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Lens review

Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD

17 March 2015
Arkadiusz Olech

7. Coma, astigmatism and bokeh

The Tamron 15–30 mm corrects the coma in the corners of the APS-C/DX sensor very well. Already at that point it can defeat the Nikkor 14-24 mm which, in the middle of the focal range, experiences some problems even on the small sensor. In the corners of full frame the Tamron’s coma level is higher but certainly you cannot call it high.

Center, 15 mm, f/2.8 Corner APS-C, 15 mm, f/2.8 Corner FF, 15 mm, f/2.8
Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, 22 mm, f/2.8 Corner APS-C, 22 mm, f/2.8 Corner FF, 22 mm, f/2.8
Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, 30 mm, f/2.8 Corner APS-C, 30 mm, f/2.8 Corner FF, 30 mm, f/2.8
Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh


The astigmatism, understood as an average difference between horizontal and vertical MTF50 function values, amounted to 5.4%. It is a low results so the correction of that aberration we consider to be good.


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The blurred areas in wide angle lenses are rarely a priority; at the same time you can hardly call them pleasing to the eye. Because of rectilinear deformations, forced by the mapping and visible in the frame corners, the circles of light are lengthened and they tend to converge to the centre; the whole impression is not especially nice. Still it is rather a feature of a lens of such type, not a flaw. Without these deformations there would be no such wide angles of view and the distortion level would have to be a lot higher. You get nothing for nothing and you cannot cheat the laws of physics.

Center, 30 mm, f/2.8 Corner APS-C, 30 mm, f/2.8 Corner FF, 30 mm, f/2.8
Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, 30 mm, f/4.0 Corner APS-C, 30 mm, f/4.0 Corner FF, 30 mm, f/4.0
Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, 30 mm, f/5.6 Corner APS-C, 30 mm, f/5.6 Corner FF, 30 mm, f/5.6
Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Tamron SP 15-30 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh