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Site Update: Announcing the Tamron 50-400mm

Read More Sony I’m in the market for a new high end camera, so I was debating on buying the Sony A9 (used) and Sony A7 IV, as they were about the same price. For non-Sony camera enthusiasts, let me break down …

I’m in the market for a new long (over 200mm) lens for my new Sony A7IV and did look at some of my options in the world of 500 to 600mm for the Sony E-Mount. After much debate over price, weight, size, and actual usage (basically I will only need these lens for wildlife and sports), I have decided to be more realistic and put the shopping on pause. I even stated that “companies are always coming out with new lens option, so I will wait it out.”

Maybe Tamron heard me, and announced that they are working on the Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (Model A067) on July 28, 2022. The new lens will be coming out Fall 2022… which is just perfect for me. Count me in on being one of the first ones to buy this versatile lens.

Currently, I’m rocking the Tamron 28-200mm and constantly complained that I wish I could get a little closer. This newly announced lens will double my reach to 400mm… which will work out for me. It’s also small (7 inches) and weighs about 2.5lbs, which twice as less as those 600mm lens. I hand-hold my camera, so I need my gear as light as possible.

Seeing as I’m very happy with the performance of my Tamron 28-200mm, I know I will be happy with the upcoming 50-400mm. I just hope it’s not that expensive.

Here is an excerpt from Tamron’s press release:

The 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (Model A067) creates an entirely new category for high-performance ultra-telephoto mirrorless zoom lenses. With an 8x zoom ratio that begins at an unprecedented 50mm (commonly called the “standard” focal length for full-frame cameras), this new ultra-telephoto zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras is the same size as conventional 100-400mm zoom lenses, yet offers a wider angle of view on the wide end for excellent versatility. The 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 is remarkably compact with a length of just 183.4mm (7.2 in) and a light weight of 1,155g (40.7 oz) but provides unparalleled high performance at all focal lengths. In spite of the high magnification ratio, high image quality is delivered across the entire 50-400mm range through the effective arrangement of special lens elements. Equipped with TAMRON’s VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism that offers excellent quietness and responsiveness, plus TAMRON's proprietary image stabilization mechanism VC (Vibration Compensation), the lens delivers versatile capability for all shooting scenarios.

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Sony A7IV at Springbrook Nature Center, Fridley (01 Aug 2022)

Read More Sony I’m in the market for a new high end camera, so I was debating on buying the Sony A9 (used) and Sony A7 IV, as they were about the same price. For non-Sony camera enthusiasts, let me break down …

It’s been one year since we did a photo shoot with the Sony A7C at the Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley… so I thought it would make sense to do a test run of the new Sony A7IV camera at the same location, on August 1, 2022.

A7IV and A7C

Even though Sony called the A7C “the world’s smallest full frame camera”, playing around with the A7IV, I didn’t really think the A7C was that small. It is smaller, but looking at the camera, side-by-side, they look similar to each other, in terms of size. You will only notice the differences when you hold the A7IV. It’s bigger and it’s heavier. You noticed the bigger grip, which I find too big.

You also notice a ton of extra dials and buttons. Power users will want to assign certain items to certain buttons and dials, which is simply a better experience. You see the A7C can do many things, but you have to dig through Sony’s menu, which is slow and cumbersome. With the A7IV, you just assign that feature to button.

Sony also revamped the camera menu, which is found in newer cameras. It’s color-coded and looks good. I am looking forward to having Sony update all their cameras with this new menu system.

All the photos on my hike through the Springbrook Nature Center were taken with the Tamron 28-200mm lens, which is still my favorite lens. I still somewhat wish I could reach just a little further, maybe 400mm… but those long lens tend to be very pricey and has very limited usage. You basically will want a long lens for photographing animals and sports. For everyday use, I think the 28-200mm range is just perfect. Of course, I did debate on getting a 600mm or 500mm lens last month, but weighing all my options and its usage, I am going to put purchasing that lens on pause. Companies are always coming out with new lens option, so I will wait it out. Right now, 28-200mm is perfect for me.

The A7IV uses a new auto-focusing system… which I’m not quite used to. To be honest, I felt the A7C did a better job on auto-focusing, but I’m still learning to use the A7IV, so perhaps it’s just a matter of figuring it all out.

Birds at the Springbrook Nature Center, Fridley (01 Aug 2022)

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Sony A7 IV

Read More Sony So, anyway, my next camera is the “Compact” Sony α7c. I have wanted this camera since it was announced in September 2020. It’s basically an α7III, but smaller (and slightly cheaper). A lot of reviews …

I’m in the market for a new high end camera, so I was debating on buying the Sony A9 (used) and Sony A7 IV, as they were about the same price.

For non-Sony camera enthusiasts, let me break down Sony’s current camera offering in the Alpha (a) line. In the full frame mirrorless camera market, Sony offers basically two types of cameras: the A7 and A9 (and its successor the Alpha 1).

In the A7 line, there are four subcategories: A7, A7R, A7S, and the new A7C. The A7R series stands for Resolution, and aimed at still photography and high resolution images. The A7S series stands for Sensitivity, and aimed for video professionals. The A7C series, a new class that was introduced a year ago, stands for Compact, and aimed at traveling photographers. The standard A7 cameras are basically a Jack of all trades, master of none.

The A9 and Alpha 1 are a different class of camera, they are very expensive. For example, the retail price of the Alpha 1 is $6,500. That’s not in anyone’s budget… except professionals who swears by it.

Since I didn’t want to buy a used A9 (even though the price was right), this leave me one choice: Sony A7 IV.

After using the A7C for a year, I am starting to recognize some of its limitations. Since the camera is smaller, Sony had to remove some physical buttons, and other features (such as an extra card slot, no eye hood, and bad viewer). The camera wasn’t designed as a workhorse, but rather for those traveling and on the move. Which I knew what I was getting into when I bought it last year.

So, the A7IV improves on the popular A7III, by adding in a 33MP, 4k 30p (downsized from 7k), two card slots (one is CF Express Type A), improved auto-focusing technology, and best of all, the new BIONZ XR chip. This is the same chip found in Sony’s Alpha 1 cameras. The chip is eight times more powerful than its previous generations.

For many photographers who own the 7III, they said there’s not enough for them to upgrade. For early adopters or photographers with pre-production models, they complained that the A7IV overheats. With the pandemic causing supply issues, not a lot of people seemed excited about the A7IV.

I’m excited about the A7IV, because I want the new BIONZ XR… and I’m interested in seeing how it performs in low light situations, especially at live concert events. For professionals who poo-pooed the Sony “flippy screen”, they are idiots.

Since I’ve been using it on the A7C, I found that it’s a million times better than the old “tilt screen”. I’ve used the so-called flippy screen when I need to take overhead shots, or if I need a low view, or even “selfie” mode … the screen does it all and at all angles!!! When I’m not using the screen, I simply put it in “armor mode”, which protects the screen. The flippy screen is simply the greatest advantage that the A7C has over any other Sony camera on the market right now… and I know I will make good use of it on the A7IV.

For video shooters, I would wait to see what if Sony will release the Sony A7S IV, because the S series is due for an update.

For new photographers, interested in Full Frame, I still highly recommend the A7C, as it is the cheapest option, and you’re not going to need extra features (at least for now). Perhaps, maybe you can wait for the A7CII, as I’m sure Sony will make many improvements on the original C camera.

Comparison chart of Full Frame Sony Mirrorless cameras in the last five years. Note: BSI stands for Back Side Illuminated.

Camera	Chip	Sensor	Resolution	Burst	Price	Release Date
Sony α7 IV	BIONZ XR	CMOS, Exmor R	33MP	10fps	$2,498	2021-12
Sony α1	BIONZ XR	CMOS, Exmor RS	50MP	30fps	$6,498	2021-01
Sony α7c	BIONZ X	CMOS, Exmor R	24MP	10fps	$1,799	2020-10
Sony α7S III	BIONZ XR	CMOS, Exmor HD	12MP	10fps	$3,498	2020-09
Sony α9 II	BIONZ X	BSI Stacked CMOS, Exmor RS	24MP	20fps	$4,499	2019-10
Sony α7R IV	BIONZ X	BSI CMOS, Exmor R HD	61MP	10fps	$3,499	2019-07
Sony α7 III	BIONZ X	BSI CMOS, Exmor R HD	24MP	10fps	$1,998	2018-04
Sony α7R III	BIONZ X	BSI CMOS, Exmor R HD	42MP	10fps	$2,798	2017-11
Sony α9	BIONZ X	CMOS, Exmor HD	24MP	20fps	$2,899	2017-05

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Site Update: New lens and camera considerations

Read More Tamron After much considerations, I decided to put my chips in a Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 lens, a fairly new-ish Full Frame lens that came out in June 2020. I’ll go over some of the positive. First of all, the price is fantastic. It retails for $729 ....

After nearly one year of using, and loving, the Sony a7c (since Aug 2021), in combination of the Tamron 28-200mm Lens (Sep 2021)… I am already thinking of getting a new lens and/or thinking about buying a new Sony camera.

While I do like the idea of the “all-in-one” lens of 28-200mm, I find that I’m always in need of more reach, often using the 200mm. You see, how I shoot shows is different than most live concert photographers. I don’t want to fight fans to get up in front, so most of my shots are done at the back of the venue… as if I’m not there and definitely not obstructing any fans. Plus, I find that most of my shots from the photo pit are looking up at the subject, which is not great, in my opinion.

Basically, what I’m looking for is a lens that can go past 200mm… and in the Sony E-Mount world, I have a few choices:

Sony 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 for $2,000

Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 for $1,400

Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 for $1,200

The Sony lens is out of the question, just based on the price. If money was no object, yes, I would like a native Sony lens, for the fact that there is no limit on burst mode and the ability to use extenders.

Between the Sigma and Tamron, I’m starting to lean towards the Sigma, just based on that extra 100mm difference (it max out at 600mm vs Tamron’s 500mm). I’m going to wait for a sale, but if I can’t find one any cheaper… I may have to go with the Tamron because it’s less expensive (as of this writing you can buy it new for $1200).

Both lens have a minimal focus point of 23 inches, so you can get really tight macro closeups. The Sigma is larger and weighs about 1 pound more than the Tamron, but given that it has a longer reach that is to be expected. Both offers lens stabilization and other similar features.

I’ll continue to do more research on the main differences between the two lens, but, as far as I can tell, they are pretty much the same lens, except one is larger and has more reach. To me, Tamron seem to design the lens for compactness and is meant for the traveling photographer.

Also worth noting is that the Sigma has a 4 year warranty, while Tamron offers a 6 year warranty. I’ve never had to use any of the manufacturer’s warranty, but it is nice to know that these companies stand behind their products.

In the end, I think I’ll be happy to buy either lens.

The Cult at Palace (08 July 2022)

As for new cameras, I’m looking at the new Sony a7IV or the Sony a9 (used). They’re both about the same price, although I’m not entirely confident in buying a used camera.

The new camera will use the super telephoto lens, so I can quickly shoot close ups or wide. I know, I know, this is extreme, but when you’re out shooting in the field, it’s very annoying to swap out a different lens (especially when it’s only temporary). Plus, I’ve always wanted a backup camera. Anyway, for example, the closest I can get using the 200mm lens is shown on the left. I have to get Ian Astbury’s full body… but what I really wanted was Astbury’s head and shoulders to fill out the frame and get more details in his face.

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

2020-2021 Shows

There’s no doubt about it, 2020 sucked, no thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic that banned all social gathering. You can see that the lock down kicked in early March 2020. Shows started happening again in July 2021.

GRAND TOTAL: 69 Shows



DECEMBER 2021 (1 Show)

• 12/15 Lindsey Buckingham at Uptown Theater, Kansas City

Lindsey Buckingham at Uptown Theater, Kansas City (2021-12-15)

NOVEMBER 2021 (4 Shows)

• 11/02 Moon Kissed at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 11/13 Bloomington Comic Expo at VFW Post, Bloomington

• 11/15 Julien Baker at Granada Theater, Lawrence • 11/21 lovelytheband at The Truman, Kansas City

Moon Kissed at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (2021-11-02)

OCTOBER 2021 (18 Shows)

• 10/01 Indigo De Souza at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 10/03 Middle Kids at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis • 10/05 Nation of Language at Turf Club, St Paul • 10/07 Idles at Palace Theatre, St Paul • 10/08 Backseat Lovers at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 10/09 Japanese Breakfast at Liberty Hall, Lawrence • 10/11 Black Midi at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis • 10/15 Madison Cunningham at Turf Club, St Paul • 10/19 100 Gecs at First Avenue, Minneapolis

• 10/20 Kiefer at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis • 10/21 I Am Kawehi at Turf Club, St Paul • 10/23 Weezer at Hasbro Pulse Con • 10/24 Liily at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 10/26 Bleachers at Fillmore, Minneapolis • 10/27 Dayglow at First Avenue, Minneapolis • 10/27 Tokyo Police Club at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 10/28 Dar Williams at Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis • 10/29 Michael Franti Trioat 8th & Mass Lawrence

Idles at Palace Theatre, St Paul (2021-10-07)

SEPTEMBER 2021 (15 Shows)

• 09/06 Minnesota State Fair 2021 • 09/09 Kathleen Edwards at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis • 09/12 Big Thief at Liberty Hall, Lawrence • 09/14 Durand Jones & The Indications at Fine Line, Minneapolis • 09/16 Kelly Lee Owens at Fine Line, Minneapolis • 09/17 Torres at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 09/18 Mdou Moctar at Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis

• 09/19 Japanese Breakfast at First Avenue, Minneapolis • 09/20 Algiers at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 09/20 Rufus Wainwright at Uptown Theater, Kansas City • 09/21 Parker Millsap at Turf Club, St Paul • 09/22 Glass Animals at Azura Amphitheater, Bonner Springs • 09/22 Heartless Bastards at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis • 09/25 ford. at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 09/25 Bob Mould Band at First Avenue, Minneapolis

Japanese Breakfast at First Avenue, Minneapolis (2021-09-19)

AUGUST 2021 (10 Shows)

• 08/07 Small Black at the 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 08/14 Free Comic Book Day 2021 • 08/14 Citizen Cope at Live on Mass, Lawrence • 08/20 Planet ComiCon at Bartle Hall, Kansas City • 08/21 Planet ComiCon at Bartle Hall, Kansas City

• 08/21 Nelson Devereaux and The RT’s at Turf Club, St Paul • 08/22 Modest Mouse at Armory, Minneapolis • 08/22 Planet ComiCon at Bartle Hall, Kansas City • 08/23 The Boxmasters at Jayhawk Theatre, Topeka • 08/27 Valley Maker at the 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis

Modest Mouse at Armory, Minneapolis (2021-08-22)

JULY 2021 (3 Shows)

• 07/08 Horsegirl at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis • 07/24 Fountain City Mini-Con at Community Center, Lenexa

• 07/27 Black Pistol Fire at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis

Horsegirl at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (08 Jul 2021)

MAY 2021 (2 Shows)

• 05/02 MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis

• 05/15 Spring Fling Comic Book Show at Mermaid Entertainment & Event Center, Mounds View

Spring Fling Comic Book Show at Mermaid Entertainment & Event Center, Mounds View (15 May 2021)

OCTOBER 2020 (1 Show)

• 10/25 MN Toy Posse Halloween Bash IV at Everett McClay VFW Post 1296, Bloomington

MN Toy Posse Halloween Bash IV at Everett McClay VFW Post 1296, Bloomington (25 Oct 2020)

AUGUST 2020 (2 Shows)

• 08/02 MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis

• 08/30 MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis

MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (30 Aug 2020)

JULY 2020 (1 Show)

• 07/12 Summer Swap at Eagles 34, Minneapolis

Summer Swap at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (12 Jul 2020)

MARCH 2020 (5 Shows)

• 03/02 The Lone Bellow at Knuckleheads, Kansas City • 03/03 Wire at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis • 03/04 Nektar at recordBar, Kansas City

• 03/06 Glass Animals at recordBar, Kansas City • 03/08 Zack Villere at The Roxy, Los Angeles

Wire at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (03 Mar 2020)

FEBRUARY 2020 (5 Shows)

• 02/15 Dirty Honey at Riot Room, Kansas City • 02/17 Poppy at Liberty Hall, Lawrence • 02/21 We Were Promised Jetpacks at recordBar, Kansas

• 02/28 Destroyer at Granada Theater, Lawrence • 02/29 Durand Jones and the Indications at Bottleneck, Lawrence

We Were Promised Jetpacks at recordBar, Kansas City (21 Feb 2020)

JANUARY 2020 (2 Shows)

• 01/21 Your Smith at Fine Line Music Cafe

• 01/27 Midge Ure at RecordBar, Kansas City

Midge Ure at Record Bar, Kansas City (27 Jan 2020)

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Clockology

Read More Apple I didn’t intend to get it, but after contemplating about the Black Friday prices for the new Apple Watch SE for about $200, I couldn’t pass it up. As you know, starting last year, Apple ....

One of my biggest complaint about the Apple Watch was that there weren’t many official face options for your watch. While that remains true, I have since discovered Clockology. This changes everything.

With Clockology, you can create any sort of clock face that you want. I have downloaded a few from the internet, and I’ve modified a few of them for my needs.

The app is very powerful and contains a lot of nice perks. The only drawback is that weather and certain features are not available on the non-paid version. Normally, I wouldn’t mind paying once for a feature, but unfortunately, it’s currently subscription-based (about $20 a year).

Since I don’t have access to weather, I’ve removed a lot of those features when I tweaked these clock faces.

The other thing about Clockology is that it is really clunky how to get it to work.I’ll summarize, you need to download a special “enable beta” file. Once you download the file, you need to “Watch Sync” … and voila, the Clockology will now work on your watch.

Since it’s an app on your watch, you need to keep Clockology running… which means you might have to look in your settings to let it run in the background and so on.

So, I take it back, regarding limited clock faces for the Apple Watch. Now with the Clockology app, it’s unlimited what I can do… and now my new problem is deciding which clock face to use! I’m partial to the Star Trek’s LCARS or Fallout’s Pip Boy.

Anyway, I have put together a few of my favorite Clockology clock faces that I’ve downloaded and tweaked to my needs. Download here: drive.google.com.

Enjoy,

- Weekend Gamer

Monty Python

Fallout

Super Mario Bros

Cyberpunk 2077

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Apple Watch SE

Read More Apple The iconic iPhone 7 has been announced by Apple yesterday (September 7th). It is the latest and greatest from the company, and they are getting a lot of negative feedback about the lack of a headphone jack ....

I didn’t intend to get it, but after contemplating about the Black Friday prices for the new Apple Watch SE for about $200, I couldn’t pass it up. As you know, starting last year, Apple introduced their “budget” Apple Watch, the SE, which strips out some features.

What’s missing from the SE is a faster/latest processor, no ECG and blood oximiter sensors, no always-on display, and lacking UWB or 5GHz Wi-Fi communication capabilities. If you absolutely have to one of those things, then you need to buy the new Series 7.

My biggest complaint is that you must have an iPhone to use with the Apple Watch. I believe you can only have one active watch at one time, so if you own multiple Apple Watches, it only works with just one.

The other complaint is that battery life is absolutely bad. You need to charge it every day. To be fair, most smart watches requires you to charge once a day. My Amazfit GTR 2 advertised battery life of 7 days, but in reality, it’s really only two or three days. So battery life just sucks all across the board.

My last complaint is there aren’t many watch faces officially available from Apple. I’m assuming that it will get better over time. There are many third party watch face makers, but none of them are very good. The really good one costs subscription fees, which I would rather not pay for. If they sell individual face for, say $1, I wouldn’t mind paying for one or two… but unfortunately, there’s not many choices.

Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with the new watch. I feel it’s “fast enough” for my needs, and it has all the health tracking abilities in other smart watches. My two health focus is sleep tracking and heart beats… but obviously, you can use it to track various other things, like standing up or walking/running.

One of the coolest thing going from my Amazfit watch to the Apple Watch is that Apple has some applications built for WatchOS… which Amazfit some some Android Watches don’t have. For example, I used the calculator on my watch (for tipping) and showed up the compass on the watch to my brother.

Another perk in the Apple brand that you may not be aware of, is all the many, many, many accessories you can get for the Apple Watch. Need a new wrist band ? There are a million bands out there. Don’t want to pay $100 for Apple’s Milanese Loop ? There are knock-offs you can get for $15 (which is exactly what I did for a similar Milanese Loop at Walmart).

So, if you’re keeping track, I’m officially 100% into the Apple Echosystem, owning the new iPhone 13, iPad Pro 12.9 (2021), Apple TV (HD), and, now, the Apple Watch SE (2021).

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Site Update: Lucky 13

Read More iPhone The iconic iPhone 7 has been announced by Apple yesterday (September 7th). It is the latest and greatest from the company, and they are getting a lot of negative feedback about the lack of a headphone jack ....

As you may, or may not, know, I’m about to wind down and heading into Winter Hibernation mode. I do have one final show that I (want) and will cover, Bad Religion at the Palace Theatre in St Paul on November 16th. I am a long-time Bad Religion fan and will brave the snow, if I have to, to see the band play.

Anyway, as an early birthday gift to myself, I’ve decided to buy Apple’s latest iPhone 13. The move from Google’s Android is partly due to the way Visible Mobile works on iOS. I can connect up to five devices to my iOS Phone, verses one device on Android.

Plus, since I started using an iPhone X in the last few months, I’ve learned to really admire how easy it was to use the iPhone. Everything just seems to work better and easier on the iPhone. For example, the Bluetooth connects with my car without any issues. My old Android phone would sometime randomly disconnect. It’s super annoying, especially when you’re driving and you absolutely need my phone to connect to the car.

Since I’m already a big iPad fan, moving to the iPhone is effortless.

Now, for the bad news, if you’re also on the fence about switching to the iPhone… it’s actually hard to switch over (at least for me).

For starters, you cannot just buy an unlocked brand new iPhone at any retailers, such as Target or Best Buy or Amazon. Basically, the only way to get an unlock phone is through Apple. You can buy it online, or you can visit one of their retail stores. Unfortunately, their physical store can be quite popular … meaning you have to wait in line to get an appointment to buy a phone (which can take over an hour).

The other bad thing is that generally when you buy into the Apple ecosystem, you’re going to be locked in their system. Again, having own an iPad and an Apple TV, and thinking about getting an iWatch… I’m basically already locked in. Just be aware that Apple always charges more for their products… but if it means quality and that the money goes to an American company, I’m okay with paying more.

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Lens

Read More Sony So, anyway, my next camera is the “Compact” Sony α7c. I have wanted this camera since it was announced in September 2020. It’s basically an α7III, but smaller (and slightly cheaper). A lot of reviews …

Since buying the new Sony A7C camera in early August, I have been researching on acquiring a new lens to pair with the new body.

Basically, I needed a lens that can do portraits, I needed a wide shot lens (for crowd scenes), and I needed the ability to zoom in for details. I can buy three different lenses, or I can get something called an “all-in-one” lens. The trade off for getting an all-in-one vs a specialized lens is that often the all-in-one don’t offer the fastest or sharpest images.

After much considerations, I decided to put my chips in a Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 lens, a fairly new-ish Full Frame lens that came out in June 2020.

I’ll go over some of the positive. First of all, the price is fantastic. It retails for $729, which is still almost half the price of similar offering from Sony. There is a reason for the affordable price, which I’ll address in the negative section.

Second, the lens is very quiet, thanks to Tamron’s own RXD Motor (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) technology. Since there’s literally no sounds coming from the lens – this is suitable for video filming. I’ve own older Sony lenses that produces great stills, but its auto-focusing motor is so loud that you cannot use it to record videos.

Also, there is a physical lock button, if you prefer to set the lens at a certain length or if you’re traveling and doesn’t want the lens to extend accidentally.

He-Man

The range of 28mm to 200mm is very versatile. You can get great close-up “macro” shots as seen in this He-Man toy. You notice the tiny dust particles at this close range.

Many critics said that the lens is small and light, perfect for travel… I wasn’t used to the weight. The lens actually weighs more than my Sony a7c, at 1.27lbs and 1.1lbs respectively. However, when you compare it to other similar lenses, the Tamron is actually considered light and small.

Starting at F2.8, Tamron boasts that it’s the first lens of this type to offer this small number. The lower the F number, the better it performs in low light. That number might not mean anything to you, if you always shoot in good light.

Now, I’ll address the negative. This lens does not have stabilization. Sony puts stabilization (called OSS) in all their lenses, but that drives their prices up. Tamron’s stabilization system called VC (Vibration Compensation Mechanism), however, they decided to forgo with it on this 28-200mm lens. I don’t blame Tamron for this decision, considering if adding VC to the lens meant that the product is much heavier and costs above $1,000 … then I stand behind this decision to leave out VC on this lens.

On older Sony cameras (anything with a III or less), you might want to look at lenses with OSS or VC… however, on newer cameras, such as my a7c, which has built-in body stabilization, it shouldn’t be such a big problem.

While the lens is “Moisture-Resistant” and coated with Fluorine, it’s not water proof or water resistant or has weather sealing. I wouldn’t recommend shooting in the rain.

Other than that, I think the good outweighs the bad. Particularly, for the price. If the lens costs just as much as Sony or Sigma, then I would be more vocals about the negative. So far, from what I’ve experience using the lens, I think it has a good price for what it offers. It’s possible that if or when Tamron releases a newer version, this 28-200mm may even be cheaper. If you don’t need the lens right away, I would wait for a sale or buy it used. I’ve seen it sold for $650, so you can find a bargain, if you look around.

28mm and 200mm from Tamron

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Site Update: Sony a7c Camera

Product highlights World’s smallest and lightest full-frame camera Advanced 24.2MP Back-Illuminated 35mm Full-frame Image Sensor 4K Movie w/ full pixel readout, no pixel binning or crop and HDR 15-stop dynamic range, 14-bit uncompressed RAW, ISO 50 to 204,800 693 phase-detection / 425 contrast AF points w/ 93% image coverage Real-time AF Tracking, Real-time Eye AF and Animal Eye-AF 3” flip-out, vari-angle LCD makes framing and vlogging easy 5-axis in-body image stabilization, 5-step shutter speed advantage Up to 10fps Silent11 or Mechanical Shutter with AE/AF tracking Long-lasting Z battery for up to 740 images or 220 min. for movie Multi Interface Shoe™ for flash or digital audio with external mic. Compact, dust and moisture resistant, monocoque magnesium alloy body Camera control and file sharing with Android and iOS smartphones High-speed 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi / FTP transfer and wireless PC remote SuperSpeed USB Type-C™ (USB 3.1 Gen 1 compatible) and Micro USB No 29m 50s continuous recording limit for movie shooting Fast, wide, dependable 4D Focus w/ Eye AF, Lock-on AF, AF tracking 7x adjustable AF Transition Speeds, 5x AF Subject Shift Sensitivity S-log / 3 workflow plus instant HDR with Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) Headphone, mic jacks and HDMI port Read More Sony Also, as you know, my kit lens for my Sony NEX-3N stopped working (which was why, for a brief time, I was drawing the bands)... I had to order a replacement lens the day it stopped working and was expecting …

If it all works out, the Small Black show at the 7th Street Entry on Saturday is going to be the last time I’ll be using the Sony α6000 camera. This is an excellent APS-C camera, considering its retail pricing compared to other camera in its class. For five years, the camera performed without any issues and served as my main workhorse for thousands of shows.

Before I talk about the new camera, let me tell you about my personal road that lead me here. I got into the Sony lens camera with the Sony NEX-3N camera in May 2013… this was an upgrade from my Micro 4/3 Olympus PEN E-P1 (which I had since Oct 2009).

The Sony NEX cameras evolved to what we know today as the Alpha (α) cameras. Sony was smart in their designs, because all these cameras shares the same lens interchange system called E-Mount. This is amazing, you can use any E-Mount lens on a variety of Sony products, including Sony α, SmartShot, Handycam, NXCAM or XDCAM systems.

So, going from my NEX camera to my first α (which I purchased in May 2016), I just reused my NEX lens on the new camera. This is such a cost-saving thing that I’m basically locked into the Sony system – thanks to their lens design.

For the uninitiated, I’ll break down Sony’s confusing camera naming system for their Alpha (α) cameras:

• α5000: consumer level ($400)
• α6000-6400: Advance consumer level ($800-$1k)
• α7: Basic Full Frame ($2k), which also includes α7R for Resolution ($3k) and α7S: Sensitivity ($3.5)
• α9: Flagship ($4.5k)
• α1: Ultimate Flagship ($6.5k)

As you can see, the two flagship α9 and α1 (which was introduced this year) are not affordable. My best option is the α7 (3rd revision), which costs about $2k. That price is still pretty high, considering there are cheaper alternative cameras with similar specs… however, none of those other cameras will work with my E-Mount lenses or capable of “eye detection” or incredibly fast auto focusing system that Sony developed with the a6000. At the time of its release, Sony boasted it had the fastest auto focusing system.

So, anyway, my next camera is the “Compact” Sony α7c. I have wanted this camera since it was announced in September 2020. It’s basically an α7III, but smaller (and slightly cheaper). A lot of reviews don’t like the 7c because they think it’s too small and prefers the larger and heavier 7III… but the way I see it, I don’t think they have a good argument. They don’t understand that not everybody wants bigger and larger, but prefers smaller and compact.

Now for the bad news, while I am looking forward to the full frame camera, it’s quite an expensive jump to this format. Although my old APS-C lenses will work on this new camera, it doesn’t take advantage of the full 35mm frame. Full frame lenses are all triple the price (or more) of the standard APS-C version. For example, an APS-C 70-200mm lens will cost about $250… the same equivalent full frame lens will cost $1000.

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