Tamron AF 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Di II LD Macro Review

Tamron AF 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Di II LD Macro Handling and features

With a weight of only 295g, this lens is ideal for those who may be put off by the idea of lugging heavy equipment around. Plastic has been used for all the lens barrel construction, including the lens mount, so this lens may not be suited to heavy professional use, but then it's not intended for that purpose. The compact size and light weight of this lens makes it the perfect companion for a smaller camera body, such as the Canon EOS 600D used for testing.

A standard micro-motor powers the focusing mechanism, which could be considered a little slow and noisy compared to more expensive lenses. In practice, focusing speeds are adequate for all but the most erratic subjects. Focusing is performed by extending and rotating the front element and 52mm filter ring, so using a polariser of graduated filter may be a little troublesome with this lens. Manual focus adjustments can only be applied with the lens switched to manual focus, rather than at any time like on many lenses with silent focusing motors. The focusing ring is narrow and isn't damped at all, which can make focusing manually a bit of a chore.

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