Thanks for the detailed review. I have looked fondly at this lens since it was released and took the plunge with the help of a nice £300 Tampon discount currently on. This review is so detailed but personable it really made my decision easier. I used my GP2 for the first time last weekend at an airshow and it does take some time to get used to but once you do you can get some really good images. I’m using it currently on a Nikon Z fc (with FTZ adapter obvs) which is probably not the best combo but it’s what I have at the minute and I like the results. Thanks again for taking the time to do this review
I purchased the Tamron 150-600 G2 a few months back for my Nikon D500. I had been using a Nikkor 70-300 lens before so this was a real step up in focal length, size and weight. I had rented a Nikkor 200-500 on occasion and found it to be a good lens however I liked the extra 50mm at the short end plus extra 100mm at the long end plus the weather sealing and Arca Swiss mount which the Nikkor didn’t have. As far as IQ both the Nikkor and Tamron are similar at least to my eyes. The Tamron definitely focuses quicker. I haven’t had any issues with focus hunting or any other real issues to be frank. The weight between the Nikkor and Tamron isn’t that great with the Nikkor being heavier but the Nikkor 200-500 is thicker to hand hold and I prefer the Tamron for that. Overall I likely would have been happy with either. The Tamron beats out the Nikkor in features for price plus is more customizable with the Tap In Consul feature. The D500 is a camera which really brings out the very best in both these lenses. Thanks for your great review on this outstanding lens.
Jens
February 18, 2022 4:06 am
Thanks for a good review, easily read and good examples. Helped my decision along. Even about the 1.4 extension.
David Clode
August 12, 2021 12:09 am
“Canon, as wildlife sees it”. Love it!
Tomaz
July 27, 2021 10:24 am
An excellent review, as is the case with all of them on photographylife. I wonder if Sigma 60-600 could get a review any time soon? Admittedly, it costs about 70% more than the Tamron 150-600 G2, but its reaches to much wider views and apparently matches the optical quality of the Sigma 150-600 Sport version at the long end. So, maybe a viable choice of having one lens instead of two. I just wonder if this is the right decision, before the end-of-the-year opportunities kick in…
Peter Drescher
January 29, 2021 4:52 pm
I’ve had the G2 for maybe 3 or 4 years now. Never had any AF issues and for a megazoom, reasonable sharp with pleasing image rendition. Sorry to hear some of you have had trouble with the AF, as my experience has been so good.
I have had my G2 for about 8-9 months now and never have had any AF issues either. The Tamron focuses quickly and is very accurate. I have never used an expensive prime lens so I can’t compare. I used a Nikon D500 which has an excellent focusing system and the G2 is flawless with the D500. With other bodies there could be conflict or issues however Nikon really hit it out of the park with theD5/D500 AF so lenses benefit from this and perform at their very best when on these two DSLR’s.
Peter Drescher
January 29, 2021 3:51 pm
I’ve used this lens quite a bit for birding and some other wildlife photography, and for the money, it does an insanely good job.
Pros: renders lovely images, fairly fast and accurate AF, great reach, great build quality.
Negs: fairly low resolution optics, although to be fair, it is not an issue for me. But compared to all my other lenses, it is a fair way behind (but they are primes, so an unfair fight really).
I’ve successfully used this lens across both the D700 and D850, and I can say that optically, I have gotten more out of it on the D850. Very capable with small birds. I know there are better wildlife lenses out there, but for the money, it really is unbeatable.
Ziggy
January 1, 2021 11:31 am
The TAP-in console also allows multiple AF fine-tune points. As for AF freezing, this started happening on mine when I reprogrammed the focus range brackets.
Linda
February 18, 2019 5:44 am
Thank you for this great review. I am looking for a replacement for my 80-400. I got a great copy of that lense but the zoomring started zooming heavy and the AF broke during repair and couldn’t be repaired anymore. I received a replacement but is isn’t a good copy. So now I am trying to decide between another copy of the 80-400, the tamron 150-600g2 or the nikon 200-500 + 70-200 2.8 (FL or g2) I mostly use 130-380 mm (more mm’s would be great) Can you give me some advice about these options (sharpness, focus accuracy)? I have two d750 bodies. Thank you in advance Linda
Steve
November 15, 2018 3:25 am
I purchased the G2 model early in 2017. Soon afterwards the AF function froze up at random times – being a huge frustration as I went on a birding expedition at a considerable cost when it happened. Tamron took the lens for assessment and so-called repairs. Very soon after I received it back from Tamron the AF problem re-surfaced. Tamron then replaced the lens with a new G2 model. One year later the replacement lens suffered the same AF problems – on both my Nikon cameras. (Again on an expensive game viewing outing) I have now returned this lens and am busy trading it in for either the Nikon 200-500 or Sigma’s Sport 150-600mm. When it worked the G2 produced spectacular images.
Thanks for the detailed review. I have looked fondly at this lens since it was released and took the plunge with the help of a nice £300 Tampon discount currently on. This review is so detailed but personable it really made my decision easier. I used my GP2 for the first time last weekend at an airshow and it does take some time to get used to but once you do you can get some really good images. I’m using it currently on a Nikon Z fc (with FTZ adapter obvs) which is probably not the best combo but it’s what I have at the minute and I like the results. Thanks again for taking the time to do this review
Where can I get a Tampon discount?
I purchased the Tamron 150-600 G2 a few months back for my Nikon D500. I had been using a Nikkor 70-300 lens before so this was a real step up in focal length, size and weight. I had rented a Nikkor 200-500 on occasion and found it to be a good lens however I liked the extra 50mm at the short end plus extra 100mm at the long end plus the weather sealing and Arca Swiss mount which the Nikkor didn’t have. As far as IQ both the Nikkor and Tamron are similar at least to my eyes. The Tamron definitely focuses quicker. I haven’t had any issues with focus hunting or any other real issues to be frank. The weight between the Nikkor and Tamron isn’t that great with the Nikkor being heavier but the Nikkor 200-500 is thicker to hand hold and I prefer the Tamron for that. Overall I likely would have been happy with either. The Tamron beats out the Nikkor in features for price plus is more customizable with the Tap In Consul feature. The D500 is a camera which really brings out the very best in both these lenses. Thanks for your great review on this outstanding lens.
Thanks for a good review, easily read and good examples.
Helped my decision along. Even about the 1.4 extension.
“Canon, as wildlife sees it”. Love it!
An excellent review, as is the case with all of them on photographylife. I wonder if Sigma 60-600 could get a review any time soon? Admittedly, it costs about 70% more than the Tamron 150-600 G2, but its reaches to much wider views and apparently matches the optical quality of the Sigma 150-600 Sport version at the long end. So, maybe a viable choice of having one lens instead of two. I just wonder if this is the right decision, before the end-of-the-year opportunities kick in…
I’ve had the G2 for maybe 3 or 4 years now. Never had any AF issues and for a megazoom, reasonable sharp with pleasing image rendition. Sorry to hear some of you have had trouble with the AF, as my experience has been so good.
I have had my G2 for about 8-9 months now and never have had any AF issues either. The Tamron focuses quickly and is very accurate. I have never used an expensive prime lens so I can’t compare. I used a Nikon D500 which has an excellent focusing system and the G2 is flawless with the D500. With other bodies there could be conflict or issues however Nikon really hit it out of the park with theD5/D500 AF so lenses benefit from this and perform at their very best when on these two DSLR’s.
I’ve used this lens quite a bit for birding and some other wildlife photography, and for the money, it does an insanely good job.
Pros: renders lovely images, fairly fast and accurate AF, great reach, great build quality.
Negs: fairly low resolution optics, although to be fair, it is not an issue for me. But compared to all my other lenses, it is a fair way behind (but they are primes, so an unfair fight really).
I’ve successfully used this lens across both the D700 and D850, and I can say that optically, I have gotten more out of it on the D850. Very capable with small birds. I know there are better wildlife lenses out there, but for the money, it really is unbeatable.
The TAP-in console also allows multiple AF fine-tune points.
As for AF freezing, this started happening on mine when I reprogrammed the focus range brackets.
Thank you for this great review.
I am looking for a replacement for my 80-400. I got a great copy of that lense but the zoomring started zooming heavy and the AF broke during repair and couldn’t be repaired anymore. I received a replacement but is isn’t a good copy. So now I am trying to decide between another copy of the 80-400, the tamron 150-600g2 or the nikon 200-500 + 70-200 2.8 (FL or g2) I mostly use 130-380 mm (more mm’s would be great)
Can you give me some advice about these options (sharpness, focus accuracy)?
I have two d750 bodies.
Thank you in advance
Linda
I purchased the G2 model early in 2017. Soon afterwards the AF function froze up at random times – being a huge frustration as I went on a birding expedition at a considerable cost when it happened. Tamron took the lens for assessment and so-called repairs. Very soon after I received it back from Tamron the AF problem re-surfaced. Tamron then replaced the lens with a new G2 model. One year later the replacement lens suffered the same AF problems – on both my Nikon cameras. (Again on an expensive game viewing outing) I have now returned this lens and am busy trading it in for either the Nikon 200-500 or Sigma’s Sport 150-600mm.
When it worked the G2 produced spectacular images.