Tamron 150-600 zoom telephoto lens

[Cricket]

I recently acquired a tamron 150-600 lens as the Canon equivalent was out of my fiscal reach. I have trying to get to know the lens in the last week. I have found that it takes a lot of time hunting focus. I have a Canon 60D. Is the hunting problem due to the fact my camera is a little older these days. How can I get it to lock on focus a lot quicker than I seem to be able to achieve?

[macmich]

cricket
when i purchased my 150-600 siggy i done a bit of research on all lenses in the range and the tamron 150-600 it is a common problem with that lens, that the auto focus is dodgy. google the lens and have a read of the different posts on the auto focus and hopfully you might get an answer from them
cheers macca

[ameerat42]

My Σ50-500 OSDG etc, etc, and I would suspect, quite a few of the ilk would do the same, BUT...
check to see when. I have found mine to be the case when:
1. You don't have centre spot metering.
2. The subject is moving quickly towards or away from you.
3. Birds in flight where you cannot keep the bird fairly fixed in the frame.

AND it does not hunt when...
1. Shooting moon (or sun with appropriate filter).
2. Bird hopping about in foliage.
3. Almost any other stationary subject, or even
4. People surfing/walking etc.

[Cricket]

ameerat42, thanks for the info above. I have had it on centre spot metering. And yes it is impossible for me at the moment for birds in flight. Working up the expertise int hat area.

LOL if I accept all you reason in your second group then I would now need to question why I bought the lens in the first place GUess I will just have to get better with manual focusing.......Shame I am as blind as a bat in my old age

[ameerat42]

As long as its IQ is (and I'd expect it to be) very good, that would be a good enough reason. I hear the Σ150-600 S has pretty good (better than mine) AF, (and maybe IQ)
but its weight would probably be a drawback. For my purposes, I've decided the 50-500 will (more than) do. (I rather fancy I could use an 15-35 Art, but that'll have to wait...)

[J.davis]

Cricket,
Try to use area metering and 9 point focus.
I shoot Nikon with the Sigma equivalent, and found that the focus point in the centre, (with the ones around it being active) works for BIF.

[Mark L]

I have had it on centre spot metering. And yes it is impossible for me at the moment for birds in flight.

It takes some practice.
Good luck with the manual focus for BIF.
Regardless of the metering you use (trial and error is the way for you to figure what works best for you), for auto-focus set the camera to Al SERVO. And consider the back button focus. (you may be doing all this already )

[Cricket]

lol yes mark I am doing bbf now. Still getting use to it. I do have Al SERVO on and yes I definitely have found it to be trial and error.

[merlin1]

I have the same lens nikon mount and have been battling with it for over a year now.
Sent it back to the Tamron repairer in Perth last October, they told me they knew what the problem was. When it came back worked for a month and then started again. It either focuses or it does nothing. moving or stationary objects no difference. 150mm or 600mm no difference, have now got the camera on 9 point focus, have always used back button focus and C ( same as A1 servo). It is now just hit and miss, when I have a hit it is very slow to focus but doesn't hunt.
It has become a real pain in the butt, thinking of ditching the lens and buying a Nikon. My body is a D300S.
Just can't see a resolution to the problem.
Any Ideas?

Thanks Ross.

[ameerat42]

When you say "ditch" I hope you mean send it back to Tamron for a refund.

[Cage]

Maybe a silly question but have you done any testing using the two different Focus Limiter settings?

[merlin1]

Yes Cage I have used both settings and found no difference.

Ross.

[J.davis]

Take it back to the place you bought it from and kick up a stink about it. Pretty sure its their problem for selling faulty goods.

- - - Updated - - -

Out there in left field, have you cleaned the contacts on the camera and lens with an eraser?

[merlin1]

Yes have cleaned all contacts.
My other two nikon lens work perfect on the D33S body.


Ross.

[spootz01]

I have the same lens and I haven't noticed and focus hunting. Granted I haven't had it for long but every time I use it is acquires focus pretty quickly.

I'm shooting sports on a 600D so that could be the difference in results but I'm not sure.

Cheers,

S.