Product Description

Di II Lenses are designed for exclusive use on digital cameras with smaller-size imagers and inherit all of the benefits of Tamron Di products. These lenses are not designed for 35mm film cameras and digital cameras with image sensors larger than 24mm x 16mm.The SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 is a lightweight, compact, fast standard zoom lens designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras, expanding the product concept of the popular SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 zoom lens.In addition, portrait shots are made beautiful with the natural out-of-focus effect characteristic provided by the fast F/2.8 aperture. Additionally, a broader photographic expression through the use of faster shutter speeds as a result of the maximum aperture offers enhanced photographic pleasure. The lens boasts one of the best close-up shooting performances in the class of fast standard zoom lenses designed exclusively for digital cameras and featuring an F/2.8 maximum aperture throughout the entire zoom range, to ensure stress-free photographic shots at all focal lengths and distances.

Product Details

• Brand: Tamron
• Model: AF016N-700
• Released on: 2006-03-08
• Dimensions: 4.10" h x 4.10" w x 5.30" l, 1.25 pounds

Features

• Nikon-compatible lens designed specifically for digital SLRs
• 17-50mm focal range equivalent to 26-78mm in 35mm format
• Maximum aperture of f2.8
• Filter diameter of 67mm
• Minimum focus distance of 0.27 meters over entire zoom range

Customer Reviews

TERRIBLE build quality
I'll make this short and sweet since I actually came to amazon to see the price of the Nikon 17-55 because im dumping my tamron 17-50. I bought one from Ritz about 4 months ago. After about 6 weeks of use, the lens literally fell apart. The zoom ring would just spin in cirlces, not zoom the lens, and would be accompanied by a wonderful grinding and cluncking sound. Took it to ritz and they couldn't believe it. I am a semi-pro shooting on a D300. My D300, along with all other Nikon DSLRs and Nikon lenses have NEVER had any problems like this. Ritz knew that since Im a long-time customer so she said it must have just been an "anomoly" and exchanged it for me.

Im currently on my second lens...and now using it for about 2 months, it hasn't fallen apart yet. HOWEVER, within the last few weeks, whenever I zoom it, it very notchy.

I do intense event photography shooting on average of 1k pics/event. I think in general this is a nice lens, but for more serious photography, photojournalist, sport photographers, or pretty much anything on a pro-level, this lens doesn't cut it. Its a definite "Consumer" lens.

If you plan on using this lens to take pictures of your grandson at the park, or of that really big tree at Yellow Stone national park, this is right up your ally. But if you're shooting DJ shots onstage in front of 15,000 people and constantly working the camera to get the right shot and also shooting pictures in packed crowds of people for 8 hours at a time, better get the Nikkor.

For me I give this lens a 2 because it just cannot hold up. I wish it could. For the general public, I would give it a 4 or a 5 - just depends on what you do with it. So im gonna round it off with a solid 3 stars.

Money well spent!
I bought this Tamron lens 9 months ago and I've taken well over 30,000 pictures with it. I was debating between the Nikkor or the Tamron and it came down to cost. I've not been disappointed.
If you've got the cash go for the Nikkor and sleep better knowing you own the best. I sleep better knowing my pictures rock just as hard and I saved a thousand bucks.
Check out my blog and judge for yourself - if it's a wide shot it was this lens. And for that matter it's usually on an old D50! It's all about the lens.
I did put out the cash for the Nikkor 70-200 2.8 - no regrets there either.

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The best~
Researched through SLR gear I found this lens here on Amazon and ordered. This lens is very very good, at least my copy is. This lens is cheap, by nearly a grand over the nikkor 17-55 and is better on the blur index as eveidenced by SLR gear and their very thorough review and special DXO module for assessment.