Tamron 300mm f/2.8 with Tamron SP 1.4x

[jhawk1000]

This is a shot taken with my fairly new Tamron 300mm f 2.8 AF LD lens coupled with a Tamron SP 1.4x. This was coupled to my Fuji S2 and was shot at 1/180 at 5.6 (effective f8) Auto WB, -0.5 compensation. This lens is very sharp and the combo of the lens and matched converter loses little. This image was cropped and still retains good sharpness. I suspect that the converted TIFF will be better than the jpeg posted.

I have used this lens for shooting mainly herons and egrets but have also shot some really nice sunsets through the trees. This shot was taken at the Great Plains Nature Center locally.

I definitely think this is a keeper of a lens. I have noticed a little back focus problem with the S2 at longer distances but touch it up a little with manual and it does a very nice job. This lens replaced a Tokina 300mm 2.8 MF lens which was also a very sharp and versatile lens. As an amateur, I saw no need to pay three times as much for a Nikkor 300mm 2.8 AF lens and I bought this lens at a ridiculously low price on ebay and it is mint. If buying this lens, make sure it is chipped for the S2 and D1 series. Mine was re-chipped by the previous owner.

Mel

[jhawk1000]

One more from yesterday with the S2, 300mm f2.8 Tamron AF LD and Tamron 1.4x. Cropped about 40%. Lens was autofocused.

[hugoljungberg]

hi, do you recommend this lens for shooting sport shots?

Regards

[jhawk1000]

I do recommend this lens for sports. I shot some soccer and some American football with this lens and it was easy to focus and the wide aperture gave me high shutter speeds.


Mel

[Igor]

Mel,
great shots and sreat lens.
I understand you used tripod, right?
Can you advise me how to stabilize the camera/lens on a tripod when shooting such long telephoto. My tripod isn't the best, but sturdy enough I think. However when I touch my camera the image in viewfinder begins to shake as crazy. Even shooting on a auto mode (with 10 seconds delay) gives fuzzy images due to camera shake caused by shutter motion....

Thanks.

[Swampy]

If that's the case Igor, I'd look into investing in a new tripod. My bogen doesn't shake hardly at all when I'm touching it out at 500mm and I get no mirror slap vibration either with it (only on that dumb telescope/tripod thing).

[jhawk1000]

Igor

I use a Bogen 3221 tripod with an Acratech Ball head. It is rock solid but I also do a few things to minimize the shake. I put one arm over the lens and press the camera eyepiece strongly against my eye. This seems to steady the camera and lens.

I have noticed, however, that the weight of the S2 (light) makes it harder to steady than my D1. I found that when I got my first 300mm 2.8 (Tokina 300mm 2.8 MF) that until I used the arm over the lens and tight against the face, I had a lot of images which were not quite sharp. I have some images now taken at very slow shutter speeds which are sharp after using this technique. One other thing-----it seems that if I do a burst of frames in continuous, the second and third image is always sharp.

Mel

[Igor]

Thanks, I already received my new tripod (Manfrotto/Bogen 3001), it's really great over that I used before.