Tamron SP 35mm F1.4 USD (F045) Review

Dustin Abbott has completed his comprehensive review of the Tamron SP 35mm F1.4 USD.

This lens has been highly recommended since its introduction, and it is one of the best 35mm lenses you can purchase.  So it should come as no surprise that Dustin really likes the lens.

At a glance;

• Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
• Four Low Dispersion Elements
• Three Aspherical Elements
• BBAR-G2 and Fluorine Coatings
• USD AF Motor and Dynamic Rolling Cam
• Electromagnetic Diaphragm
• Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
• Compatible with TAP-in Console

Dustin's Conclusions;

In this case it seems like Tamron’s hyperbolic language was fairly warranted.  The Tamron SP 35mm F1.4 USD is an extremely well executed lens at one of the critical focal lengths for any lensmaker’s lineup.  It’s well build, highly functional, and delivers exceptional image quality.  It’s also got a fantastic price tag of just $899 USD, which undercuts first party competitors by nearly 50%.  The primary third party competitor is the Sigma 35mm F1.4 ART, which, frankly, was released during a period where Sigma was still working out the kinks in their move into premium territory.  I had significant focus issues when I tested that lens, and the anecdotal evidence that has come back to me from dozens of other photographers suggest that I wasn’t alone.  I noted that Sigma’s recent 28mm F1.4 ART lens was the kind of lens that the 35mm F1.4 ART should be and went so far as to suggest that Sigma develop a MK II version of that lens.  The Tamron F045 is also that kind of lens, and its extremely competitive pricing means that Tamron should sell a lot of these.

Pros:

• Fantastic build quality
• Quality weather sealing
• Autofocus speed and sound on par with Canon 35L II
• Fantastic sharpness and contrast
• Better corner performance than Canon 35L II
• Nice bokeh and excellent rendering
• Excellent chromatic aberration control
• Excellent color rendition
• Good flare resistance
• Fantastic price

Cons:

• Autofocus accuracy repeatability lags slightly behind Canon
• No Lens Aberration Correction support on Canon
• Heavier than most major competitors

Richard CanonNewsRichard CanonNews

Richard has been using Canon cameras since the 1990s, with his first being the now legendary EOS-3. Since then, Richard has continued to use Canon cameras and now focuses mostly on infrared photography. Richard is the founder and editor of CanonNews since 2017, and has worked as a writer on CanonRumors and other websites in the past.

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