Product Description

This ground-breaking high-speed mid-range zoom is prized by pros and serious shooters for its fast F/2.8 constant aperture, evenness of illumination, and its outstanding imaging performance, and by all photographers for its compact size and reasonable weight that make it feel like an ordinary standard zoom. These admirable characteristics have been achieved by the use of special XR and LD glass, the efficient use of aspherical elements, and non-rotating internal-focus (IF) design. This remarkable zoom lens also focuses down to 0.33m (13”) (1:3.9 magnification) at all focal lengths for satisfying close-up performance and is compatible with APS-C and full-frame-format SLRs. Not surprisingly it is widely acclaimed as a classic.

Worlds smallest & lightest lens

The most compact and lightest in the history of fast zoom lenses. Thanks to the revolutionary downsizing "XR" technology employed by Tamron in the development of high-power zoom lenses such as the 28-200mm and 28-300mm, the dramatic compactness that makes this lens the world's smallest and lightest is achieved. Its compactness makes it look and feel like an ordinary standard zoom lens, yet the versatility that a fast constant maximum aperture offers will definitely reshape your photographic horizons.

SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 XR Di Features

Digitally Integrated (DI) Lenses for the Best Imaging Performance
Di (Digitally Integrated Design) is a Tamron designation that applies to lenses that have been optimized for digital capture using advanced multi-coating techniques and optical designs that assure excellent image quality across the entire picture field. Because of these characteristics, Di lenses provide outstanding performance on cameras with full-frame and APS-C format sensors as well as on 35mm film.

Low Dispersion (LD) Glass for Greater Lens Sharpness

Low Dispersion (LD) glass reduces chromatic aberration

Low dispersion (LD) glass elements in a lens help reduce chromatic aberration; the tendency of light of different colors to come to different points of focus at the image plane. Chromatic aberration reduces the sharpness of an image, but glass with an extremely lowdispersion index, has less of a tendency to separate (defract) a ray of light into a rainbow of colors. This characteristic allows the lens designer to effectively compensate for chromatic aberration at the center of the field (on axis), a particular problem at long focal lengths (the telephoto end of the zoom range), and for lateral chromatic aberration (towards the edges of the field) that often occurs at short focal lengths (the wide-angle end of the zoom range.)

Super Performance (SP) for Discriminating Shooters
Tamron SP (Super Performance) series is a line of ultra-high-performance lenses designed and manufactured to the exacting specifications demanded by professionals and others who require the highest possible image quality. In creating SP lenses Tamron’s optical designers put their foremost priority on achieving superior performance parameters—they are all designed to a higher standard with little regard for cost constraints. As a result, Tamron lenses bearing the SP designation feature impressive and innovative designs that have established an enviable reputation for excellence among those knowledgeable photographers that demand the very best.

Extra Refractive Index Glass (XR)

Special glass for better performance and more compact lens designs

Extra Refractive Index (XR) glass can bend light rays at steeper angles, thereby decreasing the physical length of the lens while enhancing imaging performance by minimizing optical aberrations. This has allowed Tamron to develop a line of shorter, smaller-diameter, lighter lenses without sacrificing lens speed, and actually upgrading image quality compared to older designs. XR glass is costlier than conventional glass but it yields enhanced optical power distribution, making possible many of the outstanding and innovative lens designs that bear the XR designation. XR glass, with its superior light-bending power, makes it possible to design a short-barrel lens with the same light-gathering ability (aperture value) as a long-barrel lens—even with a smaller lens diameter. By using this principle Tamron has been able to shorten the length of the entire optical system and produce lighter, more compact lenses of the same speed, and also to provide greater zoom ranges in lenses that are much more convenient to carry by hand.

Internal Focusing (IF) System
Internal focusing provides numerous practical benefits to photographers including a non-rotating front filter ring that facilitates the positioning of polarizing and graduated filters, and more predictable handling because the lens length does not change during focusing. Even more important, Tamron’s Internal Focusing (IF) system provides a much closer minimum focusing distance (MFD) throughout its entire focusing range. In addition, IF improves optical performance by minimizing illumination loss at the corners of the image field, and helps to suppress other aberrations that become more troublesome at different focusing positions.

Aspherical Lens Elements (ASL)

Aspherical Lens Element

Tamron uses several hybrid Aspherical lens elements in many lenses bearing the Aspherical designation. These innovative optics allow us to achieve the ultimate in image quality, and at the same time produce lenses that offer remarkable zoom ranges in extraordinarily compact packages. By perfecting theses cutting-edge advances for series production, Tamron has advanced the state of optical design, and virtually eliminated spherical aberration and image distortion from the high-power-zoom series.Through the effective application of Hybrid Aspherical Technology, one lens element can take the place of multiple elements without compromising performance. This is what allows us to produce remarkably compact long-range lenses that deliver a uniformly high level of image quality at all focal lengths and apertures.

Zoom Lock (ZL)
Another original Tamron mechanical engineering concept is the Zoom Lock (ZL), a simple convenience feature that prevents undesired extension of the lens barrel when carrying the camera/lens unit on a neck strap.

Product Details

• Brand: Tamron
• Model: AF09N-700
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 3.00" w x 4.00" l, 1.55 pounds

Features

• Super fast f 2.8 constant aperature throughout the entire zoom range.
• XR glass for breakthrough in compact design
• Includes front and rear lens cap and a lens case
• Zoom lock for convenience
• 67mm filter diameter

Customer Reviews

Best midrange zoom I've used
I was shocked to see this lens with a low average score. Obviously the initial reviewer either had a bad lens or doesn't know the best practices of his camera. Well, it's his loss, cause this lens is one of the best I've used and my all-time favorite of my current kit.

I decided to give this lens a try after having good luck with other Tamron lenses and checking out the quality images my friend got with the same lens on a Canon camera. It was on my short-list for awhile, and I was thrilled when I finally had a chance to buy it.

Pros:

* size and weight - this lens is great if you want to travel and don't want to sacrifice quality. it is light, as are most Tamron lenses I've tried, but well built and easy to work with.

* color and sharpness - no problems with sharpness here, and color is superb. I find this lens provides better quality than the Tamron 18-200 that I started out with, and far above the Nikon 18-70.

* bokeh (out-of-focus background rendering) - beautiful, which can be said for every Tamron lens I've used so far. they handle the bokeh perfectly and produce some of the best results when shooting shallow depth of field.

* price - this lens falls at a nice price compared to similar Nikon models, and it covers more range than some of the 2.8 Nikon lenses.

* zoom lock - I love this feature on the Tamron lenses. I always lock it when I'm not shooting or before it goes back in the bag. I hated pulling the Nikon 18-70 out and having it fully extend every time because the sides of the bag just barely held onto the lens hood.

* will work with non APS-C size cameras. Nikon doesn't have a full-frame digital available yet, but who knows what will happen in the future. If they do release one, it's nice knowing you can use this lens on it as well. Same if you want to shoot film now and then, since the "digital only" lenses cannot be used on those cameras.

Cons:

* 28mm is not at all wide on a APS-C size sensor, which all Nikon models currently use. I would prefer 18, 20, or at least 24mm. My wide angle is a Sigma 10-20, so that leaves quite a gap in the wide range, unfortunately. It does go up to 75 rather than 70, but I've found that if 70 isn't enough, 75 isn't enough either, in most cases. I'd prefer that extra range on the wide end instead.

* auto-focus can hunt in low-contrast situations. again, this is a trait I've found with all my Tamron lenses, and it is easily overcome by switching to manual when needed.

That's the long and short of it. I don't think I will ever need to replace this lens, and for now it is the default lens on my camera whenever I go somewhere. Great performance all-around, nice bright image in the view-finder, and a nice price from Amazon. I would recommend this lens to anyone looking for a higher quality over their original kit lens.

actually, it's quite sharp
I got the tamron 28-75 specifically for low-light indoor shots at concerts and such, situations where you need a 2.8 aperture to shoot "wide open" to get the fastest possible shutter speed--sports and action. i shoot with the d80 and also have the nikkor 18-70dx, the nikkor 50mm 1.8 prime, and the tokina 24-200 in this focal range.

have to say, i've definitely been impressed so far with the tamron -- just shot a concert at the fillmore auditorium and boy, did it come through with flying colors. the real test of sharpness in real-world conditions is when you can crop 40-50% without losing detail. yup, the tamron does that fine. it's great at 2.8 throughout the entire range (but obviously even sharper stopped down to 3.5 or 4), has minimal chromatic aberration and pincushion distortion (no zoom will ever be completely free of these), freezes motion even at the relatively slow shutter setting of 1/60, is lightweight, and has a decent build quality (it's not tank-like like the tokina, but not cheap either), focuses fast in all but pitch darkness (especially with a sb-600 speedlight and the d80's burst setting), and has a nice zoom lock feature to prevent lens creep. it also has a semi-macro feature that focuses to 1:3; not a dedicated macro but a nice thing to have nonetheless. unlike the tokina, the aperture dial is ergonomically situated and doesn't get in the way.

the 28-75 is considered a "pro" lens (look for the "SP" designation), and the price (under $400) is right, unless you want to pay 3x as much for the nikkor 2.8 equivalent. while optimized for digital (Di series) it can also be used for film, and if nikon ever makes a full-frame dslr, it can be used on that too -- unlike the nikon dx, tokina dx, sigma dc, or tamron Dii lenses.

the only downside is that sometimes i wish it was a little wider, say 24mm, but then it does go to 75mm. ultimately, that's why i chose it over the tamron 17-55 which is very similar and has been extremely well-received by the nikon crowd. wish there was a 16-70 or 16-80 f/2.8 out there, but there isn't yet and if there was, it would probably be pretty expensive. anyway, this tamron has proven to be a versatile performer that has met my needs thusfar--great for indoor concerts but also sufficient for portraits -- i'd rate it as a hair sharper than the 18-70 and almost as sharp as the 50mm nikkor, which is saying something. i wasn't sure about tamron before purchasing, but i'm glad i chose this over the sigma 24-70 EX, which is also a 2.8 but has a weird filter size (82mm). a bonus was that the tamron uses the same filters as the 18-70 dx, so i didn't have to invest in yet another set of filters.

perhaps the previous reviewer got a bad copy or just needs to review the camera manual again (particularly A and S modes and ISO and WB settings if intended for low-light shots), because this is anything but a one-star lens.

The Perfect Midrange Zoom!
This is my first non-Nikon lens, and for the price you can't do any better for a walkaround lens. I wanted to wait to write my review after a substantial test of this lens, which I did at a friend's wedding. I took along all of my usual gear just in case, including a 50mm f/1.8 Nikkor prime and a 70-300mm Nikkor zoom--neither of which I ever touched the whole evening. I managed to get every single picture using just this lens, including shots taken in full sunlight, shade, sunset, and indoors with minor assistance from a fill-in flash (SB-800). Over 90% of my pictures came out tack-sharp and exactly as I hoped they would, with the other 10% just being the result of poor planning or user-error. In my opinion, I never got anywhere close to this kind of quality with my kit 18-55mm Nikkor (which is what I intended to replace with this lens). I did a lot of research between this lens and a similar model by Sigma, but this lens had much higher praise--and I can certainly see why.