But all-in-all its optical quality, the effective image stabilization plus reliable AF makes it the most well-rounded offer earning the Nikon 80-400/4.5-5.6G VR a Highly Recommended.įor more details see my Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G VR review. But it’s 2.7x more expensive than the new Tamron which is easily the decisive factor when you’re on a budget. The major benefit of the Nikon is its 5x zoom range: it is 20% shorter at the wide end which might help you frame the shot when a subject gets too close or you are in a tight place. Its focal ratio of f5.6 should not be overrated regarding light gathering power, but it makes the Nikon clearly larger and heavier (by 400g, almost 40%) than the new Tamron. It becomes a bit softer at the long end with a slight weakness at 300mm but still delivers pretty high resolution. Nikon endowed their 5x gold-ringed telephoto zoom with very good image quality: Easy to focus, sharp across the full-frame sensor, and with only little CA. All-in-all the Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 OS earned a recommendation.įor more details see my Sigma 100-400mm f5-6.3 OS review. f4.5 of the Tamron) should not be overrated: it’s just a third of a stop. The difference in focal ratio at the short end (f5.0 of the Sigma vs. But its focus repeatability and accuracy is better than from the Tamron. Its biggest let-down is the missing tripod collar (not even optionally available) and most importantly the disappointing OS performance: it is not very effective around 1/100 sec and 1/50 sec which is a critical range of shutter speeds for such a lens. It is almost as sharp as the new Tamron and its adaptability to different lens mounts (Nikon, Canon, Sony) is a unique benefit.

And it is still the shortest und cheapest alternative if you want to reach 400mm focal length. Sigma’s 100-400mm hit the streets half a year before Tamron’s new zoom. Let’s see how the new lens compares to the alternatives from Sigma and Nikon.

But there’s also one downside to this lens: the AF produces more outliers than usual. For only 840 EUR / 800 USD Tamron built a lens that delivers sharp and contrasty images over most of its zoom range that weighs only 1.1kg / 39oz. Its performance coupled with the multitude of customizing AF and VC via computer (needs Tamron’s Tap-in console) make for a compelling package. The Tamron 100-400/4.5-6.3 VC is an interesting lens for people looking for an affordable and light long telephoto zoom for high resolution APS-C/DX or full-frame/FX sensors.

Tamron vs sigma 100 400