Tamron Firmware Updates NOT Supported on Mac OS X Catalina

[Doug Willis]

I have a Tamron 28-75 2.8 for my Sony A7iii and recently purchased a Tamron 28-200 lens. I went to check Tamron's site to see if there were any firmware updates for both these lenses. It turns out there was, and with the newer 28-200 the firmware update was meant to fix a focusing bug in some of the Sony focussing modes.

When I downloaded the Firmware updates for both these lenses (mac versions) to my horror I discovered there software does not work with MAC OS X Catalina (10.15).

I tried downloading and installing from my Macbook as well, thinking it may have been a problem with Macmini, but that had the same result. "Software is not supporrted and needs an upgrade".

I contacted Tamron Support Australia for help and was bluntly told, No, Tamron Japan has confirmed that the software will not work with the latest MAC OSX (been out a year now) and that I need to find a windows PC or send the lenses to the support office to be upgraded.

I hope this is wrong and that Tamron soon put out an updated version of their firmware upgrading software for the Mac OSX.

This was a bit of a shock and frankly, a disappointment, that such a large and well resourced company like Tamron couldn't or wouldn't have the resources to update a Firmware updating software globally as part of their customer support. After all, Mac OS X 10.15 has been released a year ago.

The Australian Service agent for Tamron (Hartlands) for told me;

"In fact it is not a problem created by Tamron it is a problem created by Apple.

Unfortunately Apple make it difficult for manufacturers due to their security protocols to update their software."

I don't know what others think, but this is very poor form and and shows a lack of concern for customer support. Had I known this, I would have considered purchasing Tamron a bit more and are now relectant to purchase any future Tamron products.

 

[ZilverHaylide]

I have a Tamron 28-75 2.8 for my Sony A7iii and recently purchased a Tamron 28-200 lens. I went to check Tamron's site to see if there were any firmware updates for both these lenses. It turns out there was, and with the newer 28-200 the firmware update was meant to fix a focusing bug in some of the Sony focussing modes.

When I downloaded the Firmware updates for both these lenses (mac versions) to my horror I discovered there software does not work with MAC OS X Catalina (10.15).

I tried downloading and installing from my Macbook as well, thinking it may have been a problem with Macmini, but that had the same result. "Software is not supporrted and needs an upgrade".

I contacted Tamron Support Australia for help and was bluntly told, No, Tamron Japan has confirmed that the software will not work with the latest MAC OSX (been out a year now) and that I need to find a windows PC or send the lenses to the support office to be upgraded.

I hope this is wrong and that Tamron soon put out an updated version of their firmware upgrading software for the Mac OSX.

This was a bit of a shock and frankly, a disappointment, that such a large and well resourced company like Tamron couldn't or wouldn't have the resources to update a Firmware updating software globally as part of their customer support. After all, Mac OS X 10.15 has been released a year ago.

The Australian Service agent for Tamron (Hartlands) for told me;
"In fact it is not a problem created by Tamron it is a problem created by Apple.

Unfortunately Apple make it difficult for manufacturers due to their security protocols to update their software."

I don't know what others think, but this is very poor form and and shows a lack of concern for customer support. Had I known this, I would have considered purchasing Tamron a bit more and are now relectant to purchase any future Tamron products.

You left yourself open for this, so here goes

Here's what I think you should have said:

"Had I known this, I would have considered purchasing Apple a bit more and are now relectant to purchase any future Apple products."

Really. Apple products are a small fraction of PCs out there. And Apple is notorious for trying to keep their ecosystem closed, or at least difficult to enter. What did you expect? I don't think Tamron's attitude is unreasonable. Given how common they are, surely you must know someone with a Windows machine.

 

[JasonTheBirder]

My guess is that the firmware update is a 32 bit application and Catalina dropped 32 bit support (apparently it still exists but getting it to work seems fickle).

It must be frustrating to have to find a solution.... probably the easiest is to find a friend with an older MacOS or a Windows computer.

 

[Tord S Eriksson]

My guess is that the firmware update is a 32 bit application and Catalina dropped 32 bit support (apparently it still exists but getting it to work seems fickle).

It must be frustrating to have to find a solution.... probably the easiest is to find a friend with an older MacOS or a Windows computer.

Or use one of those programs that emulate a PC! And then use the PC version!

 

[rich_cx139]

It’s a pain - I use vm’s on my macs mostly for win10 where my engineering software lives. With Parallels or similar you can backload a 32 bit friendly Mojave installation into a vm and transfer the software to that but then you have to wrestle with how the virtual machine deals with the usb externals.

Borrow a pc is simplest.

These things happen with macos - other things happen with windows. I have had my fill of both systems and need and hate both equally.

As for Tamron - I could rant on forever about their software engineering : f/w update for Z for f017 - 24 months and still waiting and so on.

Compare Sigma: For the Sigma USB dock - their PREVIOUS version of the Sigma Optimisation Pro s/w ( November 2018 ) was written for 64 bit and runs under Catalina. Likewise most of the more recent Sigmas worked with Nikon Z/FTZ straight off.

I have used Tamron since the adaptall 2 days ( when Sigmas was just making c**p ) and I still do use their glass a lot - great opto-mechanical engineers but they are lacking in this critical department.

 

[Doug Willis]

In the photographic and creative communities Apple products are not uncommon. Yes I could find (and probably will) find a workaround but that is not my point. Tamron are big enough and large enough to be able to work with Apple to overcome any issues (as many others, including very small players have). It is not unreasonable for Tamron to have found a fix for this after 12 months, It seems to say more about their approach to customer support than any technical difficulties and that is dissappointing.

 

[JasonTheBirder]

My guess is that the firmware update is a 32 bit application and Catalina dropped 32 bit support (apparently it still exists but getting it to work seems fickle).

It must be frustrating to have to find a solution.... probably the easiest is to find a friend with an older MacOS or a Windows computer.

Or use one of those programs that emulate a PC! And then use the PC version!

I thought about that. You can also virtualize Mojave on Catalina and use that. However, you also have to make sure to enable USB support and who knows if there will be any unforeseen consequences from that setup? I regularly use virtual machines and I still don't like the idea of updating a lens with one.

 

[Tord S Eriksson]

My guess is that the firmware update is a 32 bit application and Catalina dropped 32 bit support (apparently it still exists but getting it to work seems fickle).

It must be frustrating to have to find a solution.... probably the easiest is to find a friend with an older MacOS or a Windows computer.

Or use one of those programs that emulate a PC! And then use the PC version!

I thought about that. You can also virtualize Mojave on Catalina and use that. However, you also have to make sure to enable USB support and who knows if there will be any unforeseen consequences from that setup? I regularly use virtual machines and I still don't like the idea of updating a lens with one.

A simple windows laptop today costs not much over $200 and will be handy for uprades and other jobs when things go bad.


I was given a Surface, and that is exactly how I use it. The Surface is not much more than a pad with a keyboard, and you would probably be able to find a used one at a very friendly price!

My computer at home is an iMac, not yet upgraded to the new OS, as I still use Aperture occasionally.

--
tordseriksson (at) gmail.....
Owner of a handful of Nikon cameras. And a few lenses.
WSSA #456

 

[Zormpas]

I've been involved with Microcomputers since the late 1970s, and have seen all sorts of things come and go. I've been using Apple for years now, but am going to go back to Linux "next time". Why? Because Apple breaks EVERYTHING with their yearly OS "upgrades", and its gotten old. As much as I dislike Microsoft, their backwards compatibility is VASTLY better. Apple, and the entire Apple ecosystem, doesn't want to talk to you if you have any hardware/software much older than about two years. Remind me sometime to tell the fiasco of attaching an Apple Cinema display to a one year old Mac sometime - back when I worked in IT.

I'm tired of buying into Apple's infrastructure, then having them pull the rug out from under me. And I'm SICK AND TIRED of both Apple and Microsoft (but lead by Apple) decontenting their software so my expensive computer acts like a limited use and crippled "Device" (read: cellphone). Yes, "Photos", I'm looking at YOU. I'm tired of Apple's Xenophobia - as engendered by Jobs that dates all the way back to the Apple ][+ days. But ONE example: EVERYBODY ELSE supports .webp, yet Apple promulgates .HEIF, a format NOBODY ELSE supports. Apple and Google are in a phallic comparison contest, and everybody loses.

So yea, I'm going back to Linux, and will either run Windows or an emulator to get things done like the OP's problem.

 

[Doug Willis]

Zormpas,

I do emphasise with your position of Apple. I too have been an Apple user for over 15 years and I too do find some things about Apple very annoying.

However, my post is not about Apple, it is about Tamron not stepping up to the plate to keep up (as difficult as that may be sometimes with Apple's constant changes).

Tamron are not a small player and have the skill, resources and software engineers to be able to adjust to the latest OS requirements. They have also had enough time to achieve this. The point is, they have chosen NOT to and that says a lot about their commitment to their customers.

It is too easy to just say this is Apples fault.

 

[Zormpas]

Its the fault of the entire Apple infrastructure. It gets tiresome keeping up with all of Apple's gratuitous changes - I really can't fault Tamron as somebody sooner or later has to say "enough is enough!". Heck, I don't see much difference between the first version of OS X that I ever used (Jaguar), and the High Sierra I'm using now except for dumbed down, decontented ancillary software, lower contrast glaring white screens, and a long line of broken APIs. Now Apple is even monkeying with the Unix kernal, introducing incompatibilities there. *shrug* Whatever! I'm over it, and I don't blame anyone for bailing out - because I sure am!

 

[hikerdoc]

My software from Sigma, Nikon, Capture One, Lightroom all work on the latest MacOS. Tamron doesn’t and it is an Apple issue?? Mac incompatibility is just another reason to avoid all things Tamron. I have enough of PC at work, although that is mainly using Electronic Medical Records which are total disasters on any system!

 

[Zormpas]

Whatever floats your boat. Apple pulls nonsense that would get them laughed out of business if they were anyone other than Apple - but because the *are* Apple, its a Good Thing (tm). Sooner or later, Nikon, Sigma et al are going to get a mouthful of Apple's arrogance and bail out as well. After all, Apple isn't even a computer company any more - they're a cell phone maker and their computer software shows it.

 

[hikerdoc]

Whatever floats your boat. Apple pulls nonsense that would get them laughed out of business if they were anyone other than Apple - but because the *are* Apple, its a Good Thing (tm). Sooner or later, Nikon, Sigma et al are going to get a mouthful of Apple's arrogance and bail out as well. After all, Apple isn't even a computer company any more - they're a cell phone maker and their computer software shows it.

Thanks, yes my boat is floating nicely. It sounds like you are in the market for a new one. Hope your luck is as good as mine whatever final decision you make.

 

[Zormpas]

Yea, I've "been here before" - I almost switched back to Windows with Cygwin around 2012 or so. I was so disgusted with Apple that I was considering a Windows 7 box. Then Microsoft came out with Windows 8, and I bought another Mac the next day!

Windows 10 is as ugly as home made sin, but it at least works (with the usual caveats). But I *really* need the UNIX underpinnings, which Windows doesn't really have although they keep edging closer. Cygwin is a kludge at best. I switched from Linux to Mac years back mainly because I was tired of having to fix everything on Linux installs - but that has gotten much better in recent years. Mac was a Unix system that somebody else kept fixed - until they didn't. I'm tired of Apple's bugs too - I liked their iMovie program, but ended up switching to something called "shotcut" because iMovie was riddled with bugs. Never mind the iPhoto to Photos fiasco that decontented its usefulness and gave us an incomprehensible "all new" organization structure that nobody asked for...

 

[rich_cx139]

My software from Sigma, Nikon, Capture One, Lightroom all work on the latest MacOS. Tamron doesn’t and it is an Apple issue?? Mac incompatibility is just another reason to avoid all things Tamron. I have enough of PC at work, although that is mainly using Electronic Medical Records which are total disasters on any system!

I absolutely agree - whatever the macos vs windows arguments:

This is a TAMRON issue.

They aren’t competent in either reverse engineering or, it appears, in basic software development.

They also now excel in refusing to address customers’ concerns when the issue raised highlights this weakness.

About 6 months ago they stopped replying to emails to their major customer service centres ( in this case about Nikon Z compatibility ).

 

[phatgreatwall]

works fine on my mac

 

[Doug Willis]

It appears you are using the "Tap In" application. I understand this is different from the Software Updater App. Is this correct?

 

[phatgreatwall]

thats the software to update the firmware and adjust focusing

 

[Doug Willis]

Tap In is a additional accessory that is used for Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony A lens mounts. It is not the software updater (free) that is downloadable from Tamron's website to update Sony E and I am assuming all newer camera mounts. Tap In seems to be a legacy product to support older lens mounts.