Playing With Lenses: October 2023

Friday, 13 October 2023

Big, heavy, shiny and sharp in the middle: Auto Tamron Zoom 1:4 f=70-220mm

Cost: $49.99.00 (average cost around $46)

Nice to review a lens that is only 3 years younger then yourself. This Tamron Zoom is a versatile two-touch zoom lens that is a pleasure to use. This lens offers a decent range, decent image quality, is smooth to handle, easy to focus and well balanced

With a 70-220mm focal length range, this lens covers a broad spectrum of shooting scenarios from portrait to telephoto. It's a pretty heavy beast though, so that could be a reason to look for a different, lighter to carry around, lens.

While it's not a premium-grade lens, the build quality is decent, and it feels durable enough to withstand regular use. I don't really like the shiny black exterior, but the bright orange lettering does give it a late sixties, early seventies, feeling.

Image quality is acceptable with rich colors, but does not really meet current standards. There is some noticeable distortion at the extreme ends of the focal range, and although sharp in the center, it is not as consistent in the corners, especially on the high end of the zoom range.

The maximum aperture of f/4 can be limiting in low-light situations, but modern camera's and denoise software brings new life in this older, slower lenses. A constant aperture is nice to work with though.

In summary, the Auto Tamron Zoom 70-220mm lens is a good choice for hobbyists and enthusiasts who are looking to experiment with an older lens. It's a versatile lens that delivers good results for the age of the lens but it does have its limitations, particularly in challenging lighting conditions and extreme focal lengths.

Lens Specification:

Lens Model: PZ-30Au
Focal Length: 70-220mm
Maximum Aperture: F4
Minimum Aperture: F22
Image Format: 35mm
Lens Mount: Adapt-a-Matic with M42
Optics: 14 elements, 11 groups
Blades: 9
Focus: Manual
Minimum Focus: 200cm
Filter Size: 67mm
Weight: 1065g
Length: 190-197mm
Production: 1969 - Discontinued
Serial Number: 185593
Made in: Japan