At the CP Plus 2015 Show, in Yokohama, Japan, both the Sigma and Tamron exhibitions were surprisingly large, and at Tamron I was offered the chance to shoot all the lenses with the company’s cameras or arrange to use my own Nikon. I went with the latter option and tried the new SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD, which is a very impressive lens. It lacked the smooth zoom ring of other makers, and even its VC switch seemed less than ideal, but any compromise Tamron made to keep it affordable does not affect optical performance. The Ultra Silent Drive autofocus was smooth, accurate, and silent, and the imaging was impeccable—sharp as can be and color-perfect. The Vibration Compensation was noticeably effective. The built-in lens hood has a double-hood design; the outer hood remains fixed while the inner moves with the lens as you adjust the focal length. It is a big lens, but for such a full-frame wide-angle zoom range, it functions well.
While not a new lens, I also attached the SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens to my camera. Again, when discussing Tamron, one cannot forget the value that comes with each lens, and this incredibly broad telephoto zoom lens, despite its drawbacks, provides great images. Yes, the zoom ring does not rotate with total ease and AF is not lightning fast, but it is smooth and silent and the VC function is very effective. It extends quite long when fully out there at 600mm, but otherwise is a lightweight, supremely versatile tele-zoom.
Tamron did have one other new product at CP Plus, but it sat in a display case, since it is still in development. It is called the AO11TL Tripod Collar, and it is designed for the SP 150-600mm lens, to provide more stability and carrying ease. As the sign read, “Launch Date and Price: To Be Announced.”
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