Tamron's 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD was announced in December 2010, as a successor to the well-regarded AF 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO that we reviewed in December 2008. Compared to the previous version, its main attractions are a significant reduction in size and weight, and the addition of an 'Piezo Drive' motor for faster, quieter autofocus. At launch it was also the longest range superzoom available, although it's recently been surpassed by the Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR in this respect.
As expected for a modern superzoom, the Canon and Nikon mount versions of the lens feature built-in optical image stabilization via Tamron's 'Vibration Control' system, which promises sharper hand held images at slow shutter speeds. The Sony mount version uses the same optics but without the image stabilization mechanism (and therefore drops 'VC' from its name), relying on the camera's built-in 'SteadyShot' system instead. Tamron doesn't make a Pentax-fit model, but the recently-announced Pentax smc DA 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 ED SDM is in all probability essentially the same lens, again without the VC module.
The Tamron 18-270mm's closest competitor is the Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-5.6 DC Macro OS HSM, a very similarly spec'ed lens that we reviewed recently. The Tamron has a slightly longer zoom range, but the Sigma can focus closer. In this review we'll attempt to nail down the other, less obvious differences between these two third-party contenders.
The pictures below illustrate the focal length range from wide to telephoto (on Canon APS-C, 1.6x).
 |
 |
| 18mm (29mm equivalent) | 270mm (430mm equivalent) |
|---|
| Price | • $650 (US) • £390 (UK) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer's product code | B008 |
| Date introduced | December 2010 |
| Maximum format size | APS-C/DX |
| Focal length | 18-270mm |
| 35mm equivalent focal length |
• 27-405mm (1.5x APS-C / DX) • 29-430mm (1.6x Canon APS-C) |
| Diagonal Angle of view (APS-C) | 75º - 6º |
| Maximum aperture | F3.5-6.3 |
| Minimum aperture | F22-40 |
| Lens Construction | • 16 elements / 13 groups |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 7, rounded |
| Minimum focus | 0.49m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.26x |
| AF motor type | • Piezo Drive (Micro-type ultrasonic) |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Image stabilization | • Yes |
| Filter thread | • 62mm • Does not rotate on focus |
| Supplied accessories* | • Front and rear caps • Petal-type DA18 Lens Hood |
| Weight | 450 g (16.6 oz) |
| Dimensions | 74.4 mm diameter x 88 mm length (2.9 x 3.5 in) |
| Lens Mount | Canon, Nikon, Sony |
* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area
This lens review uses DxOMark data thanks to a partnership between dpreview.com and DxO Labs (read more about DxOMark and our partnership with DxO Labs). DxOMark is the trusted industry standard for independent image quality measurements and ratings. DxOMark has established this reputation with its rigorous hardware testing, industry-grade laboratory tools, and database of thousands of camera, lens and mobile test results. Full test results for this lens can be found at www.dxomark.com.
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital
Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help
you understand some of the terms used).
Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C. |
 |
This article is Copyright 2012 and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.
| $449.00 | Buy on GearShop | |
| $449.00 | Buy on GearShop | |
| $449.00 | Buy on GearShop |
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 VC PZD All-In-One Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras | $449.00 |
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 VC PZD All-In-One Zoom Lens with Built in Motor for Nikon DSLR Cameras (Model B008N) | $449.00 |
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 VC PZD All-In-One Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras | $449.00 |
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 VC PZD All-In-One Zoom Lens with Built in Motor for Nikon DSLR Cameras (Model B008N) | $449.00 |
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 VC PZD All-In-One Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras | $400.00 |
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens with Built in Motor for Nikon DSLR Cameras (Model B003NII) | $424.00 |
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras | $449.00 |
Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD IF Lens Pro Kit for Nikon AF w/Built in Motor | $457.98 |
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 PZD All-In-One Zoom Lens with Built in Motor for Sony DSLR Cameras (Model B008S) | $449.00 |
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens for Sony | $488.96 |
Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD VC (Vibration Compensation) Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens with Built in Motor for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Model A20NII) | $629.00 |
Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Aspherical Lens Pro Kit for Sony DSLR | $457.98 |
   |
|
Connect with dpreview
|
Comments