Big Mike's SLY500 500mm
Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD
What Buyers Say
Big Mike's SLY500 500mm
This budget telephoto lens receives mixed reviews. Many users praise its value for the price, noting clear focus and decent image quality for occasional use like moon photography. However, several verified buyers report issues with soft focus, dust contamination, and poor build quality, especially with the 2x teleconverter. It is best suited for those with realistic expectations who are willing to use a tripod and manual focus.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Clear focus for occasional use
- Decent image quality on tripod
- Good for moon and eclipse photography
- Solid adapter and converter machining
Cons
- Soft focus on some units
- Dust contamination from 2x teleconverter
- Requires lots of light (f/8 max aperture)
- No image stabilization
- Adapter lacks back cover
Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD
The Tamron 28-300mm super-zoom wins praise for its lightweight design, versatile focal range, and solid image quality. Users appreciate the compact build and smooth zoom mechanism, but note the slow aperture and trade-offs in sharpness compared to more expensive zooms. Verified reviewers find it an ideal travel lens that pairs well with Sony bodies.
Pros
- Lightweight design
- Versatile 28-300mm focal range
- Smooth zoom ring operation
- Compact build for travel
- Good integration with Sony bodies
Cons
- Small maximum aperture (f/4-7.1)
- Reduced sharpness vs. premium zooms
- Not an internal zoom lens
- Slow autofocus at high fps on some bodies
Scores
Specifications
| Big Mike's SLY500 500mm | Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | telephoto | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 500 mm | 28 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 1000 mm | 300 mm |
| Elements | — | 20 |
| Groups | — | 13 |
| Aspherical Elements | — | 3★ |
| ED Elements | — | 2★ |
| Coating | multi-coated | fluorine coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/8 | f/4 |
| Min Aperture | f/8 | 4-7.1 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | — | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | T Mount | Sony E |
| Format | — | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | — | ✓★ |
| Weight | 1.16 kg | 0.59 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | VXD linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 500 mm | 190 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | — | 1:2.8★ |
Pros & Cons
Big Mike's SLY500 500mm
- Strong stabilization (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong versatility (72nd percentile)
- Below average user sentiment (6th percentile)6th %ile
- Below average af (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average build (15th percentile)15th %ile
Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD
- Strong versatility (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong optical (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
Pricing
Big Mike's SLY500 500mm offers 1.9x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 100 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 9 of 21 specs.
