In praise of Tamron Adaptall SLR Lenses

I have a Sigma Widemax 28mm lens with the YS mount (basically the same thing as the adaptall) which is probably the best 28mm lens in my collection. It is huge though.
 
I had an Adaptall 2 90mm f2.5 Macro when I used Olympus OM (and subsequently Canon A series) bodies. Fantastic optic and still sought after by full-frame DSLR users and 4/3rd users alike.
 
The 90mm 2.5 is a lens I'd still like to add, although I have the focal length covered...

Later today I'll upload some shots taken with the 80-210mm, which also were pretty impressive.
 
I have a Tamron Adaptall 35-70mm with a Nikon adapter. It's a good allround lens, I'd say. I also had the 80-210 but lost it because of a bad fungus attack.
 
One of my favorite SLR lenses is the compact sized Tamron 90mm/2.5 macro lens. It gives a wonderful OOF rendering.
 
I had an older version of the 90mm 2.5 Macro, Adaptall2. An absolutely stellar lens that I used on the Panasonic GF1 a while back. Sold it, but it's one I'd be willing to come back to. Not sure what prices are running for it now, but I remember paying less that 150US for a full boxed kit with adapters.

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Edit - One more, and it looks like Raid beat me to this one!

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More users seem to praise the Vivitar macro lens, but I love my Tamron. I may two such lenses. Once I got it, my Canon FD 100/4 was retired. The later Tamron macro lens was a 90/2.8.


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I took this photo on the campus of the University of West Florida. I may have used Fujichrome 50 slide film, and then had a 20x30 print made by The Slideprinter. A framed print was hanging for many years in the President's Office at the University.
 
I like my 35-70/3.5 a lot apart from having problems with my fat fingers distinguishing the aperture ring from the zoom ring. Not a problem on my Canon A-1 though.

I also have the 24/2.5 (OK), the 28/2.5 (meh!) the 03A 80-210(meh!), the 103A 80-210 (OK), the 200/3.5 (OK) and the SP 300/5.6 (OK).

It's an instant lens kit for any body I can get an adapter for (I have OM, Nikon, Canon FD, Contax/Yashica, Pentax K, OM, Minolta MD and Konica AR)

Ronnie
 
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My 80-210mm is the 103A type and I agree with Ronnies, that is a fine lens and it borders on great!

My 28-80mm 3.5-4.2 SP Macro is a type 27A and it is responsible for the photographs at the beginning of this thread. BBAR multicoated.

Third I own a 24-48mm 3.5-3.8 SP, type 13A. BBAR multicoated. This is also a fine performer on a full-frame Nikon!

Been working on my website tonight so uploading photographs of the other two lenses will be done tomorrow...

Oh, and fourth in my little cabinet is an older 35-80mm 2.8-3.5 Macro, also BBAR coated. Type QZ-35M


EDIT: So far, my range of adapters is: Canon FD, Contax, Olympus, Pentax-screw and Nikon. But I'm only using the Nikon adapters... Someday soon I'll put the others up for sale on a local vending site.
 
Right on about the 35-80 f2.8....

Right on about the 35-80 f2.8....

I still have two, plus three other MMCBAR Adaptall II lenses adapted to Olympus.

One of the f2.8 zooms is currently mounted to my Olympus E-PL5 with the Olympus Adaptall II mount to OM, and the Olympus OM to m4/3 mount. Works great. In fact I sold my 14-42 kit zoom and getting the 20mm prime for 40mm.

I've probably used Adaptall II Tamrons and my preferred third party lens for all camera's I have owned has been Tamron. Sigmas have left me high and dry far to often (broken) and Vivitars wide ranging Quality Control (or lack of) took me off Vivitar almost since using my first couple.

Tamron has been good to me.
 
I own a number of Tamron SP lenses including:

1. Tamron SP 300mm f2.8 (360b) -- just got it today in near mint condition -- built like a tank, but haven't shot with it yet.

2. Tamron SP 80-200 f2.8 (2 copies) -- great build quality, extremely easy focusing, optics are stellar.

3. Tamron SP 70-150 f2.8 Soft Focus -- wonderful, rare lens. Really sharp with soft focus off; capable of dreamy soft focus photos and everything in between.

4. Tamron SP 35-80 -- one of my most used lenses. Light, compact, easy to focus and very sharp.

5. Tamron SP 17mm (version with built in filters) -- have shot some with it, but never enlarged prints much to see real image quality, as I have been using OM Zuiko 18mm more.
 
I have three Tamron lenses but only really use two of them...
28-50mm 3.5/4.5 CF Macro BBAR MC
28-70mm 3.5/4/5 CF Macro BBAR MC
These two are very nice and they get used a lot...the 28-70 is very sharp- and was the first Tamron I owned...it came with a Nikon FE and I've shot a lot of Velvia with this lens and was always impressed with the outcome...
I also have a 70-210mm 3.8/4 lens with Macro but I don't think I've ever used it...I got it in a trade.
I only have Nikon Adapters but lately been looking for either Canon or M42...

I have a Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm 2.8/3.5 Macro (Nikon Ais mount) lens that's very nice...I'm not sure which I like better the 28-70 Tamron or the Vivitar...
 
I'd rate my Adaptall 2 lenses as follows: The 35-80mm 2.8-3.5 SP is superb. Especially for B&W. The 28-80 3.5-4.5 SP is very good, too. I have the 80-210 103A and it is a very good lens. The 28/2.5 is not that impressive; merely OK.
 
No images to share, but I have the aforementioned 28-80 SP (VERY good for a zoom of that era, great for colour and good contrast and rendering) and the later 90/2.5 SP, which is stupidly sharp and still a very useful lens. Might use the 28-80 again if i get a "full frame" dslr.
 
Hm,

I'm thinking I should do an article on my website on the Tamron Adaptall's, now that I'm writing articles these days anyway... :rolleyes::cool:

OT: So far, the website articles on the Hexar AF and on various types of 1960's Leica M cameras are read a lot, it seems! :D I'm also working on a Rolleiflex article and an extensive one on Komura lenses, since the info on RFF is scattered in a lengthy thread on those lenses...

Tomorrow, I'll post those promised shots from the 80-210mm 103A lens for sure! Maybe even tonight!
 
johannielscom said:
My 80-210mm is the 103A type and I agree with Ronnies, that is a fine lens and it borders on great!
Click to expand...

It wins my vote for just about the best bargain out there - a great lens you can buy from KEH for $20 or so. I've owned two (one was stolen), and both consistently turn out great photos. Before this thread I might have said 'most underrated lens,' but I guess I'm not the only one.
 
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