Product ReviewsTAMRON SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 Lens for Nikon 272E "Near Mint" 008155

Lightweight and good built quality but...

My previous experience with macro lenses is very limited (only used a Nikkon 40mm f2.8 before). What I found with this Tamron lens is that the effective aperture of the lens changes according to the focal length. You cannot use f 2.8 at macro distances (0.29 m for instance) due to "bellows effect". Apparently this happens to other lens too. But I was expecting to be able to use 2.8 to closer distances and it was a surprise this for me. Probably part of my lack of research plus the description of the product not mentioning the fact :(
Overall I am not disappointed but I still have to learn to get advantage of this lens. As this does not have VC ( vibration compensation) system this lens is more suited for use with tripod but I expect that in days with good light I’ll be able to handle decent sharp shots handheld at decent shutter speeds ( at least 1/60 or so). It is a sharp lens in general and I have just found that apparently the color rendition is little bit brighter than I expected. I still have to look into this since I just received the lens yesterday and I haven’t downloaded the tests to my PC.
4.0 starts, great value product.
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Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: quickndone

sharp but ...

its sharp but aperture gets smaller the closer you get to your subject. Normal focusing distance to infinity f2.8 is available but when you start to focus closer like at 5ft the widest is f3.2, at 2ft widest available is f3.5, at 1:3 magnification f stop changes to 4, at 1:2 f stop is 4.5 and by the time you get to life size widest available is f5.6.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: quickndone

Excellent lens for the money

This is an excellent lens for the money and when used on a APS-C camera yeilds great macros. On ebay be very careful and ask the buyer to verify the lens type. I would say over half the lenses on ebay are mis represented as to the lens type. There are many models of these lenses and people pick stock photos of lenses and show the wrong ones, buyer beware ALLWAYS clearly see what you are buying. This lens is excellent and auto focuses on the D-40, D-3100 and D-5000 series Nikons. Even as I review this the model is wrong! the plain 272E is the old version the lens I purchased was the 272 ENll.Read full review...

Tamron 90MM 2.8 Macro for Nikon

Simply a spectacular lens. For the money, one of the best macro/micro lenses on the market today. From a price comparision, this lens is less expensive than the 105MM Nikkor VR Micro by $200-300 and about the same as the Sigma. A used 105MM Nikkor 2.8D runs slightly more than this lens for an absolute comparision.

This lens is one of the sharpest and rendurs a very nice bokeh (out of focus elements) of any lens I have ever owned (for reference, I own a Nikkor 28mm 1.4D)

The Good
1. Tack Sharp
2. Fantastic Bokeh
3. Easy Manual Use
4. Toggle between manual and automatic is genius (push pull)
5. Good for both macro and portrait photography
6. Works great on both DX and FX format cameras (internal motor works on D40/D60)
7. Deep recessed front element (avoids bumping your subject with the front element)
8. 7 Year warrenty (Tamron stands by their lenses)
9. Light - makes for great portability
10. On a DX sensor you get a 1.5 crop for a focal equivolent of 135mm!

The Bad
1. Construction is not as eugged as the Nikkor or Sigma
2. AF in macro mode tends to hunt (most the time in macro you are using manual so its not often its problem)Read full review...

The Seller (quickndone) and the Lens (Tamron 90mm F/2.8 Di SP MACRO 1:1 Lens) are BOTH RECOMMENDED!

This was being shipped out of Canada and actually arrive in Golden, Colorado in just under three days. Very fast shipping. The Lens description was brief and very accurate. The eBAY photographs were detailed and 1st rate.

It's only been a couple of days but my Macro photographs are much better than I was expecting. I am using a Nikon D3400 and, on occasion, the Vello Extension tubes. The Lens weight is nice and feels light weight compared to others. The auto-focus and manual-focus are great and ez to engage. The 90 mm allows a good 18" (or more) from my subject, which allows me lots of room for lighting. I am happy with the Tamron 90mm F/2.8 Di SP MACRO 1:1 Lens.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: quickndone

A superb Portrait/Macro lens: Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di AF

This lens will give you the Bokeh and sharpness you need for Macro photography and Portraiture. It's bokeh is superb. It's light, relatively inexpensive ($325-499) very fast f/2.8 and tack sharp. Read the instructions before you put it on your camera!

This lens is not real robust. It will earn it's keep but you will have to treat it carefully. If you have the money, of course the Nikkor 85mm f/1.4, the defacto standard, is the portratiat lens of choice. I think this Tamron lens will be my mainstay for a long while. I think you will agree. After reading the other reviews, just get a good used one on Ebay from a good seller and start shooting. Don't wait like I did. This lens will astound you when you learn to use it correctly.Read full review...

Amazing macro lens at a micro price...

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this lens and the quality of photos it takes. I have shot pictures at F/32 with almost no softening of the image, which is amazing. The same goes for shooting wide open.

While this is, typically, a "portrait lens" I have yet to actually photograph a person with it. I've done macro shots of bugs, flowers, dirt and several mid-range landscape shots but no folks. It has, yet, to disappoint.

When I first got the lens and plugged it into my Nikon D5100, I was a bit "disappointed" as I immediately went to shoot a macro with it and rather than F/2.8, I ended up with F/3.8. This issue is not well documented - at least not with the information that comes with the lens. I thought there was a problem, initially, with the lens. However, I spoke with Tamron, directly, about it, and they explained what was happening... in fact, that's how it should work. The Nikon cameras report the F-stop correctly, most other cameras do not.

Long story short... great lens for the $$$. I wouldn't trade it for anything.Read full review...

Crazy-good results from older technology

Even though I gave this five stars, you need to realize that the Tamron design is ancient in one respect. Instead of internal focus, this uses the old system of extending the lens barrel to achieve its macro results.

That being said, the glass is great, the operation is just as expected (some hunting, but not bad for a macro). Literally, this lens will focus on stuff that's closer to the lens than the outer lip of the lens hood. Results are sharp, rivaling those of my Nikon 60mm Micro.

You can switch quickly to doing portraits with this lens and get some crystal-clear results. So clear, in fact, that some people may be taken aback at how they really look.

This version has the internal motor, so it works equally well with the cheaper Nikons and the upscale versions.

Its push-pull shift from manual to auto focus and back takes a little getting used to, but it's great if you want to do some fine-focus adjustments on one tiny area of the frame. Just pop the ring, and you're doing manual, no fumbling, no fuss.Read full review...

Great Macro Lens

This lens is amazing. It is razor sharp, fairly light, and has a relatively large f2.8 max aperture. I can only recommend it!

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: jeweloftheheart

Excellent Prime Optic Macro 1:1 F/2.8 90mm

This is a wonderful 1:1 macro lens for my Nikon DSLR APS-C. It is also the best value for the money. There is a newer version of this lens, for much more money, that has vibration dampening. That feature is desirable for hand held shots, but not important if using a tripod or ring flash. If you are in the market for a reasonably priced 1:1 macro lens, give this one every consideration.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: quickndone

More than I bargained for

I used this lens exclusively at the city's festival that was conducted last week. The images were so sharp and clear I was able to get three new customers who awarded me a photography contract.
Excellent investment!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: matsuiyastore