Beginner Tamron v canon lenses

[Petejones]

This is my first post, I am about to purchase my first Canon dslr and was wondering if there is any difference in picture quality between the tamron lenses and the canon lenses

Thanks pete

 

[danny_bhoy]

Hi Pete,

I'd say it depends which ones. I shoot weddings and use two Tamron lenses: the 24-70 2.8 VC and the 70-200 2.8 VC. After testing the equivalent Canon lenses numerous times I was hard pushed to find any difference at all. Maybe Canon edges the build quality and certainly has better quality control in manufacturing but apart from the the only difference you'll find is the huge difference in price!

Oh and I also shoot the occasional landscape with the Tamron 17-35 which, in my opinion, is every bit as good as the Canon 17-40 when it comes to IQ.

 

[jerry12953]

Pete,

It really depends on the lens. Canon do two lens ranges. The L range are generally excellent quality both optically and physically. In other words they are likely to be sharper, more substantial and more likely to be weather sealed. So if money is no object, stick to Canon L lenses. That is not to say that Tamron lenses are no good. I have the 150-600 zoom which is pretty good and has no canon equivalent.

If you can make your question less general though, I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice here.

 

[Petejones]

Thanks for the answers guys, I expect the questions will be less general as more experience is gained.

As I have a modest budget for my camera and lenses this helps a lot

Having been on a photography trip with my cousin earlier this year I really enjoyed trying to photograph Puffins moving at great speed. This has lead me to place a zoom lens upto 300mm on my shopping list as the little sods were always out of reach of the 100mm lens I was using

Sounds like the tamron is a contender

 

[jerry12953]

Thanks for the answers guys, I expect the questions will be less general as more experience is gained.

As I have a modest budget for my camera and lenses this helps a lot

Having been on a photography trip with my cousin earlier this year I really enjoyed trying to photograph Puffins moving at great speed. This has lead me to place a zoom lens upto 300mm on my shopping list as the little sods were always out of reach of the 100mm lens I was using

Sounds like the tamron is a contender

Yes, the 150-600 is a damned good lens for the money but don't underestimate the difficulty of photographing birds in flight with any lens.

 

[Petejones]

I was thinking along the lines of the tamron 18mm - 270mm which I think (sizewise) should be a great startup lens

The difficulties I had are simple, it was my first time using a "proper camera".

 

[andyred]

This is my first post, I am about to purchase my first Canon dslr and was wondering if there is any difference in picture quality between the tamron lenses and the canon lenses

Thanks pete

Hi Pete and welcome to TP

If you're starting off, you've made the first decision (and best ) by deciding on Canon, I would look to the Canon 55-250IS lens, it's a belter of a lens for not a great outlay of money and will work very well with the 18-55IS kit lens.

Once you know the route you are going, you can then look at other options available.

Enjoy your new purchase

 

[Petejones]

Hi Pete and welcome to TP

If you're starting off, you've made the first decision (and best ) by deciding on Canon, I would look to the Canon 55-250IS lens, it's a belter of a lens for not a great outlay of money and will work very well with the 18-55IS kit lens.

Once you know the route you are going, you can then look at other options available.

Enjoy your new purchase

This echoes very much what I've been told, I shall hunt through the vast array of equipment and find some kit

Thanks everyone for the advice

 

[Stevieag]

I have just stuck my toe in the dslr water.
I have always been jealous of those that can take a 'Good' photo.

I was handed a Canon 1100D when my grandfather passed recently and having never picked up a dslr starting the steep learning curve.
The camera came with a sigma 70-300mm lens. Although very good (i found a few people who know about photography at work), it was a faff and one that you had to get used to.

I have played with this lens and now bought my first lens (here is my point eventually!!!)
I bought a Tamron 17-50 2.8.

It was more expensive than the kit lens that would normally come with the 1100D and the next step up from that but i did a lot of reading and found for the money i had available this was the best id get.
In my research (if web surfing on a subject you enjoy is research!!) i found in my case the tamron v canon was very slight and generally when starting out kit is fine until you decide on your chosen photography style
Then an upgrade of two to three good lenses wide, mid zoom, tele. This should cover almost anything you want to photograph, will last a long time, will hold their value. When you choose you genre, you can invest in great lenses to cover just that and either keep your starters for those days when out of the blue they are needed or sell then to invest in you choice.

Some of this is from my very brief experience but more from listening to others around and their longer experience (what im finding it is best to listen to others... it will be hard to learn it all on your own and VERY expensive plus be humble, someone always knows more than you, everyday is learning even for the learned)

 

[Petejones]

Thanks for that, my cousin found me a well priced starter setup of a canon 500d with an 18-55 lens and a 55-250 lens with a tripod

I think this will be more than enough to start with but I will bare in mind what you've said about establishing a style before looking into going for high end kit

 

[mjamil81]

Canon/Nikon branded lens always perform better but ofcource these comes with a big price tag

 

[Phil V]

Canon/Nikon branded lens always perform better but ofcource these comes with a big price tag

Tosh
Neither of the Canon or Nikon branded 50mm 1.4 lenses perform as well as the Sigma Art or the Zeiss (although they also come with a big price tag)*. As above - it really isn't as simple as the brand name, they all produce budget lenses and top end lenses, the best 3rd party lenses, whilst expensive are often (but not always) cheaper than the best from the camera mfr.

*just the 1st example off the top of my head

 

[big soft moose]

Tosh
Neither of the Canon or Nikon branded 50mm 1.4 lenses perform as well as the Sigma Art or the Zeiss (although they also come with a big price tag)*. As above - it really isn't as simple as the brand name, they all produce budget lenses and top end lenses, the best 3rd party lenses, whilst expensive are often (but not always) cheaper than the best from the camera mfr.

*just the 1st example off the top of my head

also where the canikon lenses are 'better' the improvement might be incremental and irrelevant in reality outside of pixel peeping and comparing 100% crops. Also afaik neither canon nor nikon make a reasonably priced 500mm or 600mm zoom so if you want longer than 400mm without spending an insane ammount of cash sigma or tamron are the only realistic options for a canon or nikon system

 

[andyred]

Thanks for that, my cousin found me a well priced starter setup of a canon 500d with an 18-55 lens and a 55-250 lens with a tripod

That's great news, is it the 18-55IS lens ?

The 55-250IS lens is a belter, especially for the money and works well with the 18-55 lens.

If / when you are looking to upgrade / expand, look at the focal range you are using the most and this is the lens I would be looking at from a starting point...

Enjoy your new toys

 

[jimbosloan]

Had a couple of tamron SP lens over the years for both canon and Nikon cameras I've had and found them a great step up from the kit lens supplied and always got the 2.8 non VC Can be bought second hand for under £200 so they don't break the bank

 

[Petejones]

That's great news, is it the 18-55IS lens ?

The 55-250IS lens is a belter, especially for the money and works well with the 18-55 lens.

If / when you are looking to upgrade / expand, look at the focal range you are using the most and this is the lens I would be looking at from a starting point...

Enjoy your new toys

They are indeed the IS lenses and I'm enjoying the challenge, the exposure triangle is a bit of a mystery, but I shall be schooled a little next weekend and hopefully start to understand how to get a good shot soon enough

At the moment they're only good enough for the fridge but hopefully in a month or two (or 12) they'll be good enough to go into a frame

 

[andyred]

They are indeed the IS lenses and I'm enjoying the challenge, the exposure triangle is a bit of a mystery, but I shall be schooled a little next weekend and hopefully start to understand how to get a good shot soon enough

At the moment they're only good enough for the fridge but hopefully in a month or two (or 12) they'll be good enough to go into a frame

Excellent, enjoy your new toys and the photo experience