A high-performance lens that clearly captures subjects with large brightness differences up to the shadows
content
Introduction
I used Tamron 150-600mm for a while.
Well-thought-out tripod mount
Image stabilization performance
Switches, design drawbacks
auto focus
Focus ring position and design
Aperture interlocking with an electromagnetic aperture for Nikon
Depiction performance
Shortest shooting performance
summary
Welcome to the blog of a photographer who works across Africa and Japan.
In this blog, I have been using the new Tamron telephoto zoom 150-600mm for a while, so I would like to talk about my impressions of using it.
Everything is the caretaker's discretion and prejudice, but I hope it can be used as a reference when choosing a lens.
The following article was greatly revised in February 2021.
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1.First of all
A camera and lens are essential items for taking pictures.
It will greatly affect the finish of the photo, so I want to stick to the lens I use as much as possible.
But if you aim for the best, your wallet is also tough.
There are some lenses that give good shooting results without using such a super expensive lens.
This time, I would like to introduce Tamron's 150-600mm telephoto zoom lens, which is not so cheap, but gives some room to your wallet.
Aside from the image quality of recent lenses, image stabilization and autofocus have evolved, and it's just amazing! The caretaker who has been messing around with the camera since around 1990 is amazing.
The caretaker is based in Nairobi.
Sometimes I go back to Japan, but of course I bring my camera equipment home. If you pick up the camera from the caretaker, it's just an old man. Even if you have a camera, you're still just an old man, but for the time being, you can get the title of "cameraman."
Before the title, if you have a camera, you can spend a fulfilling time no matter where you are.
The camera is also the ultimate self-satisfaction machine, and just having it will inspire you to create.
So, when I returned to Japan, I had a camera, so I used a camera to capture the ecology of goshawks and little grebes, and put them together in a chasing blog and video.
Related links for the time being
movie:
Little Grebe Parenting, Chapter 2 "Trials Awaiting Hina"
Little Grebe Parenting, Chapter 1 "Building a Nest That Never Gives Up"
Goshawk, Breeding Record 2018
Goshawk, young bird alone
blog:
Goshawk in the city
Little Grebe Observation Diary
So, I brought the camera home, but since the huge luggage was difficult, I narrowed it down to the minimum necessary equipment and brought it back to Japan (when I returned to Japan in 2017).
Among them, the telephoto lens I have now is Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR2.
I also brought 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, so I managed to get 400mm. 560mm when used in layers.
The angle of view is less than 300mm in APS size, which is not enough for shooting wild birds.
Since a teleconverter is used for the zoom lens, the image quality is a little tight. Especially with a double teleconverter.
2. Tamron 150-600mm has a good center of gravity balance
This time, thanks to Mr. Tamron, I was blessed with the opportunity to use the popular lens, TAMRON SP150-600mm F / 5-6.3 Di VC USD G2.
It's okay to use it for a while, so I'm very grateful for myself without a super-telephoto lens.
It's been a week since I started using this lens, so I decided to write down my impressions of using it so far.
Tamron 150-600mm lens attached to my favorite Nikon D800E
The manager himself has not seen the review of this lens, so the impression of using it is 100% of his own impression with delusion.
We hope that it will serve as a reference for those who are considering purchasing a full-scale telephoto lens.
First of all, when I first installed my favorite Nikon D800E, the first thing I thought was a very good balance.
The camera is equipped with a vertical grip MB-D12 to improve holding.
This vertical grip may or may not be attached depending on the situation, but in combination with this lens, it is overwhelmingly well-balanced and you can hold it firmly.
Fully extended to 600mm telephoto
The shape and size of the tripod mount are just right, and it can be fixed to a small base in a stable state without a tripod as shown in the photo on the left.
Even if you extend the telephoto lens to the full 600mm, the balance will not be lost even if the lens is fully retracted to 150mm.
3, a well-thought-out tripod mount
There are two 1/4 inch screw holes under the tripod mount and two small screws on each side.
Since there are also two tripod screw holes, it can be securely and firmly fixed with two screws such as a long shoe.
Fixing with two screws is overwhelmingly strong and hard to loosen compared to fixing with one screw.
Moreover, even if it is loosened, the lens does not rotate around the screw.
The manager uses Manfrotto shoes as the standard, but lenses with only one screw hole can easily loosen due to vibration, etc., and must be retightened frequently.
The Nikon sunnipper currently used by the caretaker, Sigma's 120-300mm f2.8, corresponds to this.
The Arca-Swiss groove is carved on the tripod mount, which is very appreciated by users of the Arca-Swiss head, and the rounded corners do not hurt your hands even if you hold your hand on the shoe.
It has a low center of gravity and will never loosen if you use the Arca-Swiss shoe.
I feel that the size is good, the shape is good, and the design is well thought out.
Is the material of the tripod mount magnesium? Although it is light, it is sturdy enough for its thickness when fixed to a tripod.
To raise one drawback, I wanted you not to dig into the lightening groove at the bottom of the tripod mount, in the middle of the left and right.
When I tried to attach the pan head screw to the lens without using a quick shoe, I often tried to screw it into this groove.
If the center is not dented, it can be prevented, so I think it can be easily improved.
Operability that can be reliably performed without visual confirmation is desired.
The fixing screw for the rotating seat of the lens is a little small, but it is attached straight at a 90 degree angle out of the way. The merit is that it is easy to understand that the lens is horizontal.
It's just a matter of getting used to, but I feel that a lens with a fixing screw attached diagonally is a little confusing and a little difficult to use. Because of my mind.
The merit of being in an oblique position is that it can be stored in the camera back and the screws do not get in the way.
There is some catch in the rotation, but it is smooth and there is no problem in use.
4, image stabilization performance
I felt that the performance of image stabilization equivalent to 4.5 steps was better than that when I actually used it.
Even with a super-telephoto of 600mm, even if you hold it in your hand and take a picture, you can easily take a picture that is in focus.
With 600mm on hand, you can take practical pictures even in 1/15 seconds! !! !!
You can easily take a super-telephoto shot with your hand so that you may wonder what it was like to shoot with a huge tripod with a super-telephoto lens.
However, if you want a higher finish, it will still be the case.
Switches grouped on the left side of the lens
The design is slightly matte and has a modern finish with little unevenness on the entire lens.
It brings out the novelty that it is the lens of today.
However, I don't think it's just the manager who feels that all manufacturers have similar designs.
It would be unavoidable to converge on a design that sells.
Also, if you use a Tamron lens image stabilizer and fix it on a tripod, it will run wild.
The same thing seems to happen with Sigma lenses, but with Nikon lenses, blurring does not occur even if it is fixed to a tripod and exposed for a long time with image stabilization turned on.
I'd like you to fix it these days.
As I noticed while shooting, when shooting handheld with image stabilization ON, it is better not to fix the lens too firmly to get better results.
It's harder to shake when you take a picture with a proper fluttering than when you take a picture firmly by hitting something.
When image stabilization is on, blurring is unlikely to occur, but uneven blurring sometimes occurs.
I think it is due to the position and movement of the image stabilizer lens on the optical axis.
5, switches, design drawbacks
There are four switches on the left side of the lens.
Switching on / off image stabilization
Switching the image stabilization mode
Switching between autofocus and manual
Focus limiter
The shape of each switch must be the same except for the focus limiter. Even though the focus limiter has a different shape, it has the same design, only the size is different.
When operating during shooting, it is difficult to tell which switch is which because they all have the same shape.
I think that operability will improve if the shape is changed for each function and the type of switch can be understood by touch.
Another drawback,
The point that the switch is easy to get caught and moves easily with a light force.
When you take the lens out of the camera back, or even if you touch it with some beat, the switch will be set unexpectedly.
During shooting, "AF does not move !?" and "What happened to the image stabilizer !?" often occur.
Especially when the camera is pointed at the subject in a hurry at the time of a photo opportunity, the nature is bad.
Even in such a week, I often missed a photo opportunity.
When I hold the camera with the intention of turning on the autofocus, the autofocus switch moves to the OFF position without permission.
I can hardly hear the autofocus sound, so I can't tell whether it's ON or OFF without looking at the switch.
It's safer to hear some sound.
In order to prevent the switch from moving freely, it is necessary to fix it with permacel tape for the time being.
Mr. Tamron, please improve it!
6, autofocus
The AF accuracy is very high, it is smoother and more delicate than the one with a double teleconverter attached to 70-200 mm, and it focuses with a considerably high probability.
Even in this situation, the focus is well determined
The high focus accuracy has significantly reduced the need to take multiple shots of the same shot with insurance.
Smooth movement of focus and smooth stop on the focus surface.
I rarely feel stress.
Almost no operating noise is generated.
The AF is fast and the controllability is very good, so there is a good chance that flying birds will be in focus.
The black kite flying toward the front was also in focus.
It seems that the autofocus performance of the D800E cannot keep up with the autofocus performance of the lens.
If you shoot with the D850, the probability of focusing will increase considerably.
The speed and accuracy of autofocus is more than enough for wild bird photography.
Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that the Nikon D800E I am using does not require any AF fine adjustment, and it is just right with 0 and no adjustment.
You can see the high accuracy.
With the combination of 70-200mm f2.8 VR2 and 2x teleconverter used by the manager, the tendency is not corrected even if AF fine adjustment is done with the rear pin.
It seems that the Nikon Service Center will make adjustments for a fee, but it's best to have them fit perfectly without any adjustments.
Weaknesses of autofocus operation
After trying various things, I found a weak point of autofocus.
(After that, the version was upgraded and the problem may have been fixed, but the symptoms as of 2017 are described as they are.)
Mostly, autofocus that adjusts to the focus surface smoothly and quickly.
If you get lost in a subject with low contrast and once you lose focus, the focus will move to the end, whether it is the farthest or the shortest, and it will not move no matter how many times you try to move the autofocus.
The machine seems to give up saying, "I can't focus on this guy!"
In such a case, turn the focus ring and say, "Mr. AF, please move!", And when you stimulate AF, it will start moving again.
And
Perhaps because the brightness is as dark as f6.3, tracking does not work well depending on the camera.
Small flying birds hardly follow the D800E. D
The 800E itself is not good at AF performance for moving subjects.
7, the position and design of the focus ring
The zoom operation is quite heavy. This is probably to move the heavy lens group a lot.
The zoom ring is attached to the tip of the lens and is wide enough to operate this heavy zoom ring.
However, it seems that the design is prioritized over the modern design and operability, and the fingers are a little hard to get caught.
When manually operating the focus, the position of the manual ring is attached to the front side, so the left hand holding the lens needs to move to the front to touch the focus ring.
The focus ring is on the front side of the camera.
Like the zoom ring, this is a design-oriented ring that makes it difficult for your fingers to get caught.
Furthermore, it is difficult to find the focus ring with the touch of a finger while looking through the viewfinder.
It will be a problem that will be solved if it becomes possible.
Diversion of rubber knurled ring of Nikon 70-200VR2
So, in order to solve this problem that it is hard to get on my fingers, the manager has been using the Nikon 70-200mm zoom ring and the rubber knurling material of the focus ring as they are at the position of the 150-600 ring. ..
This ring became loose and was replaced with a new one, and the extra one was reused.
This rubber ring has significantly improved operability.
Focus ring stroke
Shooting distance, from the shortest to infinity The stroke of the focus ring is about 90 degrees, and the shortest is from 2.2 meters, so manual focusing requires delicate operations.
If the stroke of the focus ring is about 120 degrees, it will be much easier to manually align the pins.
The focus ring is moist and smooth, it can be moved from end to end, and it is very easy to operate even with MF.
Very effective hood, like this when looking from the back center
The hood is made of bayonet-type plastic.
Efficiently carved light-shielding grooves, most of the reflected light does not enter the lens even if you look at the sun backwards, when you look from behind, the pitch is fine, the edges seem to be standing, and the reflection inside the hood Almost never enters the lens side.
It's a hood that has been carefully crafted to the smallest detail, such as the depth of the grooves in the hood and its pitch.
It turns out to be a very effective food.
Genuine, Nikon lenses, I want you to emulate.
The photo below shows the inside of the Nikon 24-70mm f2.8G hood.
Inner flat, shiny hood for Nikon 24-70mm f2.8G
It's just a flat surface and has a matte texture, but it doesn't have a light-shielding ring, so it feels like a cut-out hood.
The drawback of this 150-600 hood is that it has a weak lock to attach to the lens.
It often happens that the hood spins and comes off without knowing it.
It's a round hood, so you can't tell by looking at it, so it will come off before you know it.
I think it would be good if a lock mechanism could be attached so that it would not come off easily.
Once, while shooting a little grebe at Inokashira Park, the hood fell into the pond due to a weak lock.
When using it for safari etc., it seems necessary to fix it with tape etc.
8. Aperture interlocking with an electromagnetic aperture for Nikon
One thing that was personally disappointing was
The aperture mechanism of the lens has become an electromagnetic aperture.
When combined with cameras from other companies, various play and applications became impossible with full functionality.
The manager often shoots with a Nikon lens attached to the Panasonic GH4 and Sigma SD15.
Currently, there are no mount adapters with electromagnetic aperture interlocking contacts, so the aperture can only be used open. (Recently, it seems that a Micro Four Thirds adapter with electronic contacts has come out, March 2021)
It hurts to be able to use it only in the open!
The operation system and mechanical aperture had various merits in movie shooting.
With conventional machine interlocking, the aperture ring attached to the mount adapter could be used for analog aperture operation.
Movie shooting has the advantage that when you want to change the brightness a little, you can operate it slowly or quickly, and you can adjust the aperture mechanically and sensuously smoothly.
Infinite stages of operability without restrictions of 1/3 stage.
You can move it fast or slowly.
Therefore, it is very easy to operate the aperture using the aperture ring.
In any case, I just hope that an electromagnetic aperture interlocking mount adapter for Nikon will come out.
Now it is on sale from the SHOTEN brand and others. (January 2022)
9, depiction performance
320mm付近 ｆ7.1 1/200s ISO400 No trimming
No ghosts or flares are seen, even though the high-intensity headlights are in the field of view, which is very dazzling to the naked eye.
It is a performance that surpasses the high-performance short-focus telephoto lens of a long time ago.
Very strong against backlight.
This omission may be due to the combination of internal reflection processing and high-performance coating.
It's very high performance.
In addition, this lens is said to be waterproof, so you can concentrate on shooting without worrying about sudden rain or getting the lens wet.
Nephila clavata dripping in the rain
If you can shoot without worrying about getting wet in the rain, shooting in the rain will be very easy and fun.
You can easily go out to shoot in the rain.
On a rainy day, the number of people in the resort area will decrease, so in a sense it's a perfect day for shooting.
When I was in the 4th grade of elementary school, I remember playing with this Nephila clavata in elementary school.
Play the Nephila clavata, which stretches the thread, like a yo-yo.
I think it was a strange play when I think about it now.
When I went to and from school, I just searched for spiders to find out how big a Joro spider could be.
I remembered being asked to catch a spider, asking me to join a friend that the spider didn't touch. I feel like I was doing it.
Of course, even if it's waterproof, don't forget to wipe off the water drops when you put the lens in the camera back.
This is the most important thing to make the equipment last longer.
10, shortest shooting performance
600mm open f6.3, almost the shortest shooting distance 2.2m, no trimming
I took a picture of a dragonfly with the direct sunlight at the shortest shooting distance of 600 mm at full aperture.
I think it's a Shiokaratombo, but I don't know the details, but it seems to be different.
Is it about 10 centimeters in physical condition, or is it a little smaller than the Shiokaratombo?
Since the shortest shooting distance is 2.2m, you can shoot the subject at your feet even at a position close to the bottom with a slight angle.
It seems that the difference is small compared to the shortest 2.5m of the previous model 150-600mm, but it is very large.
This is a very useful function for taking nature photos.
Even for subjects with high brightness differences exposed to direct sunlight, the blur will melt naturally with almost no habit.
The above photo is 900x600 pixels at the same magnification.
If you cut out the above picture of the D800E's 36 million pixels at the same magnification as 900x600 pixels, you can see how amazing this lens is.
It can be seen that the dragonfly's hair is separated and depicted clearly in the in-focus part despite the openness.
Even on the 150mm side, it is sharp and usable enough from the open.
11, Summary
In the past, the price of lenses was quite high, and it was difficult to shoot in a super-telephoto world.
Recently, I feel that it has become very familiar with the combination of image stabilization and high-tech functions such as high-performance autofocus.
The price of the lens has become much lower than before, even though special glass and aspherical lenses are used abundantly, and it has become easier for us to reach.
Meanwhile, Tamron achieved further high performance, and the second generation 150-600mm was released.
What surprised me most when I used this time was the lens pull-out and backlight performance.
It will be a benefit of the high performance of the coating and the perfect treatment of the internal reflection inside the lens.
Compared to the genuine Nikon MF500mm f4P, its backlight performance is considerably higher. Well, it will be a comparison with an old lens.
It is better than Nikon's first AFS sunnipper, 300mm f2.8.
And what always surprises me with Tamron lenses is their image stabilization performance.
As a rival of this kind of super-telephoto zoom lens, Nikon's 200-500mm f5.6 is also very worrisome. But the focal length range is quite different.
The appeal of this Nikon lens is that the brightness f5.6 does not change.
Regarding the zoom ratio, the wide-angle side 200mm is 150mm, the telephoto side 500mm is 600mm, and the zoom ratio is 2.5x and 4x. It looks like we can fight on the same ring, so maybe it's a little different.
The big rivals will still be Sigma 150-600mm and 60-600mm.
There is no doubt that this lens will continue to play an active role not only in nature photography of wild animals and wild birds, but also in situations that require telephoto such as aircraft, railroads, and sports.
The day before leaving Japan, it snowed heavily in Tokyo
A sharp, high-performance lens that makes super-telephoto shooting easier.
I wanted you to lend me this time.
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Until the end Thank you for reading.
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