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Reviews (1)
30 Oct, 2015
My favorite lens, I can create amazing photos with this
I've been using my Tamron 180mm Macro for a few months now, and it's by far the lens I use the most. I love macro photography, especially insects, and the extra distance I can be from the subject thanks to having a 180mm helps a lot. The lovely background bokeh looks amazing at this focal length as well, because you're only seeing a small sliver of the scene. It does mean more distance from the flash (which I use most of the time) as well, even with the flash bracket I use, requiring a bit more flash and more diffusion, so there is a small drawback. The extra size/weight of a 180mm lens would also be a drawback for some. Personally, though, the pros outweigh the cons quite a bit.
The Tamron specifically is a nicely sharp lens. When my focusing is good, you can easily see the individual spots in a fly's compound eye, and you can count the scales on a butterfly's wings. I wouldn't say it's in the same territory as a Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro, but being only a little less sharp for less than half the price is pretty incredible. You will still get photos you will be very pleased with.
Autofocus is ... well, not fast. But it's very rarely a problem, actually. If it's on the macro end and you want to focus at a distance, it could take a few seconds (really) and vice versa. If you're close to the right focus already, though, it's not a big deal. The main use for this lens is on the macro level, and you'll be manually focusing most of the time then anyway. (either with the focus ring, or by physically moving the camera closer/further from the subject) The focus ring itself is enormous, and easy to use. It uses a push/pull mechanism to choose between AF and MF, which is nice and simple but I'm not a big fan of it. You can't AF to a point, then switch to MF without losing the fine adjustments.
An interesting quirk with this lens is the rotating filter threads. (the lens uses 72mm filters) The concept is good -- you can adjust rotating filters like a CPL even when the hood is attached. But in practice I've had mixed feelings about it. I've only used it for rotating filters once or twice, but it's gotten in the way when threading other filters on more often. The biggest drawback is when using ring or macro flashes, because the orientation will constantly flop around. I'm not a huge fan of those flashes though so personally, overall, the rotating threads aren't a big issue. But for some people that uses those flashes in particular, it could be a potential deal breaker.
The build quality is very good, no complaints there. The lens feels solid. The tripod foot is solid. The included lens hood is excellent (it will even go on when you are using a 77mm step up adapter and 77mm filter!) and stores reversed over the lens as it should. And the included lens bag is nicely padded and makes me wish my other lenses had such a nice home.
All in all I give this lens four out of five stars. One star down for the slow autofocus. The other, mostly negligible, drawbacks are more than offset by the amazing value you get from this lens. If you're just getting started with macro photography and want to move past the reverse-lens / extension tube setups, the value on this makes it a great lens to start with. If you're already a macro photographer but have a lens in the 50 or 100 range and want to try a 180, the quality and performance of this lens will make you happy. Unless you only fill your lens collection with Canon L's or Zeiss lenses, this is highly recommended.