# Tamron 150-600 mm with 5dIII: Menu setting critical



## lenstrack26 (Apr 17, 2014)

Just received my Tamron 150-600 mm. To my vast disappointment, it would not focus beyond 300 mm unless I manually brought it close to focus.  However, on a whim, I found that under the 5DIII AF menu, "Lens drive when AF impossible" was "OFF". When I turned it "ON", the lens focused just fine! So, save yourself some aggravation and change your settings before you dump the lens in the box and return it!!


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## wickidwombat (Apr 22, 2014)

Yep also if you plan on panning turn off VC as it will just fight you and ruin every shot


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## Steve (Apr 22, 2014)

Had this happen when I first got my 1DIV and thought that my 300mm had gone out. After I realized that setting existed I left it on because its way better than messing with focus limit switches when trying to shoot birds in flight. I just have to manual focus to the general vicinity of the bird before hitting the focus button but it saves a ton of aggravation switching between near and far targets without having to remember to change the focus limit switch.


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## Scott_McPhee (Apr 30, 2014)

How do you find this lens for sharpness at the 600mm end?

I am thinking of getting one for shooting airshows but I've seen it heavily criticised for bad softness near the long end of the zoom.

How is yours for sharpness near the 600mm end?

I will be using it on a 5D3 body.


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## wickidwombat (Apr 30, 2014)

Scott_McPhee said:


> How do you find this lens for sharpness at the 600mm end?
> 
> I am thinking of getting one for shooting airshows but I've seen it heavily criticised for bad softness near the long end of the zoom.
> 
> ...


it is plenty sharp at 600 but it IS sharper at 500mm

see here
http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=18034.120


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## Scott_McPhee (Apr 30, 2014)

Your shot here looks soft.
Like you I will be shooting fast moving subjects (jets) and I am concerned about how sharp this lens can be.
The alternative is a Canon 400mm f5.6 L with a 1.4 TC which is reportedly sharper especially as I will be shooting at the long end most of the time.

Have a look at the Tamron review here - the 600mmm shots are very poor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fmMG5jgDwk





wickidwombat said:


> Scott_McPhee said:
> 
> 
> > How do you find this lens for sharpness at the 600mm end?
> ...


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## adhocphotographer (Apr 30, 2014)

lenstrack26 said:


> Just received my Tamron 150-600 mm. To my vast disappointment, it would not focus beyond 300 mm unless I manually brought it close to focus.  However, on a whim, I found that under the 5DIII AF menu, "Lens drive when AF impossible" was "OFF". When I turned it "ON", the lens focused just fine! So, save yourself some aggravation and change your settings before you dump the lens in the box and return it!!



Thanks, very useful note... i guess this is why we should all read the manuals for our cameras!


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## lycan (Apr 30, 2014)

Scott_McPhee said:


> Your shot here looks soft.
> Like you I will be shooting fast moving subjects (jets) and I am concerned about how sharp this lens can be.
> The alternative is a Canon 400mm f5.6 L with a 1.4 TC which is reportedly sharper especially as I will be shooting at the long end most of the time.
> 
> ...



there are other reports that say the opposite


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## Isaac Grant (Apr 30, 2014)

In my opinion the picture is soft because they are photographing a moving car at 1/200th of a second. Don't care if the ISO is at 200. It is not fast enough. The pics at the link provided do not mean that the lens is bad, only that there was user error or not optimal conditions. I am actually quite shocked at how poor the pics are on the youtube review. They are not indicative of the quality of the lens and do not paint a fair picture in my opinion. 

Check out the pics using this lens at this site. Some are not so great and some are amazing. That means the lens is very good, but that some/many people are posting not so good pictures with it.

http://www.juzaphoto.com/recensione.php?l=en&t=tamron_150-600vc

I own the lens and have taken some very good shots with it. Very clear and sharp at 600mm. I have also taken some very bad shots at 600mm. Those were not the lenses fault but my own. I think it is very hard to hand hold a 600mm lens, even one with VC. And it is resulting in quite a few soft shots. I bet if those shots were taken with the camera on a tripod the results would not be the same.


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## Lloyd (Apr 30, 2014)

I took these using the Tamron 150-600mm at the MotoGP in Austin. It was the first time I used the lens for such fast action. When I tried to pan, I didn't have much luck. However, this may have been due to having the IS on when attempting to do so. Many of the shots I took using the Tamron at the races can be found at http://www.pbase.com/lebthree/2014_motogp_austin&page=all I will let you judge the sharpness of these. Admittedly, the last two shots are a bit soft, but most prefer the subject that way.


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## Lightmaster (Apr 30, 2014)

Scott_McPhee said:


> How do you find this lens for sharpness at the 600mm end?
> 
> I am thinking of getting one for shooting airshows but I've seen it heavily criticised for bad softness near the long end of the zoom.
> 
> ...



really?

you did not notice the threads we have here about this lens... with example pictures?


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## Lightmaster (Apr 30, 2014)

Scott_McPhee said:


> The alternative is a Canon 400mm f5.6 L with a 1.4 TC which is reportedly sharper especially as I will be shooting at the long end most of the time.



for people with a camera that is able to focus at f8 that is maybe an alternative.
the borders are sharper at 560mm with the 400mm f5.6 + TC @f8 then the tamron at 600mm @f8.

still i love that it is a zoom. way more flexible then my 600mm f4.
and a long lens without IS is a bit too 90s for me.


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## Scott_McPhee (Apr 30, 2014)

Lightmaster said:


> Scott_McPhee said:
> 
> 
> > How do you find this lens for sharpness at the 600mm end?
> ...



No I didn't, no.
i was looking for owners opinions.


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## Scott_McPhee (Apr 30, 2014)

Some nice, tack sharp pictures here taken with this lens, rather contrary to the reports I had heard about it being very soft at the 600mm end constantly.

Also, the AF has been criticized for being slow and unresponsive - this looks false as well.

I will be using the lens for photographing at airshows - some fast jets, so need to know if it will give me the results I am after - thanks for everyone that has contributed to this thread - keep the info coming.


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## wickidwombat (May 1, 2014)

Scott_McPhee said:


> Your shot here looks soft.
> Like you I will be shooting fast moving subjects (jets) and I am concerned about how sharp this lens can be.
> The alternative is a Canon 400mm f5.6 L with a 1.4 TC which is reportedly sharper especially as I will be shooting at the long end most of the time.
> 
> ...


there is some movement blur
please bear in mind i was shooting at 600mm at 1/200 sec panning with VC OFF
so yes it is a little soft maybe but I think its still ok I have some better examples with less or no blur
check the F1 thread in the sports section

As I said it IS softer at 600 than 500 but its not a huge issue you could always shoot at 500 and crop more if you prefer


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## Scott_McPhee (May 1, 2014)

I have put a deposit on one today - sadly I am 40th on the list with only 8 coming in next week 

I might be waiting a long time....


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## Isaac Grant (May 2, 2014)

I waited over a month to get it. It was well worth the wait. I love this lens. Feel like all of a sudden I am a much better photographer. In reality, I just have more reach and vibration control and need to do less cropping. Result is sharper pictures.

Only thing I would warn you about is that the lens is not as good for photographing flying birds as it is for more stationary birds. It does not snap into focus as fast as the Canon 400mm 5.6 L. So I do not know how that will translate towards flying planes. 

Hope it works out for you.


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## Scott_McPhee (May 2, 2014)

Were you hand holding the lens or did you have it on a tripod?

I have heard of focusing issues when panning and you have the VR on.
I will be using it virtually all the time on a gimbal mount, so I will have the VR off.

I've been phoning Tamron to see when I can get one - it's just a case of wait and see as the worldwide stock it very limited due to the very high demand for this lens.

You did well to get one in a month mate 




Isaac Grant said:


> I waited over a month to get it. It was well worth the wait. I love this lens. Feel like all of a sudden I am a much better photographer. In reality, I just have more reach and vibration control and need to do less cropping. Result is sharper pictures.
> 
> *Only thing I would warn you about is that the lens is not as good for photographing flying birds as it is for more stationary birds. It does not snap into focus as fast as the Canon 400mm 5.6 L. So I do not know how that will translate towards flying planes. *
> 
> Hope it works out for you.


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## Isaac Grant (May 2, 2014)

hand held. I am a birder. I photograph birds while birding. Don't lug a tripod around. So the flight shots are hand held. May be different with a tripod, not sure.

I was early on the list at B&H. that is why I got it so quickly.


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