Review of the Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II IF

Available in Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony mounts, this optic features 15 elements in 13 groups and includes Extra Refractive Index (XR) glass, three hybrid aspherical elements and and two LD optics in the array to reduce aberrations, distortion and provide an even spread of light across the image frame. Like the 18-250mm lens, single and multi-layer coatings are used on the internal optics, while the Di suffix indicates that the lens has been optimised for DSLRs. The lens is easy to use and offers reasonably rapid autofocus. The focus is marginally louder than its cheaper and longer little brother, with a slight whirring of the AF motor also being faintly audible.

Image Quality
Like its longer (but cheaper) stablemate, the Tamron 18-200mm has excellent control over chromatic aberrations in the centre of the frame, but loses it as we look closer to the corners, though less dramatically so than the 18-250mm. In terms of resolution, this lens is the least likely to become President, thanks to its unremarkable wideangle performance and marginally better-than-average resolution at the telephoto end of the zoom.

Price (ESP): £290
www.intro2020.co.uk

What We Like:
Excellent central CA control, good telephoto resolution

What We Don't Like:
Corner CA, average 18mm resolution

Features: 18
Design: 17
Performance: 16
Image quality: 16
Value: 17
Score %: 82