Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD Review

Photographer Dustin Abbott recently had a chance to be one of the first to do a hands on review of the new Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD – the first macro lens from Tamron’s high end SP series of lenses.

Not too long ago we published a review of two of the other SP lenses Tamron announced last year – the SP 35mm F1.8 Di VC USD and the SP 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD – both received very high marks for image quality and build quality.

Now comes the new Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD which to be honest took us by suprise. The older Tamron 90mm macro was (still is) a great lens and it is kind of new (about 3 years old), so why did Tamron need to go and make a new SP version of it?

Well, the way Abbott explains it – and it kind of makes some sense – Tamron is looking to create it’s own line of high end lenses – just like Canon’s L series, Sigma’s ART line and more recently Sony’s G master series. Tamron’s goal is to have a full pro line and they needed a macro lens and although the old 90mm wasn’t bad at all – they thought that upgrading it to SP standards will make sense (and they will simply discontinue the old version).

So how is the new version compared to the older one (and compared to the Canon, very good 100mm macro)? Well, according to Abbott it seems to perform very well – in some respects even better than the Canon – which is saying a lot.

Specs for the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD:

90mm f/2.8 Full Frame lenses for Canon/Nikon mounts.
14 elements in 11 groups.
Macro magnification 1:1 (30 cm minimum focus distance).
Filter thread 62mm.
eBAND and the improved BBAR coatings for reduced ghosting and flare.
9 blades aperture.
Ultrasonic Silent Drive.
Vibration reduction mechanism.
Weight 610 grams.
Price: $650 (Amazon).

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VIA: canonwatch.

Iddo Genuth

Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.