Tamron SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD (IF)

I bought this lens secondhand (£500) and it was money well spent. Unlike other long lenses this one is light enough to take shots hand held in an emergency. I've been delighted with the results and even wide open at the 500mm end pictures are sharp and crisp with loads of feather detail. I'm using it on a Nikon D300 and it's fast becoming one of my favourite lenses for bird shots.

I would second Joan's comments. My situation is quite simelar: I bought a 200-500 second hand for £400 & have used it on a Nikon D90 & D300s, mainly for birds/wildlife. Overall I think this is a great lens for the money. Image quality is excellent; handling & build quality is good; and a zoom lens is much easier to use than prime. I would recommend. Notes: Alternatives: Before buying I tried a Sigma 150-500 and decided to get the Tamron because image quality is better and the Sigma is also larger & about 40% heavier. (Tamron 1.25 kg, Sigma 1.75 kg.) You could consider a 300 f/4 prime, plus teleconverters, if you can afford it. Focus Speed: Because of the screw drive, AF is not the fastest in the world, but faster on a D300s than on a D90 (i.e. bigger camera usually has more powerful "screw drive" focussing motor). AF is more noisy than a SWM/USM type motor, but I don't find this a problem. If you have not used such a long-reach lens before then prepare to put in some practice: although this lens can be hand held, you really want to plan your tripod/support setup. I have a Benbo base, with a fairly large Kood ball head with friction adjustment. (A poor person's gimbal head.) I still keep a Nikkor 70-300 VR (0.75 kg) for hand-held fast-focussing requirements. Build quality: is fine and I've used the lens in light rain with no water ingress. However, my lens has some dust on the internal elements - presumably sucked in as the lens extends. However, I cannot see any effect on my images. Tamron UK will do servicing: service@intro2020.co.uk & they responded promptly to my email. This is NOT a big aperure lens & NOT a low-light lens.

does anyone know how this lens would work on a Sony A55

Hi there, could anyone give some advice on a lense i should get for wildlife photography - a wide range from birds to mammals etc. I have a 1000 pound budget for both camera and lens and have set my sights on canon eos 600d (around 450 on ebay and some other sites). Has anyone got any recommendations - this one looks good above. Otherwise I have been advised to get the canon 70-300mm IS USM lens.