Tamron 28mm f/ 2.5 (model 02B) Review

Tamron 28 mm f / 2.5 is a fast wide-angle lens for 35 mm cameras. 28mm focal length is sufficient to capture the majority of the overall plans and shots, even for ASP/C sensor cameras. Equivalent focal length for my Nikon D3100 camera with a crop factor of 1.5 is equal to 42mm on a full frame.

Produced since 1979 through 1992, in the manual focusing lens era.

Tamron 28 mm f / 2.5 Adaptall-2 with the genuine Adaptall-2-Nikon mount.

Tamron 28 mm f / 2.5 Adaptall-2 without an adaptor.

The lens has a universal mount Tamron Adaptall-2, whereby with a special adapter can be installed on any system with automatic aperture control.

Tamron 28 mm f/ 2.5 Adaptall-2 model 02B Specs

Focal length: 28 mm

Aperture: f/ 2.5 — f/ 32

Weight (gr): 180

Length without adapter (mm): 33

Filter Ø (mm.): 49

Aperture blades: 5

Min. Focus distance (m.): 0.25  

Handling and Mechanics

Handling compactly and conveniently. In general, lens assembled good, metal and glass. No backlash. The front element has a small size, which at first seems strange for wide-angle lenses. But such a small diameter of the first element does not provide strong geometric distortion at the edge of the frame.    

Tamron 28 mm f/ 2.5 Sample Photos

All samples snapped on Nikon D3100. RAW export without postprocessing.

Sharpness

Most of the examples for this review shot at f/ 2.5. This suggests that the aperture f/ 2.5 sharp well.

f/ 2.5

Sharpness in the center of the frame. Crop 100% of the size of the previous frame.

Sharpness on the edge of the frame, 100% crop size. Observed in the f/ 2.5 chromatic aberrations.

In the center of the frame, sharpness is good and slightly weaker at the edge. At aperture f / 4 sharpness at the edges become also good.

Another example of sharpness on the edge of the frame. 100% crop of the next picture.  

Distortion

Distortion for 28 mm lens in the normal range.

f/ 2.5

f/ 2.5

On parallel verticals can observe the level of geometric and barrel distortion. Another example: post Socar in the distance strictly perpendicular, while at the extreme poles observed barrel distortion.

f/ 2.5

Barrel distortion small, and you can shoot people in a close range. but the distortion is still visible, as does the 28 mm. 

f/ 2.5

f/ 2.5

Perspective effect

You can achieve a little effect of perspective.

f/ 4

 f

/ 5.6

Character and Bokeh

Due to the small focus bokeh is not very blurry, and the object is not much separated from the background. 

f/ 2.5 But at close range, you can get a picture with interesting bokeh.

f/ 2.5

Contrast

The lens is multi-coated, have good contrast and generally contrast is good in backlight and sidelight. Has good color characteristic Tamron BBAR coating. 

f/ 2.5 In strong backlight catches the flare.

Macro

You can not shoot full macro, but a good close-up can be done.

f/ 2.5

f/ 2.5

Summary

Tamron 28 mm f/ 2.5 Adaptall-2 model 02B in general, a good lens, that it can not expensive to buy. Personally, I like it, they like to shoot. Its small size is well suited for outdoor shooting. And in the bag does not occupy much space. 

f/ 2.5

f/ 2.5

For street shooting camera can be hung around the neck, focus on infinity and simply press the button without sight and attract too much attention. Just remember that after 5 meters in all field. 

f/ 2.5