Tamron and Sigma lenses

Good morning and happy Friday to everyone!  Would any of you here have any experience with Tamron or Sigma lenses getting used on your Canon or Nikon cameras?  What I'm curious about is how the quality of these lenses compare to the camera manufactures glass?  I'm a Canon girl, so really mostly interested in hearing how these work with Canon and compare to Canon lenses?   

I shoot Nikon.

I have an older Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 that I seem to have success with. You can look through my portfolio here on PT to see a fair amount of my work. That image is older and non-stabilized.

Regarding the 70-200 -types of lenses, the current ratings, from best to non-best, are: Nikon VRII, Tamron, Nikon VRI, Sigma.

Another discussion here about getting an inexpensive 500mm lens brought out strong support for the Tamron over the Sigma.

The Sigma ART lenses are supposed to be quite nice.

My point is that there's no single answer. It depends upon the lens you're considering. But non-Nikon / non-Canon manufacturers are quite capable of producing quality products.

Dunno about full frame Sigma and Tamron.  I use a Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 and Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 on my crop Canon (50D).  Compared to Canon consumer lenses, the Sigma, if anything has better mechanical quality.  The Tamron is on par with Canon.  I do not have any Canon "L" lenses, so I cannot make that comparison.  The AF may be a tad slower, but not enough to be a bother for me.  Dunno how Sigma and Tamron IS compare to Canon, neither of these lenses have the IS feature.

Kelly Cook

Never owned a Tamron, but I had a couple Sigs, 105 f2.8 and 150 f2.8 macros that I wish I didn't sell. Having a Nikon 105 2.8 and the 200 f4, they became expendable. (I'm going to commit a sin now). Both were as good as their Nikon counterparts! Not better, but every bit as sharp and the 105 was a dream to use. For the money a no brainer......

The only Tamron lens I have heard good about is the 18-270mm the have.  I do believe it has won some awards too.  Sigma on the other, has some great reviews.  If I were going with one or the other, I would go with the Sigma. 

Well I have the Tamron 28-300 non VC. It works pretty well for when I want a longer zoom that is light. But it is really slow to focus, so I do not shoot moving wildlife with it. The only AF Sigma I had was the 50 1.4 years ago, and I was not impressed with it at all. It would hunt a lot, and would never give a good image. The fact is I exchanged for two other copies which had the same problem, so I had B&H send me the Nikon 50 1.8 instead. Apparently everyone was having a problem at that time with that lens, but since then Sigma has improved. I have not tried them again, but others here, and at other forums say they have really stepped up their game, so I may try them if the lens bug bites me again.

I like the Sigma glass that I have used more than the Tamron.   Seemed better build quality and sharper images. 

Uplander wrote: I like the Sigma glass that I have used more than the Tamron.   Seemed better build quality and sharper images. 

At the risk of repeating myself....

This depends completely upon the lens, and is not necessarily a general truism. I've used the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 and it is quite soft wide open. There's a reason it falls short on comparisons.

Other Sigma lenses, as noted above, are quite nice. But it is worthwhile for one to fully research the options available when making a decision. The proper choice may not be obvious.

garyrhook wrote:

Uplander wrote: I like the Sigma glass that I have used more than the Tamron.   Seemed better build quality and sharper images. 

At the risk of repeating myself....

This depends completely upon the lens, and is not necessarily a general truism. I've used the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 and it is quite soft wide open. There's a reason it falls short on comparisons.

Other Sigma lenses, as noted above, are quite nice. But it is worthwhile for one to fully research the options available when making a decision. The proper choice may not be obvious.

Yes you are correct Gary, it does depend on the actual specific lens.  I was just making the observation in general about the brands.  I should have clarified.  

Uplander wrote: I was just making the observation in general about the brands.  I should have clarified.  

Roger that. I don't think the point about individuality can be made too often.

Years ago, in the early digital days for me, I was in a camera shop in So Cal. they had either a Tamron or Sigma 70-200 f2.8 lens there in a Nikon mount.  I had with me my 70-210 Nikon lens, inexpensive one. I shot a scene out the door with each, same scene with both camera's. Looked at what I'd got and I couldn't tell one from the other. If I didn't have to ask the price of the 2.8 lens, I'd just have bought the Nikon 70-200 f2.8! As it was, I still have and sometime's use the old Nikon 70-210. Not having the more expensive lens has never cost me a sale but then I don't do this for a living either.

Hi I am new to the site, I have Sigma camera's so the only lenses i use are sigma's The Sigma DG HSM 50mm 1.4 is a great lens it had a lot of great reviews.

Here is a list of my sigma lenses.

MY CAMERA LENSES  Sigma APO Tele converter 1.4 EX DG 
 Sigma 170-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG filter size: 86mm and Hood
Sigma 135-400mm APO Filter size 77mm and Hood
Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 m11 DC OS HSM filter size 62mm and Hood
Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS Filter size 72mm and Hood
Sigma 28-200mm F3.8-5.6 Aspherical filter size 72mm
Sigma 55-200mm F4-5.6 DC filter size 55mm and Hood
Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG MACRO filter size 58mm and Hood
Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG MACRO Filter size 58mm and Hood
Sigma 18-50mm F3.5-5.6 DC filter size: 58mm and Hood
Sigma 18-50mm F2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM filter size 67mm and Hood
Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 EX DG filter size 67mm
Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG MACRO filter size 55mm and Hood
Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Filter size 77mm and Hood
Sigma 50mm AF MACRO Filter size 52mm and Hood
Sigma 15mm F2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye filter rear Gel and Hood
Sigma 17-35mm Aspherical HSM filter 82mm and Hood
Sigma 100-300mm filter size 55mm
Sigma 35-80mm filter size 52mm

Allan-Partington wrote: Hi I am new to the site, I have Sigma camera's so the only lenses i use are sigma's The Sigma DG HSM 50mm 1.4 is a great lens it had a lot of great reviews.

Here is a list of my sigma lenses.

MY CAMERA LENSES  Sigma APO Tele converter 1.4 EX DG 
 Sigma 170-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG filter size: 86mm and Hood
Sigma 135-400mm APO Filter size 77mm and Hood
Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 m11 DC OS HSM filter size 62mm and Hood
Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS Filter size 72mm and Hood
Sigma 28-200mm F3.8-5.6 Aspherical filter size 72mm
Sigma 55-200mm F4-5.6 DC filter size 55mm and Hood
Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG MACRO filter size 58mm and Hood
Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG MACRO Filter size 58mm and Hood
Sigma 18-50mm F3.5-5.6 DC filter size: 58mm and Hood
Sigma 18-50mm F2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM filter size 67mm and Hood
Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 EX DG filter size 67mm
Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG MACRO filter size 55mm and Hood
Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Filter size 77mm and Hood
Sigma 50mm AF MACRO Filter size 52mm and Hood
Sigma 15mm F2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye filter rear Gel and Hood
Sigma 17-35mm Aspherical HSM filter 82mm and Hood
Sigma 100-300mm filter size 55mm
Sigma 35-80mm filter size 52mm

OMG I want your lens collection! 

Thanks for the reply Paris gal, it's took me a while to get them all, the only problem I have is deciding what lenses to take with me when I go out, I can end up being weighed down.