This is going to be a long article- will be posting throughout the day (hit refresh to see new additions).
This is going to be a long article- will be posting throughout the day (hit refresh to see new additions).
Looking for a very good, “all purpose / general use” lens for your Canon camera? While it is impossible to have a lens that is perfect for every situation, there are a few lenses that can do a lot of things very, very well, and it ultimately depends on what type of photographer you are and what your purpose is with those images. I had the opportunity to compare three very similar type lenses:
Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD
They look very similar on the outside, many photographers ask what are the differences between them if any. An important note: each of these lenses were designed for APS-C type sensors, so these are the smaller 1.6x crop sensor camera’s such as the Canon 7D, Digital Rebels, and 10-50D’s, and aren’t made for full frame cameras like the Canon 5Dii.
Something I realized very early on was I had to be careful not to get sucked into a tidal wave of tedious, minutia type differences, and spend months examining these lenses. This is something neither you, nor myself have time for, and as you will see, this is still a very extensive review. Instead of focusing on the actual performance of each lens, I decided to concentrate on how well they stack up against each other. I had a great time figuring out little tests that would help differentiate their performance on a level that every user would understand and appreciate. Therefore, many of the tests, while repeated several times, were also very “quick and dirty”.
Sharpness: Winner: Canon, 2nd Tamron, 3rd- SigmaI performed a number of “sharpness” tests using a Siemens Star Pattern. I was careful to lock down my Canon 7D in each of these tests, use a timer and compare multiple images. What I originally was looking for was the sharpness of the lines as they approached the center of the star, but there were several cases were it wasn’t as easy to see as in others. What made this harder to determine was that the sharpness of each lens seemed to change a little with differing focal lengths and apertures. I quickly noticed though that instead of looking at the star itself (and getting dizzy) the text letters of my iPad were usually quicker to decipher. In many cases, such as this, the Canon and Tamron were very close (again depending on focal length and aperture). At other focal lengths, the Canon looked better, because of this and the fact that this is supposed to be a quick and dirty test- I have to give the edge to Canon. The Sigma lens always seemed to look a little soft upon magnification.
Image Stabilization- Winner: Canon, 2nd Tamron, 3rd- SigmaCanon claims that it’s image stabilization will make up for 4 stops total difference of shutter speed. I’ve read many tests that have it between 3 and 4, but that wasn’t my question. My question was, which one is best? The test involved again taking a picture of a Siemens Star Pattern from 20 feet away, only this time I was in a sitting position (which would help most eliminate body movement) and I was taking pictures of the pattern handheld, at a shutter speed of 1/15 of a second. The reason I did this is because I know that hand movement, breathing body rocking, all start having a huge effect on your images once you get down to 1/15th of a second. The lens with the best IS system would have the highest number of quality images out of something like 30 test shots.
While I initially looked at the Star Pattern, it was the time on my iPad that made it easy to see. The Canon was the best, the Tamron was a very close second, and the Sigma was so bad, I wondered if the IS was even working, which is a real possibility (it may not have been working at all). I was probably most impressed with how well the Tamron’s version of IS worked. Not quite as good as Canon’s, but still very good.
Focusing Motor Speed- Winner: Canon, 2nd- Tamron and Sigma Tie
This one was a little tricky to figure out, but I think I got it. Most lenses today are built with tiny little motors inside that move the lens elements under the direction of the camera’s focusing system. While typically these focusing intervals happen very quickly (within a second), in most normal circumstances it would be very hard to tell a difference at all.For most hobby type photographers, this probably wont matter. For someone shooting sports, it absolutely will. The faster the lens motors work to track a moving subject, the better the images.
To test this, I decided to find 2 dimly lit objects in a poorly lit environment, which were very far apart. This would require the lens to move the lenses elements as far as possible. I turned on my focus lock beep indicator (which is a loud sound you can hear), and focused back and forth between my 2 targets for 50 “focus locks”indicated by the beep. By repeating these little differences in motor speed several times, the lens with the fastest motors would be able to complete the cycle before the other 2. I timed the test by initially taking an image of a stop clock and ended the test by taking another picture of the same stop clock. While it may not have been perfectly precise, the Canon lens was far and above superior to the Sigma and Tamron when it comes to lens focus motor speed. The Sigma and Tamron performed about the same. What these means is if you are shooting fast moving subjects, such as sports the Canon is going to be your best bet of the three.
Wide Angle Lens Distortion- Winner: Sigma, 2nd- Canon, 3rd- TamronBecause we are dealing with lenses with a very dynamic focal length range, I was interested in what the differences in distortion were at the maximum focal lengths (18mm) because this is typically where we see the greatest amount of distortion. To measure this, I took pictures of a metal grate from directly above. The grate essentially provided a line grid that would allow me to look for “bends” associated with wide angle lens distortion, you can see it particularly in the corners as “pinching”
While the Sigma in this particular test won, I should also point out it ran into some issues when considering other types of distortion such as CA, as well as focus distortion (where the center may be in focus and the periphery may or may not depending on focal length. While it is just too much to go into, the Sigma performed better than expected. Overall I believe the Canon was better when considering all types of distortion, at all focal lengths and apertures. I also concede I may have gotten a bad Sigma lens, and I am willing to reconsider otherwise.
Chromatic Abberation Distortion: Winner Canon, 2nd- Sigma 3rd- TamronChromatic Abberation is an optical problem that occurs when a lens is unable to focus all the wavelengths of light properly, which results in fine colored haze around edges in your images. (Read more on Chromatic Abberation Here). Higher quality lenses typically have less CA, with cheaper lenses resulting in greater artifacts. A good way to test your lens for CA is to take a picture of something thin and dark on a very bright background, and compose it on the outside of the frame, as with these antennas. I am particularly interested in the last one. Also, while it is hard to see, look on the opposite side of the image, where the edge of the building ends- can you see it?My main test involved looking on both sides of the 3rd antenna (furthest to right), the left side shows a yellow haze, while the right favors purple. When it comes to Chromatic Abberation, it appears that the Canon has the edge. While it may initially appear that the Sigma is better, compare the yellow sides, and another problem with the Sigma was the actual sharpness of the antenna itself- I repeated this shot many times, and could not get it any sharper than this- a hint of some of the sharpness issues with the Sigma. Last was the Tamron, which appeared to have the worst artifacts for CA. I tend to give the Tamron some lee-way though because of its amazing focal length range (a world record at over 15x (from 18-270mm), quite astonishing to be honest. All three images here were shot at 200mm.
Sports Test Shots-I ran over to the local high school with the permission of their coach to get some sports shots on AI Servo mode. For the most part all lenses did great but as expected, I was very happy with Canon’s images taking into consideration sharpness, IS and motor speed. It seemed more of the fast moving subject type shots were more in focus. The Tamron did very well, and even the Sigma did great. Here are samples of all three lenses with fast moving subjects involved. For the most part the Shutter Speed was 1/2000, but there were tweaks and adjustments to while shooting which can explain some of the exposure differences you are seeing, in any event you get the idea. I liked the ability of the Tamron to get in closer. How much difference does that extra 70mm make on an actual shot with the Tamron? Here it is. First shot taken at 200mm, the image below at 270mm. The red box in the first indicates the approximate fit of zooming in.
Portrait Shots-
Unless you are using a magnifying glass, you wont have many issues with shooting portraits with any of these lenses, just don’t expect the nice buttery backgrounds associated with very wide apertures. The above shot was taken by all three lenses at 35mm on a Canon 7D (~56mm) which is a perfect length for portraits (Shots were f4.5, 1/160, 400 ISO). Note that while the model is different sizes, it is possible I wasn’t standing in the exact same spot. I also noticed that the Sigma is a little softer, as it was in other test shots, but the idea of this comparison is that when it comes down to it, they all do great for portraits, at least on the “normal person scale”.Wild Card Features- Winner Tamron
While many will contest the extra 70mm focal length range is a gimmic, in my opinion, it isnt. True, there is more distortion at these extreme focal lengths, again not enough to really notice for most non-pros. Nearly all of the images I took in Haiti, including of Evan Monsignac were taken with the Tamron lens. (This is the exception of the main iPhone shot I took when he first came in). Those images were found on literally hundreds of websites and newspapers worldwide. When I first heard of it, I was skeptical because of the Tamron name. Do not be fooled, it is a very capable lens.
The 6 Year Tamron Warranty however is the real kicker. This needs to be taken into serious consideration when buying your walk-around lens. Granted, there are times I will reach for the Canon 18-200 over the Tamron, but I think most general purpose lens seekers are going to love it for the warranty. Sigma and Canon both fall short with their 1 year warranty. In this aspect, you are getting 6 times more commitment from Tamron as a gesture of good faith you can trust their equipment. The Tamron lens is the one I most often use when going on a long trip and so far I couldn’t be happier with it.
Overall Winners And Suggestions:
Surprisingly, each of these lenses has a place in different photographers camera bags, and it really depends on what your needs are:
Why you would want the Sigma 18-200:
Price. It’s by far the most affordable. While in the head to head comparison the Sigma fell short, it is an absolutely wonderful lens. Surprisingly, even after all these tests, I do not think most normal people would even be able to tell when inspecting images from each lens. It was only in very extreme conditions and circumstances that it’s flaws were noticeable. Priced at just $369 at Bhphoto.com, it is an absolutely fantastic deal, especially if you plan on banging your lens around for a few weeks. The photographers who will want this are the one’s on a tight budget, or are perhaps casual shooters, non-pros who want a great all round lens.
Why you would want the Canon 18-200:
Quality. The Canon consistently outperformed the other two lenses. It was sharper, the IS was significantly better, motor speed, sharpness, distortion, etc were all very good. If a Canon “L” lens is a grade A, this is probably a “B- to B” lens. Not outstanding, but still extremely good quality for it’s size. Loaded with features, also one of the more expensive. It just goes to show, sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
Why you would want the Tamron 18-270:
Warranty and Extra Reach – Unlike the Canon and Sigma 1 year warranty, Tamron’s comes with a jaw dropping 6 year warranty. Between that and the extra 70 mm (which is another 114mm on a 1.6 crop factor sensor body) that puts its range between 28mm-432mm, which is pretty much ridiculous when it comes to lens range. That said, I did notice some of the distortion issues became more apparent over the 200mm range, but absolutely yes, nature, wildlife and sports photographers are going to appreciate that extra reach. That said, the warranty is what makes this lens so attractive. If it breaks or fails from manufacturing defects within 6 years, Tamron will repair or replace at their expense. There is also currently a rebate on the Tamron that has it priced for ~$519! (that’s a steal of a deal!)
Comments or questions? Please let me know what you think in the comments below!
Thanks Michael for the comparison.
I am thinking to buy lens for trips, for the reasons that you have mentioned. And after read your review, I would say that Canon is the best option for me.
I have had the Canon lens for nearly two years and I love it.
Any thoughts about the Canon 15-85mm?
I have a Canon 18-135mm and I’m planning to sell it to buy a canon 15-85mm.
Why? Low cost compared to its Sharpness!
But, it is worthy?
Thanks for the review.
WOW . I’m really impressed with the time that you took to show all of us the difference between the three. If you remember, I have the 18-200 Canon which I love. Just wanted to say thanks for the time and effort . Keep it up Brother!
Thanks Michael for putting this together. I bought the Tamron lens over a year and a half ago and I am glad I did, it’s a great all-around lens. Seeing this reconfirms that I made the right decision. I will be using it on an East African safari later on this year in November, lets see if it holds up.
Great read Michael! I can see you put a lot of work in on this. I would like to see more of them if you are toying with the idea of doing more. I would love to see the results for the ultra wides. Wonder if the Canon would come out on top on that one too? ~Andy
Im glad you guys enjoyed it. More reviews are coming, you can expect them every 2-3 weeks.
Great comparo. Grazie!
wonderful comparison, very helpful, loved it.thanx.
hello michael, i live in france and i just had my 7d with canon 18-200 on it for a month but i was a bit disapponted on the falling barrel of this lens. actually i been following two website when comes to photography, of course yours and another one. anyway i’m planning to buy this tamron but can you please tell me if the tamron barrel is also the same as canon barrel which falls down. sorry for my bad english, anyway more power to you.
You helped me make my decision. Thanks a lot.
I purchased the Tamron 18-270 about 6 months ago. I am a beginner in photography., I found the Tamron was sluggish or slow in low light situation especially at night. Taking pictures at night was a nightmare!
It is good to use during the morning or If there is good lights no drama.
Unless, Michael has tips for me, I would appreciate it. I am now considering in selling it and getting a another lens like the Canon L series lens.
If I’m reading this right, the Tamron would be the best choice. Under 200mm it’s roughly comparable to the Canon and when you go over 200, well that’s the trade off. Could the extended warranty be a nod to uneven quality control? Tough decision for me. I have a buddy who has used the Tamron for years and swears by it–even with enlargements over 8×11.
Wow! Thanks heaps for your help. I struggle choosing lenses and I do value good quality in my pics, but I am only part time professional (lol) so money is always an issue. Just goes to show you really do get what you pay for. Having said that I really love the 28-75mm f2.8 Tamron I have, but this time will be going the Canon. Cheers!
The last time I checked, the Sigma has a 5 year warranty in Canada. That puts a major plus when adding up the total marks for all three lens.
All three lenses are similar in what they offer overall- I have used the same Tamron lens in both Haiti and Japan and it has been fabulous for me, especially because of the extra reach. Couldnt be happier with it!
I have the Sigma 18-200, but after reading your research I am convinced I need to go with the Tamron 18-270. Do you think this is a good decision for a casual photo enthusiast? I am looking for longer focal length. Is it worth it for me to switch from the Sigma I currently own?
Hi Michael. I appreciate the comparison you made. For my case, I have canon 24-70L 2.8. Is it worth to get canon 18-200 to add to my collection? Or Canon 70-200 2.8 or 4.0? Thanks
Is this the Tamron PZD version that you compared?
I wish that this report was available when I first bought my Sigma lens in 2008. The salesman convinced me that the Sigma quality was better than that of Canon and so I opted for the Sigma. Must say that I am happy with the lens but having read the article I may have stayed with a Canon lens rather. Interesting reading thanks for the effort.
Sigma lens is mostly famous as a third-party lens maker, producing lenses in mounts compatible with the leading brands such as Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony, and Olympus, in an incredibly sound price. They represent the leading range of existing options for lens types and camera mounts with over 50 different lenses in their broad fold, they present Sigma lenses for Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sigma, Sony/Minolta and Four Thirds (Olympus, Panasonic).
Thanks for the meticulous comparison. It helped me a lot.
Thank you for the great comments – it helped a lot on my evaluation of these lenses.
Does this Tamron lens sit ok on a canon 550d. I am looking to progress From a look and shoot to a DSLR and at the moment this combination would be my choice over the canon
I bought the Canon 18-200 about 3 years ago and it was nothing but trouble. The lens would keep extending and did not always return back on the same thread. It had to be repaired because it ultimately jammed. After repair it jammed again on my next trip and I had to manually focus it. Currently it works as a doorstop. I tried placing an evaluation on the Canon website but they do not appear to like criticism.
Currently I use the Tamron. I have the original version of the lens. It has taken some really beautiful shots and has worked really well in all sorts of environments. Notably in rainforests. To me the construction appears much better than the Canon.
Having said this the Tamron lens is far from perfect. Shots in low light with motion, not fast motion, did not always turn out good.
I would have been interested to read if the newer PZD version of the Tamron lens was a big improvement on the original – though you do not make it clear which version of the lens you are evaluating.
Thanks
Bravo…..Michael A fantasic piece of work, I am looking to buying A Canon 7D in the next couple on months and Your fantastic research article has gone a long way to making my mind up on it’s main everyday lens (Tamron) Thank You Richard Gardener UK South Wales
Hello. I am seriously considering the Tamron, however I am concerned about it’s sluggish/slower Autofocus. I have two young children and want to be able to film them playing sports. Are you able to provide more feedback on the Tamron performance in this area. I was also told that the canon has a loud Autofocus when on video mode which can be heard during playback, which was a bit of a turn off. Appreciate your feedback. Thanks Tracey
Bang for your buck, it is a phenomenal lens. You will only hear the lens when you are using auto focus in video.
Hi, im a newbie in DSLR World, just want to ask, if this Canon 18-200 lense can be used to a Canon D1100? Thank you..
I have used the Canon 18-200 lens for a little over 4 years. It has been a very good lens. Why do people complain of lens creep? I don’t consider it a malfunction or a problem. It is something you learn about at the time you buy the lens and try it out. If there is lens creep, you adjust for it accordingly in how you carry the lens and camera.
Dear Micheal, I am the PRC beginner. Glad to see your comparison here, but I think even a pocket camera can take good shots under good light condition, so a comparison when there is low night (night) or fast motion would be more help. My penny, thx.
Thank you for this awesome review 🙂
Hi Michael,
I like your DVD-7D.
I have a 50mm-250mm,70mm-200mm,
10mm-22mm and 15mm-85mm Canon lenses.I am going on Cruises
and like to travel.
In your opinion,would it be smart to get
the”Tamron18-270 DI II VC PZD ?
This would eliminate some of the
lenses to carry along!
Looking forward to your reply.
Kind Regards
Hans
Hi Michael,
Thank you for the 7D-DVD.
I have a 50-250mm,70-2004LIS,10-22
and 15-85mm Conon Lenses.
Would like your opinion if I should get
the ”Tamron DI IIVC PZD"?
I would eliminate some lenses to
carry along when I go on Cruises and
Travel.Looking foreword to your reply
Kind Regards
Hans
Thanks for the compare. I’m leaving soon for 6-7 months in Latin America and want only one lens for my 60D. I think the Tamron is gonna do it!
I am planning to buy a tele photo zoom lens but still confused which one to buy. can you plz suggest. my primary interest is to get most sharp image with clear focus. can you plz suggest.
Great ‘real world’ review for someone like me who is a hobbyist. I have what I consider good lenses (24-70mm 2.8, 70-200mm 2.8) but don’t always want to carry around a heavy bag. I believe the 18-270mm will work well for me as an every day walk around lens. And….B&H has it on sale!!! $399 after a $50 mail-in rebate. Thanks again.
I tested the accuracy of the 270mm end of my tamron lens by taking pictures of a brick wall with the lens at 270 and my 70-300 canon lens set at 300.
I then compared the coverage of the 2 pix and calculated that the long end of the tamron is only just over 200mm (assuming the canon is a true 300).
I am now wondering about having a look at the canon 18-200 as it is better all round, and would appear to not have any disadvantage of restriction at the tele end.
I have Canon 18-200mm IS. The center sharpness is outstanding, the border is good enough. In telephoto range, it is sharper and autofocus better in low light. Even my friend D90+NIkkor 18-200mm VR cannot compete with speed and autofocus in low light.
Firstly Michael, I would like to make mention of your images. They inspire me to be more flexible and creative in my somewhat traditional and "in the box" approach to photography. It must be my age showing!
I am particularly impressed with your approach to reviewing the three lenses selected for travel.
My wife and I have traveled extensively over the last ten years or so and I have photographed many different places and situations.
I have the Tamron 18 to 270 lens and have given a review on it on Amazon. it is what it is! A great lens that can capture moments that would perhaps have been lost as a result of having the photo gear set up differently. I have also just purchased the Canon version, the 18-200mm. All it took was reading your review! 🙂 When I go across to Montana in the spring, I shall be picking it up then.
As a photo enthusiast with some experience and having taught visual communications the traditional way at the high school level, I am quickly appreciating the possibilities and advantages of further creative image making.
I shall be looking forward to viewing your other intelligent reviews and gaining inspiration while viewing your portfolio.
Many thanks Michael,
Peter E. Lewin.
Hi, im hoping you can help me.
Ive a pentax kit lens max zoom 200mm and ive just bought the tamron 18-250 lens. But when taking photos at full length, there seems to be no extra zoom on the tamron? Both images are the virtually identical. I expected a lot more zoom with the extra 50mm the tamron has?
Can you help me understand. Thanks
Ken