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Nikon D200, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

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The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

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The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

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The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D200, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

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Nikon D200, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

CCD Resurgence: Images with a Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro, a legendary macro and portrait photography cult classic celebrated for exceptional sharpness, high contrast, and smooth bokeh, a 135mm catwalk-tele equivalent on the Nikon D200.

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The Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro, renowned for its extreme sharpness and beautiful color rendering, was introduced in 1979. The lens, a true legend among vintage lenses, was widely praised as a versatile tool that excels both as a sharp macro lens and a smooth portrait lens, and is a cult classic that remains highly respected today.

The lens is a 8 elements in 6 groups design, with 8 or 9 aperture blades (depending on the specific production run), an aperture range from f/2.5 to f/32, focuses down to 0.39 meters with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2, measures 65mm x 72-92mm (varies slightly by model), takes 49mm filters, and weighs approximately 440 to 450 grams.

The lens was produced over two iterations, with the original Model 52B (1979) featuring an all-metal build, and the later Model 52BB (1988), as tested here, having similar optics, a redesigned exterior with some plastic components, and improved coating.

The Model 52BB, as seen here, is nominally supplied with the Tamron 98FH, a twist-on plastic hood to help exclude stray light from degrading contrast, and provides physical protection to the front of the lens. While the lens focuses down natively to 1:2, full 1:1 macro reproduction is possible with the addition of a dedicated 45mm extension tube or by utilizing the Tamron SP 2x Teleconverter.

On the Nikon D200, with its 10MP APS-C CCD sensor, the Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro is equivalent to a 135mm short-telephoto prime on a full-frame camera, a highly sought-after focal length that lets you shoot with extra working distance for skittish insects in macro mode, or with excellent background separation compression for tight portraits.

The focal length is renowned for its incredible subject isolation and flattering compression, and is perfect for separating subjects from a busy background while working at a comfortable working distance. For outdoor and studio portraits, for example, the longer focal length flattens facial features, and for street and events, the lens is perfect for capturing candid moments, scenes, and happenings without being intrusive.

Matching the D200's magnesium-alloy body and the substantially all-metal and glass Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro helps keep the setup stable for steady close-up shots, and focusing with the long, smooth focus throw of the lens on the big, bright pentaprism viewfinder of the D200, with its electronic focus confirmation (green dot function), is also flawless and convenient.

A quirk to note, however, is the lens design, which tends to exhibit nuances of focus breathing, an anomaly where the lens's focal length (and consequently its field of view or framing) changes subtly as you adjust the focus. The field of view narrows noticeably when focusing at the closest distance.

Nikon D200, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro (52BB)

Purple spot reflections, a soft purple flare spot in the dead center of the frame, may also occur when shooting a high-contrast subject on a digital sensor. This happens when light bounces off the shiny sensor back onto the rear lens element, which is rather flat.

The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D80, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

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The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D80, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

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The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D80, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

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The Galleria, Photo of the Day

Nikon D80, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

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Nikon D80, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

Sunny 16 Rule: Keeping it within the exposure triangle, fully manual exposure images shot with a vintage legacy Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm 1:2.5 Macro, mounted on a Nikon D80.

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Still learning the 'Sunny 16 Rule' here, with a set of close-up images from the garden shot on the 10MP CCD Nikon D80 mounted with a manual focus Tamron SP 90mm 1:2.5 Adaptall-2 Macro. The 10MP CCD Nikon D80 does not have the 'Non-CPU Lens Data' menu item or enter information about non-CPU lenses, and the aperture-indexing finger for full-aperture metering with older 'AI' lenses.

When mounted with old-school legacy lenses, the D80 can only be used in fully manual mode, which makes for an interesting challenge and a learning path.

The whole idea here is not to let an excellent vintage enthusiast-grade digital SLR camera, such as the Nikon D80, go to waste by wanting it to be mounted with only CPU AF lenses or letting the cult classic Tamron SP 90mm 1:2.5 Adaptall-2 Macro be mounted only on auto-exposure cameras. Kit the two together, learn to set the exposure manually, and you will enjoy photography more than you expected.

The 'Sunny 16 Rule', which says that 'On a sunny day set aperture to f/16 and shutter speed to the [reciprocal of the] ISO film speed [or ISO setting] for a subject in direct sunlight,' is an easy way to set your camera’s exposure if you are shooting fully manual or with a fully manual camera. These images were exposed at 1/200 second, ISO 200, with the lens aperture opening set to between f2.5 and f5.6.

Nikon D80, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm 1:2.5

Start with the basic setting of the ISO speed to 100, the lens aperture opening to f/16, and the shutter speed to 1/100 or the nearest available on the camera. When ISO (ASA) 200 film is used, set the aperture at f/16 and the shutter speed to 1/200 or 1/250 second.

Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro, In The Garden

Cameras and Lenses: Images with a vintage Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro, a legendary 'cult classic' with exceptional sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and stellar performance for both macro and portrait photography.

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Still working with the Tamron SP 90mm 1:2.5 52BB Macro, mounted on the E-P5 this time around. I have also acquired a new Ai - M4/3 lens adapter with a tripod mount, making handholding slightly more stable with the tripod support cupped in my hand. Images are still from the garden, though, close-up.

The Tamron Adaptall-2 SP 90mm f2.5 Macro (52BB) is optically identical to the earlier 52B model, which was released in 1997. The original 52B features a lot more metal in its construction and has a screw-in hood, whilst the 52BB came with a redesigned barrel and a bayonet fitting for a hood, which the lens was sold with. The 52B/52BB was replaced by the 1:1 macro 90mm f/2.8 72 B.

Olympus PEN E-P5, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

Note: My first post was with the lens mounted on the Olympus E-PM2.

Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro, Handheld

Cameras and Lenses: Images with a vintage Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro, a legendary 'cult classic' with exceptional sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and stellar performance for both macro and portrait photography.

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It was an exciting day, and I was elated when the lens came in. I didn't waste any time either, as I got the Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro unpacked and mounted on the Olympus E-PM2, and was out the door, grabbing these first few shots wherever the camera was pointed. With a focal length equivalent to a 180mm telephoto lens on a full-frame camera, the lens needs more than just a steady pair of hands when shooting handheld. I pursued it nonetheless and managed to capture these few images for the trial.

The Tamron SP 90mm 1:2.5, a "cult classic" macro lens, a favorite with many users, came with a great reputation for color rendering and excellent chromatic aberration correction. The lens does suffer a little from flare, so a lens hood is recommended, where available. The first all-metal version of this lens was replaced by the 52BB, with a redesigned barrel with a bayonet fitting for a hood. An autofocus version, the 52E, is also available.

Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 90mm f/2.5 Macro

Here's hoping for more images with this lens soon!

Tamron SP 28-80mm f/3.5-4.2 CF, The RC Event

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Cameras and Lenses: Images with a vintage legacy Tamron SP 28-80mm f/3.5-4.2 CF, a premium Tamron SP lineup with close-focus macro capability, robust all-metal build, and a broad focal coverage suitable for both analog and digital adaptation.

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Compared to the Sigma Zoom-Gamma 21-35mm 1:3.5~4, which I used to start off the Digital Moments series with a collection of wide-angle and standard zooms adapted to the Olympus PEN E-P5, the Tamron SP 28-80mm f/3.5-4.2 CF Macro, weighing in at a hefty 480 grams, is a bit of a monster and a heavyweight.

On the 2x crop-sensor Olympus PEN E-P5, the lens is now a short-to-medium telephoto zoom with an equivalent focal length of 56mm to 160mm. This should do well if you take into account that favorite prime focal lengths, especially the 55, 85, 100, and 135mm, are all incorporated into this lens. An 85mm prime, as you already know, is always the favorite for portrait photography, while the 135mm is also for catwalk models.

Tamron SP 28-80mm f/3.5-4.2 CF

The other concern is the weight and the balance of the lens when attached to the E-P5 via the Olympus MF-2 Adapter. The whole extension is now 120mm long, very heavy upfront, with the most fragile point (you can tell by looking at the image) being the connection between the E-P5 body and the MF-2 adapter.

Olympus PEN E-P5, Tamron SP 28-80mm f/3.5-4.2 CF

Using the camera on a tripod supported only at the base plate of the camera is a strict no-go setup, as the pivotal weight upfront might be too heavy for the tripod socket on the base plate to handle. For handheld shooting, you need to be sort of a contortionist to be able to hold the camera tripod-like in the cradle of your palm, while using your index finger and thumb for focusing, and your middle finger and thumb for zooming.