Tamron 35-150mm F/2.8-4 Di VC OSD Lens Review & Test
I got a Tamron 35-150mm lens from LensRentals, so I’m doing an unboxing and I take some pictures with it around here and do a little mini review of the lens.
Come along with me into nature to see how it does!
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I'm here in the wild today because I had a box arrive from LensRentals with a lens I want to try - the Tamron 35-150mm F/2.8-4 Di VC OSD. I've heard Tamron has been doing some amazing things with their glass in the past ten years or so, and I don't own any good zoom lenses, so when I rent I always want to play with a zoom.
My Favorite Images From the Test Shoot are Now Available as Metal Wall Art Pieces
Story:
I love that LensRentals always packs their gear in a super sturdy hard case. So you can feel good about it shipping and arriving safely to you. The lens itself also comes with a nice soft case so I can put it in my own camera bag.
The Tamron 35-150mm has Vibration Control (VC), an auto/manual focus toggle, and zoom barrel lock switch. I was surprised it didn't come with a lens hood though, especially being a telephoto zoom. That was strange to me, I would expect that with that.
I headed to one of my favorite nature spots by the Baker River to test out the lens on my near-and-dear Nikon D810. Hamilton Field in Wentworth, NH is also an amazing swimming hole in the summer!
As I started shooting, I was impressed with the zoom range. Goes from a fairly wide angle to a reasonable zoom with f/2.8 to f/4, which is fantastic for a zoom of that range.
Overall Impressions:
As an all-arounder lens, I really enjoyed using this. It would be great for portrait and fantastic for weddings. But also to have in your bag for when in that situation, “I don't know what I'm going to need for this shoot!” You could do pretty much anything with it and it’ll cover a lot of scenarios.
The Tamron 35-150mm balances nicely on my DSLR, not too front-heavy. Focus was snappy and accurate most of the time, though it occasionally struggled on thin branches close to me.
I had to focus somewhere else and bring my frame back to get close branches in focus. Because anytime I tried to focus on this branch, it would throw to the ones behind it. This is a very difficult test to pass. But it's a high-contrast scene with plenty of light. It should have been able to focus, in my opinion, on this branch.
Images are crisp with nice color and contrast straight out of camera.
"It looks great, on the bark and - Yeah. Very sharp detail. Look at the detail.”
Since it didn't come with a hood, I did notice some flare and interesting artifacts when shooting into the sun
About My Editing Style
For editing, I use Capture One.
"My workflow is quite different than probably the vast majority of people. So that's why I like to share it, and it's just how I do things. And if you think you like it, you can try out for yourself."
Want to see how I edited the photos from my test shoot with the Tamron 35-150mm? In this 2-part video, I share my process using Capture One to transform the raw files into final polished images, complete with my signature style.
My Complete Editing Process Video, Part One:
My Complete Editing Process Video, Part Two:
My general approach is to underexpose in camera to protect the highlights.
And that's because, in general Nikon, is better at holding the shadow data versus the highlight data. So, I want to make sure I have as much of that highlight data as possible in my histogram. And then I can always rescue the shadow data later.
When I start editing, the first thing I do is set the white balance and adjust exposure. Next, I fine tune in the Curves panel, often adding an S-curve to increase contrast.
For some images, I apply light color grading using Capture One Styles. I typically like these film styles. This pack really fits my sensibilities and appeals to me. I find one that, to me, isn’t going to be perfect, but it hits. Just hits right. And it's kind of one of those things, I know it when I see it.
I apply the style to a new adjustment layer and adjust the opacity to get the exact look I want.
But I try not to go overboard with the editing. I'm not an aggressive editor, I certainly try and hold back as much as possible. But I do love playing around with these styles and filters. I think that's so fun - to see what direction, what mood, what can change about an image when you're just playing around with the filters.
Image Gallery
Tamron 35-150mm Focal Range Showcase: From Wide Landscapes to Telephoto Details
Links:
Rent the Tamron 35-150mm F2.8-4 Di VC OSD from LensRentals
My workhorse SLR, Nikon D810 on Amazon
Capture One, the photo editing software I use
Location of the test shoot: Hamilton Field Park, Wentworth, NH
Final Thoughts
So for an all-arounder, I really enjoyed this lens.
If you're looking for a versatile, full-frame zoom lens that can handle everything from wide landscapes to telephoto details, the Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 is worth checking out. Being able to get that range in a single lens with a fairly bright maximum aperture is really handy. I love that I was able to get such variety in my shots without having to swap lenses.
While it's not perfect, with the lack of a lens hood and occasional focus hunting, overall the performance is impressive. Images are sharp, colors are great, and it's built well. If you're interested in trying out this lens, renting from LensRentals is an easy way to test it out for yourself before committing to a purchase.
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