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Tamron's new fast primes: Affordable but not cheap (pictures and photo samples)

Taking a leaf out of Sigma's book, Tamron's first standard primes have metal bodies and an upscale feel. All but one of the product shots were taken with one of these two lenses.

Lori Grunin
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Lori Grunin
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Tamron SP 35mm f1.8 Di VC USD (Model F012)

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Tamron SP 45mm f1.8 Di VC USD (Model F013)

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45mm lens

The two lenses look identical except for the fact that the 45mm is a bit longer. The gold ring is the SP series' new signature look.

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Nine-blade aperture

Both lenses have a nine-blade aperture, though it doesn't look like the blades themselves are rounded.

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Well thought-out switches

Both lenses support image stabilization -- not enough wide-ish-angle lenses do for systems from Canon and Nikon that don't have in-body stabilization. As with Sigma's recent designs, the switches are very big and easy to feel without looking.

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Relatively big and heavy

The lenses weigh at least a pound, but the 35mm at least is about the same size as Sigma's equivalent.

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A little barrel...

...distortion, that is, with the 35mm lens. That's not atypical, though.

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45mm f2.2

Note that the sample photos are ones that I quickly shot in our offices. I couldn't take the lenses outside until they were announced. Check back for a wider range of samples post-launch. They were all shot with the Nikon D810.

You can see a little fringing on the high-contrast edges.

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45mm bokeh

You can see some rings on the edges of the out-of-focus highlights, but overall they're round and pleasing.

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35mm f3.5

The lens is quite sharp.

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35mm f1.8

The 35mm lens also produces nice out-of-focus highlights.

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35mm f1.8

Here you can see the quality of the focus transitions.

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35mm f11

I have no complaints about the lens' sharpness at middle apertures.

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35mm f5.6

Both lenses can focus quite close.

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