Our Recommendation
The Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 has some flaws, but all told, it fills its niche very well. It didn’t need to be perfect – it’s a low-cost alternative to lenses like the Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 and Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3, which are themselves low-cost alternatives to other supertelephotos. Yet it still puts in a respectable performance optically, and it’s much smaller than its main competitors.
When you’re deciding on a supertelephoto lens, one question is always going to be the lens’s focal length. The difference between 500mm and 600mm isn’t drastic, but it’s enough to matter in some situations, giving the Nikon and Sony alternatives an advantage. Then there’s the maximum aperture. Although f/6.7 isn’t much worse than f/6.3 (less than a third of a stop), they’re both dim apertures that don’t hold up perfectly in low light.
More than anything optically, the biggest difference between the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 and the Nikon/Sony lenses is the construction. The Nikon and Sony lenses are significantly bigger and moderately heavier, so the Tamron is definitely a better choice when space is tight. However, the Tamron is the only one of these three lenses to zoom externally instead of internally. It also has some hiccups related to the lens hood and zoom locking mechanism.
What about value? Frankly, any drawbacks of the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 are accurately reflected in the low price. At $1200, it’s easy to accept a few handling quirks. By comparison, the Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 costs $1700, and the Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 costs $2000. And while they both have some advantages over the Tamron, it’s not necessary to spend the extra money if you’re on the fence.
Here’s how I’d sum up the pros and cons.
Pros:
- Very small and relatively lightweight for its capabilities
- Good build quality and control options
- Vignetting is very well-controlled
- Chromatic aberration never reaches hard-to-correct levels
- No substantial drop in sharpness or image quality at any focal length
- USB port allows firmware updates for future compatibility
- Excellent price of $1200 for Nikon Z version
Cons:
- External zoom is not as reassuring in harsh weather
- Lens hood is slow to attach properly
- Zoom locking mechanism is easy to engage by accident
- Not compatible with teleconverters
Neutral:
- Sharpness performance is solid
- Distortion is a little high, but pretty irrelevant for most users of a supertelephoto lens
- Focus speed, though not bad, is a little slower than competing lenses
- $1400 and $1500 price for Sony and Fuji versions is not as good of a deal
As a whole, I think that Tamron designed a very good and competitive lens, especially for the cost. It beats the name-brand alternatives in price, weight, and size, while it falls a little short in other capabilities. But even at its worst, there are no dealbreakers with this lens. From an optical standpoint, I would be happy using the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 at any focal length and aperture. Meanwhile, my wallet and backpack would appreciate how inexpensive and small it really is.
Conclusion
The Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 is available for $1200-1500 (depending on the lens mount) through any of our affiliates:
- Tamron 150-500mm at B&H – Check Current Price and Sales
- Tamron 150-500mm at Adorama
- Tamron 150-500mm at Amazon for Sony, for Nikon, and for Fuji
- Used/International: Check prices on eBay
Thank you for buying your equipment through the links above, whether it’s this lens or anything else! When you do, Photography Life gets a small percentage of the sale without costing you anything extra. It goes a long way to help us test more equipment.
Finally, note that the ratings below are for the Nikon Z version of the lens (especially value due to the low $1200 price).
The final page of this review has reader comments. Use the Table of Contents below the star rating to jump to the section you want.
Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7
- Build Quality and Handling
- Size and Weight
- Sharpness Performance
- Other Image Quality
- Value
Photography Life Overall Rating
Table of Contents