Tamron AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Vs. Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 Vs. Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8

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Looking for some insight from those that have experience with these, been debating on purchasing the Nikon for a while. Been reading some review's recently and the Tamron seem's to get a decent write up and I have the cash to get one now were as I would have to wait a while yet to get the Nikon. Is it worth the wait or would one of the others be as good a fit for my D7000?

Or what about the Tokina 16-50mm?

I am not that worried about build quality more focus speed and image quality.
 
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Nikon 17-55 f2.8 is a better lens but that doesn't mean Tamron is lame.

Image quality wise the Tamron is fantastic and the sharpness when wide open is very very good, without pixel peep i can't really tell the different between the nikon and tamron.

But the Nikon give you something that you just want to keep using it.

Apart from the image quality the Nikon beats the Tamron and Sigma in every aspect in my opinion. i.e focus speed, build quality etc
 
The Nikon is supposed to be the best and I probably don't doubt that but I haven't used it.

The Tokina image quality and colour rendition is very nice indeed, but AF is slow, very slow really, probably too slow even for mildly moving things.

The Sigma I own... its ok. I don't like the slightly yellow/pinkish hue it gives things but probably could fix that in PP with a bulk adjustment if it really bothered me. The AF is faster than the Tokina, but still a bit pedestrian compared to my most often used Nikon 70-200 VR. Most annoying is the lens hood... its just very frustrating.

I probably should give the Nikon a go really, but on the other hand, it is expensive... probably to me too expensive for the amount I use this type of lens - which isn't often.
 
I have the Tamron on my D7000 and for the money I think it is a great lens!
By the way I have the non stabilised version as I have heard that the image quality is better and to be fair I've never missed it!
 
cotty332000 said:
I have the Tamron on my D7000 and for the money I think it is a great lens!
By the way I have the non stabilised version as I have heard that the image quality is better and to be fair I've never missed it!
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I've been debating about the non-VC Tamron for my D7000 because I heard it was sharper than the VC one. Is there really much of a difference though?
I could get the VC one now but my local Jessops appear to be out of the non-VC version to reserve and collect (tesco clubcard vouchers are part paying for it so have to use Jessops). Price difference aside, it the VC version much worse?
 
Get if from OneStopDigital instead... save yourself some cash :D
 
GeordieLass said:
I've been debating about the non-VC Tamron for my D7000 because I heard it was sharper than the VC one. Is there really much of a difference though?
I could get the VC one now but my local Jessops appear to be out of the non-VC version to reserve and collect (tesco clubcard vouchers are part paying for it so have to use Jessops). Price difference aside, it the VC version much worse?
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I've not used the VC one so can't comment!
I had the choice as I got mine from WEX and it was cheaper so I went non VC!
Unless your pixel peeping I wouldn't imagine there would be much difference,maybe someone who has used both will be along to comment!
 
Well I have done a little more research on this and it seems to be coming down to the Tamron or the Sigma. I spoke to a pro today and he told me he had heard of problems with both using TTL flash. Can anyone comment?
 
Can't say I've noticed any problems with TTL.

I've just done a quick google and most of the hits relate to what I believe people either not understanding how their camera meters a scene or using CLS where TTL becomes a more difficult calculation to get 100% right.

The question really is, does the lens accurately report the subject distance to the camera - thats the only bit the lens does in TTL. Any other mistakes are down to the camera's exposure calculation caused by operator issues or the complexity of off camera flash calculations.
 
desantnik said:
Can't say I've noticed any problems with TTL.

I've just done a quick google and most of the hits relate to what I believe people either not understanding how their camera meters a scene or using CLS where TTL becomes a more difficult calculation to get 100% right.

The question really is, does the lens accurately report the subject distance to the camera - thats the only bit the lens does in TTL. Any other mistakes are down to the camera's exposure calculation caused by operator issues or the complexity of off camera flash calculations.
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Thanks for the info. I think I will go with the Tamron.
 
And having had both the VC and non-VC version, I couldn't tell the difference, except for price, weight, size and VC, obviously;). I kept the non-VC.
 
Thanks for the replies to my question. :) I'm just getting impatient waiting for Jessops to get stock of the non-VC one in on their website. I would go elsewhere but these vouchers expire soon and its money for nothing so may as well spend 'em!
 
I had the 17-50 non VC and the 17-55 Nikon. I sold the Tamron due to not needing a back up at that range any more. But, the Tamron was damned near as good as the Nikon and you really had to look hard to spot which shot was taken with which.

The 17-50 Tamron is a corker of a lens. It does not have the build quality of the Nikon, nor the weight or price tag.......:thumbs:
 
GeordieLass said:
Thanks for the replies to my question. :) I'm just getting impatient waiting for Jessops to get stock of the non-VC one in on their website. I would go elsewhere but these vouchers expire soon and its money for nothing so may as well spend 'em!
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I would try calling them. I'm not sure if they ever keep stock of third party lenses. I tried to buy a Sigma 10-20 some time ago and it simply never became available. Guy in the shop reckoned that it could take weeks.
 
Cheers for the replies.

gad-westy said:
I would try calling them. I'm not sure if they ever keep stock of third party lenses. I tried to buy a Sigma 10-20 some time ago and it simply never became available. Guy in the shop reckoned that it could take weeks.
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I'm beginning to think the Newc store doesn't have a stock room. They never seem to have anything in stock! :suspect:
 
Not used the Tokina, although it's reputed to have better build quality than the Tamron but isn't quite as good optically.

Had the non VC (DiII) version of the tamron as a replacement for my Nikon 18-70 - optically brilliant and very, very close to the Nikon 17-55 I now use. AF is much quieter and faster on the Nikon 17-55 and it blitzes ALL of the competition in terms of build quality, but then again it's aimed at pros who don't mind spending twice as much.

The 17-55 is probably alongside Canon's 70-200mm f/4 as one of the best used buys around for getting first-rate everything.
 
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