more pricey pro glass.

Cattail 4.

2011-09-24T21:00:00

I use this lens for natural landscape photography and have not been disappointed yet by the results it produces.....clear, clean, crisp images at all focal lengths. This Tamron lens has a solid, rugged look and feel and is built to last. Why spend thousands on a high end lens, when you can get the same result with this 200-500mm Tamron. Of course, there are some pixel peepers out there who may notice a tiny difference between this lens and say, a $10,000 name brand lens....don't worry about them. You will be pleasantly pleased by the outstanding performance of this high quality lens and its fine optics.

SHARON S.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

This lens is best used when you can control camera shake and have good lighting.It can be difficult at dusk and dawn when the animals are the most available.The picture quality is very good.

Brad

2009-05-07T21:00:00

I purchased this lens for a month long trip to the Alaskan wilderness. This single lens suited all my needs perfectly for wildlife photography during that trip and the photos are sharp. Focus is certainly slower than the fixed length Nikon telephotos I have used so I do not recommend this lens for action sport photography. However, its 200-500mm zoom range and much lighter weight make this lens ideal for shooting wildlife all day with only a single lens and camera. You travelled much further and faster with this lightweight set-up. This is the use that my recommendation is based upon.

PJF

2009-01-04T19:00:00

I bought this lens instead of the Nikon 300mm f/4 for two reasons: price and zoom capability. Before purchasing I rented both lenses and that's when the advantage of the zoom became apparent. I use this lens mostly for fairly close-up bird photos and the zoom range is perfect for my situation. The Nikon is a great lens, probably the sharpest I've ever used, but the results I've seen with the Tamron leave nothing to be desired. I can finally see all of the detail that was unattainable when cropping photos taken with a 70-300mm zoom. I have a D300 and even at ISO 800 the level of detail is remarkable. When you consider the cost of the Tamron with the zoom capability versus Nikon + teleconverter + replacement collar, the savings are significant. The only feature on this lens I wish for is VR (for the occasional hand-held shot) but it really isn't critical. Focus can be slow at times but under those conditions I'll use manual focus mode and continue to get great results. I couldn't be more pleased with the photos I've taken with this lens and if Tamron releases a VR version of it I'll be happy to stimulate the economy a bit.

GREGORY G.

2008-12-28T19:00:00

I'm an active wildlife photographer/writer published. Lost my first lens in a boat fire two years ago and finally replaced it this year. Can't imagine why I waited so long. It's a wonderful value and a great match for my Fuji S-3Pro. Able to hand hold at 500MM and get crystal clear focus at high ISO. Would buy another in a heartbeat.

JON C.

2008-06-11T21:00:00

For the price it cant be beat,I have just started using it so I don't have a good feel for it yet.But what I have seen so far I like, it is a little soft but that works for me. I hope this helps BTW it comes with a very nice bag it carry it in.

rodlrock

2008-02-26T19:00:00

I love adventure travel and photographing people, places, and wildlife (especially in the winter). Many of the animals are accessible only on skis, or snow shoes, and even then at distances that require long telephoto lenses. Our recent photo shoot in Yellowstone highlighted one of the problems that might not be encountered in other settings. We had Nikon 300mm 500mm lenses but to grab one on the run, tripod and all, was virtually impossible. Also, there is a gap in the range between the 300 and 500 fixed lenses when a zoom lens would have been useful—especially when tracking a moving animal. I resist using zooms because the do reduce resolution and crisp sharpness. However,my recent tests have provided adequate results to make the lens a worthwhile investment. With my Nikon D3 and D300 I get excellent results and sharpness at high speeds and high ISO where the 500mm lens also missed the mark. The lens weighs just over 2 lbs. so I can carry it with the D3. It does not require a really heavy tripod and I don't have to apologize for the very slight softness at 500mm. The attached photo is a 150ppi 3x3 inch section of a 9x15 300ppi photo. It was shot, hand held, down an alley at 1/650 s, f/6.3, ISO 1000. The truck and kids were 2 blocks away and moving—about the distance of a wolf pack in the wild. You can't make "huge" prints, but you get the picture.

Dolly

2008-02-09T19:00:00

I have owned this lens for about a year and it has proven to be a very solid performer. It is sharp all the way through wide open. Stopped down it is even better. Easily hand held if there is enough light available howevever I generally use a monopod or tripod. Great for birds and wildlife. I also use this lens for motorcycle racing.I would not hesitate buying this lens again.

Sparky

2007-05-20T21:00:00

This has turned out to be a terrific lens. I knew from reviews that it was lighter than the "bigma" (Sigma 50-500mm) and sharper at 500mm. This lens and my 18-200 Nikon on my D200 are all I need in zooms. I was hesitant to hand-hold at first, but I had to have a fast shutter speed to capture sports, so I had no motion from holding the lens. I will shoot at either ISO 400 or ISO 800, depending on how sunny or cloudy the day is, and that speed gives me enough headroom to capture the action. The 2.5X zoom range is extemely practical. Sometimes I use a monopod to help support the weight. Excellent sharpness and contrast without noticable CA.

MICHAEL O.

2007-05-11T21:00:00

This is a great lens for catching birds and wildlife from a distance. It is a bit heavy, and a tripod should be used for most shots. Hand held is ok when there is enough light and you can use a fast shutter speed. This lens is not as sharp when wide open, but it gets much sharper when stopped down.

KENNETH L.