Tamron FAQs

An image shot of a subject with a wide-angle lens at close distances will make the subject appear larger than it is in real life, and if shot at normal or farther distances will make the subject appear smaller than it is in real life. The wider the angle of the lens the more pronounced the effect will be.

The widest angle of view on a Tamron lens is 105 degrees on the 11-20mm for Sony APS-C mirrorless and 103 degrees on the 17-28mm for Sony Full Frame mirrorless.

A wide-angle picture can be seen as an image taken with a wide-angle lens of a very large subject or scene from a close or far distance.

A photo taken of a subject with a wide-angle lens at close distances will make the subject appear larger than it is in real life, and if shot at normal or farther distances will make the subject appear smaller than it is in real life. The wider the angle of the lens the more pronounced the effect will be.

Macro lenses usually have a maximum aperture of f/2 to f/2.8 but the apertures used when photographing are between f/8 to f/32.

Because of the limited Depth of Field caused by the close minimum focusing distance apertures of between f/8 to f/32 are usually needed.

In the case of a macro lens, it would be the minimum focusing distance. As you get closer to the subject to increase the reproduction ratio you are also slightly increasing the focal length which in turn decreases the aperture. It is not uncommon for a macro lens that starts out with an f/2.8 maximum aperture goes to f/5.6 at its minimum focusing distance.

Because of the limited Depth of Field caused by the close minimum focusing distance apertures of between f/8 to f/32 are usually needed.

Zoom lenses extend by rotating the lens zoom ring.

Zoom creep can be stopped by using the zoom lock. Lenses can be locked at their widest focal length.

These lenses feature a retractable lens barrel button, which when pressed and the zoom ring rotated, extend the length of the lens barrel. In addition, pressing the button automatically turns on the camera.

Focal length increases as you zoom out and decreases as you zoom in.

Three of the main flaws are spots with undefined edges (usually caused by dust on the imaging sensor), color fringing around a highlight or Chromatic Aberration (usually caused by the lens or the lack of correction in the lens), and ghosting, a type of lens flare (usually caused when shooting directly into the sun, the lack of or poor lens coatings designed to mitigate the effects of ghosting caused by a strong light source being reflected repeatedly within the lens).

Spots or circles with undefined edges are usually caused by dust on the imaging sensor.

The best way to correct for flaws is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. In the case of spots simply make sure that you start with a clean imaging sensor. A high-quality lens with a complex lens formula will eliminate Chromatic Aberration. A high-quality lens with lens coatings, the use of a lens hood or changing your perspective will all mitigate Ghosting. Note that some of these flaws can be corrected in post processing.

A high-quality lens with lens coatings designed for correcting lens flare and if using a filter use one with multiple lens coatings. The use of a lens hood or changing your perspective will mitigate Ghosting.

The acronym VC means Vibration Compensation, this is Tamron’s in lens Image Stabilization technology.

The acronym VC means Vibration Compensation, this is Tamron’s in lens Image Stabilization technology, Canon on the other hand uses IS Image Stabilization.

VC or Vibration Compensation mode can be found on some Tamron lenses. This allows the user to select from two or three different mode choices (depending on the lens). Mode 1: Standard (you can see the amount of correction in real time), Mode 2: Exclusively for Panning (ideal for sports or wildlife), Mode 3: Framing Priority (allows for faster subject acquisition and composition also offers the most amount of correction).

VC or Vibration Compensation works by stabilizing the image, by minimizing the movement caused when hand holding a camera in low light or with a telephoto lens (inside the lens barrel stands a lens element on a mechanism with three motors that will counteract Horizontal, Vertical, and Diagonal movements that can be caused by the user).

A rattling or clunking sound could be caused by an unparked VC unit. This can sometimes be resolved by doing the following: 1. Turn the camera off and detach the lens 2. Re-attach the lens to the camera and turn camera on. 3. Activate the autofocus without releasing the shutter and wait for the autofocus motor and VC to stop. 5. Turn off the camera. The VC should now be parked.

With most lens models the autofocus motor and VC may be audible.

A rattling noise can be a symptom of several things, including a loose part or unparked VC.

Lenses can be removed by depressing the lens release button on the camera and rotating the lens. Do not remove the lens until the autofocus motor and VC have settled.

Check that the lens zoom lock is not engaged. If they lens still does not zoom, then service may be required.

Check that the zoom lock and Flex lock are not engaged. The Flex lock can be disengaged by pulling the zoom ring toward yourself. When the Flex lock is engaged you will be able to see a white line below the zoom ring.

Check that the zoom lock and Flex lock are not engaged.

If the zoom lock and Flex lock are not engaged and the zoom is jammed, the lens should be sent in for service.

Depending on the error code, it could mean different things. Many errors are caused by a lens or camera communication issue. If the error persists, contact service for possible service or update information.

Lenses do occasionally require firmware updates. Information on which lenses require updates can be found on our website at https://www.tamron.jp/en/support/release_note.html.

Use lens cleaning pads or a microfiber cloth.

The inside of the lens should only be cleaned by Tamron service. Do not attempt to open the lens for cleaning.

Dust inside a lens will not affect image quality in most cases unless there are large particles or a significant amount. Dust in the rear element of the lens will be more visible than in the front element.

The front of the lens itself can be cleaned with a microfiber cloth to remove dust particles. The casing of the lens can be gently cleaned with a non-abrasive cloth. Do not use any chemicals or cleaning solutions to avoid risk of damaging the lens.

YES, Tamron lenses are compatible with Nikon cameras. Tamron lenses with the lens designation of Di and Di II (with the mount for Nikon cameras) are compatible with Nikon DSLR and Nikon mirrorless cameras with the compatible Nikon FTZ adapter.

Tamron lenses are designed to be compatible with specific camera brands and lens mounts. Currently Di and Di II lenses are compatible with Canon DSLR cameras with the EF and EF-S mounts, and with Nikon DSLR cameras with the F mount (note that these lenses will work with the newer mirrorless Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts with the appropriate manufacturer lens adapter). Tamron lenses with the designation DI III are compatible with mirrorless cameras from specific camera brands and mounts (Canon EF-M, Fuji X, Olympus and Panasonic MicroFourThirds, and Sony E mounts).

AF is an acronym that stands for Auto Focus

Firmware cannot be checked on the camera body with DSLR lenses but can be checked on Sony mirrorless lenses with a Sony camera. This can be found in the “Lens system software version” menu. For more details see this link: https://www.tamron.jp/en/support/e-mount_update.html.