Tamron 17-70 f/2.8 APS-C Recommendation
TL;DR: Don't look any further, buy it.
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I've researched for maaaany days before I purchased my wide-to-short-tele zoom lens, and as I was helped greatly by info-crumbs found here, I wanted to share my experience with you.
Followings were in play after eliminating primes (don't really have the time mid-work to replace lenses a lot):
- Sony 16-55mm f/2.8 G
- Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN C
- Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
- Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2, Sigma and Sony 24-70 f/2.8
I trashed the 24-75 zone to get some more on the wide range.
As I started my post, after daaaays of research I found out, that image quality wise the Sony 16-55mm f/2.8 G is the best of them, followed by the Tamron and the Sigma.
I'm not very fond of 3rd party lenses (recent switcher from Canon L lenses), I also read and was told that ~~all Sigmas suck in dust, also, that the 17-70 can do the same, but its 5 year warranty kept it in the game.
Now it was between the 17-70 and the 16-55. More reviews, YT vids, posts from fellow redditors here.
Finally I convinced myself to go the rational route and that the few % of quality difference between the two might not worth the double price (and no OSS) of the Sony, so I ordered the Tamron with the option to send it back if I don't like it.
As I had an all day dog photography planned (6 sessions, 9 dogs), I knew it was the best time to get the lens and take it with me.
It was a very intense day. Black dogs. White dogs. Gundogs. Small dogs. Running dogs. Jumping dogs. Sitting dogs. 1000% midday sunlight. Sunset sunlight. All this in a forest and a field next to it.
I took around 1600 photos (like 350 images, lots of 4-5-10 pcs. action bursts) and only had to trash around 50 of them for being crappy, almost all being my fault, not the equipments'.
I am shooting on an A6400.
This is a post of recommendation. This lens is awesome. I was and am not paid by any brand or individual to write it. I also know, that this surely isn't the best wide-to-tele zoom lens out there, but there may be others, who like I was, are struggling with the decision of choosing the lens for APS-C on a limited budget (below 1k).
I did not try the Sony 16-55, but after today, I cannot imagine that it could be twice this good to justify the double price.
The picture below is not the best of today's shots, I'm attaching it because it has everything: Dark subject, grass, bright sky, bokeh - might show what you want to see before deciding on your purchase.
