Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD

Fast and quiet autofocus performance ; Convenient size and weight for a lens of its pedigree ; Effective Vibration Compensation (VC) system ; Moisture-resistant construction

Tripod collar adds £109 to cost of lens ; Produces heavy vignetting used with full-frame DSLRs ; More expensive than its closest Sigma rival ; Lens hood isn't complimentary to pull zooming

Useful super-telephoto reach ; Relatively compact and lightweight ; Well built with good performance

Shorter reach than most super-tele zooms ; Typically ‘slow’ aperture rating ; Tripod mount ring not included

This first-edition 100-400mm performs well straight out of the blocks, packing real punch into a refreshingly lightweight build, and when it comes to outright image quality, the Tamron puts plenty of bigger, more expensive lenses in the shade. It’s a...

Long telephoto reach. Optical stabilization. Fluorine lens coat. Dust and moisture protection. Optional tripod collar available. Relatively light and compact. Affordable.

Soft edge performance at 100mm and 400mm. Vignette at maximum aperture. Some pincushion distortion.

The Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD all but matches its closest competitor in image quality. The Sigma 100-400mm Contemporary is priced identically, but is a bit sharper at 400mm, which is why we rate it slightly higher. But that does't mean that...

The Tamron 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD is an excellent alternative to the equivalent lenses from Canon (EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM) and Nikon (Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR), offering 90% of the performance at 50% of the price. The maximum...

The lens is very easy and satisfying to use and the price is certainly attractive. The optical performance is actually excellent overall, the sharpness only falling off at very small apertures. Of course, one of the unavoidable facts of optics is that...