Canon vs Tamron

I still have much to learn about lenses and I wanted to know if there a significant difference between Canon lenses and Tamron

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Permalink Reply by Jared Weaver on February 13, 2012 at 3:12pm

Canon lenses are made in Japan, Tamron in China. Tamron lenses are, in my opinion, cheaply made. Internal gearing is plastic which leads to loose operation after only a short period of use. Tarmon also does not have a very good "pro" line as opposed to Canon who have their legendary L series lenses. Canons EF-S lenses are similar in image quality to Tamron, but the Tamron lens will not last nearly as long. If you are looking at thrid party lenses for your Canon camera, go for Sigma and Tokina. Both companies make excellent quality lenses that are, from what I have seen, of higher quality than the Canon EF-S both in construction and image quality. Also, Sigma lenses are made in Japan. I can't speak for Tokina since I do not own one of their lenses. But from what I hear, they are a great choice if you are looking for high quality glass without the L series pricetag.

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Permalink Reply by Nina_28 on February 15, 2012 at 8:18am

Thank you Jared. I appreciate your input. I am looking for something less expensive without having to sacrifice quality. Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by CameraClicker on February 13, 2012 at 3:36pm

If you use Photoshop, and shoot raw, and use lens correction in Adobe Camera Raw, you can choose Canon, Sigma or Tamron. Not Tokina. Not all lenses are are in the list, perhaps, but there are no Tokina lenses in the list.

I have never tried a Tamron lens. I own several Sigma lenses for both full frame and crop sensor bodies. I like the Sigma lenses better than EF-S lenses from Canon.

You should visit a well stocked store and try out a few lenses to make up your mind for yourself.

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Permalink Reply by Nina_28 on February 15, 2012 at 8:20am

That's a good idea. thank you. And yes, I do shoot raw and use photoshop. Thank you again!

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Permalink Reply by Daniel L on February 13, 2012 at 3:37pm

Hi Nina,

Its a general question you are asking as there are roughly 4 or so levels to camera lenses:

Entry level...cheapy kit lenses that will take ok, sometimes great shots

Mid level.....still on the inexpensive side, but generally offer a few more options and better build.

Advanced enthusiast level...usually 500$ and up, generally have Vibration Reduction (Image Stabilization), better glass, metal mounts rather than plastic.

Pro level...generally big $$, heavy, usually all metal construction, weather resistant, fast apertures all the way through the focal length, great glass/elements and usually lots of them.

As for significant differences, everyone will have a different opinion about a brand they favour over another, you'll find you've opened a hornets nest on that topic.

When it comes to lenses, you get what you pay for. Purchase the best lens you can afford, when you start comparing and getting really serious about details, you will notice the difference in so many aspects of lens function from speed, to clarity, to chromatic aberration etc etc etc...

Many of these things you won't notice until you begin to enlarge your photographs, but once you start to see them, you'll notice it all the time.

I tend to stick with lenses built by the same company that built my cameras. This way you know the lenses will be compatible, you generally won't have an issue. Usually its not a big thing, but something to consider is the warranty regulations with your camera and lenses that you attach to it. Also consider what type of warranty comes with the lens you are buying.

Bottom line, research the web, its a fantastic resource. You'll see tons of comparisons, charts, photos, side by sides etc, just type in Canon vs Tamron lenses and see what you get. Pick out the lenses that you have in mind and put them up in a search engine.

Heres an interesting comparison between two decent lenses... http://photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00LNEu

That will give you an idea of peoples opinions across the board.

Good luck!

A couple of other articles to read through...

http://digitalphotobuzz.com/canon-vs-tamron-lens-review

Should I buy a non-Canon (third party) lens? (from http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/lenses.html )

Despite Canon’s vigorous advertising campaign against third-party lenses a lot of people happily use lenses made by Tamron, Tokina and Sigma (and lenses with other brandnames but probably built by one of those three). And there’s one really good reason for this - the third party lenses are almost always much much cheaper than equivalent offerings from Canon.

So. Should you buy a third party lens? It’s not a simple yes/no issue, so here are some points to consider.

Price savings of third party products can be considerable, particularly if you’re looking to get a faster, higher-quality zoom lens.
Remember that the cheapest lenses are optimized for price, not for optical quality. And the profit margins for cheap products tend to be very thin. The price differential between Canon and third party isn’t huge when it comes to super-cheap lenses, so I don’t know if third party lenses are such a great idea in this case.
Third party makers produce lenses in a variety of market categories. Conventional wisdom is that if you’re considering third party at all you should consider the higher end of their product line, not the lower end for the reason above.
On the whole, Canon lenses seem to hold up their used value more than third party. If you intend to resell the lens anytime soon this can be a consideration.
Camera salespeople seem very eager to push third party lenses, so it’s likely that they receive bigger kickbacks from the manufacturers in return. Don’t let yourself be swayed by an eager salesperson - he or she probably isn’t trying to convince you to buy something for your benefit.
Buying Canon is pretty well a guarantee that your lens will work with any Canon EOS camera. However Tamron also have an excellent compatibility record with EOS cameras. Always test with your camera first, but be aware that the lens may not necessarily work with future EOS cameras.
Some older Sigma lenses do not work correctly with the latest EOS cameras. They fit the camera but don’t have compatible electronics, so the camera tends to lock up when you try to shoot. If you have such a lens you’ll need to contact the manufacturer to see if they can provide a free repair to the problem. The lenses don’t damage the camera - they just cause a temporary lockup that’s quickly cured by turning off the camera and turning it back on again.
Build quality of older Sigma products is notoriously inconsistent. A quick search of the Web reveals countless complaints from unhappy Sigma lens owners. Newer Sigma lenses seem to be a bit sturdier, judging by anecdotal evidence.
Tamron has a good reputation for compatible lenses.
Many of Tokina’s lenses have heavy metal lens barrels, which take a lot of abuse but are a drag when hiking.
Canon offer many lenses with USM and full-time manual. Most third party lenses don’t have these features.
There are some operational differences. For instance, some third party lenses have focus or zoom rings which rotate in the opposite direction from the usual Canon direction.
It’s difficult finding useful comparative data. You can look up the MTF scores on sites such as Photodo, which is a useful guideline, but the only way to compare lenses properly is to test them yourself to see if they meet your needs. Asking, “Is the Tokina XYZ 2.8 lens better than the Canon XYZ 2.8 lens?” rarely yields helpful answers, because most people don’t buy both lenses and try them out.
Some specific third party lenses are better known than others. For example, Tamron’s 90mm macro lens has a reputation for excellent image quality at a price considerably less than Canon’s 100mm macro. Sigma sell an 8mm fisheye which Canon do not make.
But the biggest deciding factor is, as always, money. Only you can decide what’s your priority - low initial purchase price, mechanical reliability, compatibility, user interface or optical quality.

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Permalink Reply by Nina_28 on February 15, 2012 at 8:33am

Daniel, Thank you for taking the time to write. Yes I guess it was a general questions and I appreciate your response. Truth is, I was looking for something least expensive but after reading this, I think maybe its better stick to Canon because the amount of money saved is really not worth the hassle of worrying about whether it may or may not fit, what if the image clarity is not that well. From the way it sounds, you can't really go wrong with Canon lenses. I was recommended the 85mm 1.8 for portraits. I also had my eye on the 24-70mm 2.8 for weddings. So I don't know which one to get first. I guess I would need the 24-70mm but I'm just afraid that since its a zoom lens, my photos will not be as crisp and clear. I know they are both fast lenses, but I'm just a tad confused. Any suggestions?

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Permalink Reply by Janna Slaback on February 15, 2012 at 11:34am

TO NINA: Thanks for posting this great question!!

TO Jared, Camera Clicker & Daniel: Thanks so much for all this very useful information. I too posted a question yesterday about the Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di-II VC LD for Canon ($605 cost new) vs the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM ($1300 cost new). I have decided to rent the Tamron to test it out. I already have rented the Canon and LOVE it but am just debating about whether I should shell out the additional $700 or not ....

I agree that the best suggestion is to personally test it out and I'm grateful for companies who let you borrow lenses so that you can really make the best decision for you personally.

I'll let you know what I decide! I think maybe I'll buy a lottery ticket tonight .. either that or go home and see if somehow miraculously a money tree has popped up! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Nina_28 on February 15, 2012 at 12:45pm

Jenna! Let me know how it turns out, I would like to know because I was doing research on the 24-70mm myself, but I also need a wider angle to work with. I might just go out and test out some lenses too, or rent them and compare. :) Thanks for posting!