TTArtisan 50mm f/2 50mm
Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD
What Buyers Say
TTArtisan 50mm f/2 50mm
This manual 50mm lens is praised for its compact all-metal build, smooth focus ring, and excellent value for money. Many users find it sharp enough when stopped down and enjoy the satisfying bokeh and aperture clicks. However, some report softness at wide apertures, flare issues, and occasional quality control problems like a tight mount or focus past infinity. Overall, it's a solid budget choice for those comfortable with manual focus.
Pros
- Compact all-metal construction
- Smooth focus ring
- Excellent value for money
- Satisfying bokeh
- Sharp when stopped down
Cons
- Soft at wide apertures
- Flare issues
- Occasional quality control problems
- No electronic communication with camera
- Distortion needs manual correction
Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD
The Tamron 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD is widely praised as a versatile all-in-one zoom for Sony APS-C cameras. Users love the incredible 16.6x range, close focusing at the wide end, and solid image quality, though some note softness beyond 70-80mm and slow autofocus. The lens is heavier than typical crop-sensor lenses but still considered portable. A few verified buyers report issues with sharpness at the telephoto end and a stiff zoom ring, but the majority find it an excellent walk-around lens that replaces multiple primes and zooms.
Pros
- Incredible 16.6x zoom range
- Close focusing at wide end (semi-macro)
- Good image quality and color rendition
- Solid build with weather sealing
- Effective vibration compensation (VC)
Cons
- Softness beyond 70-80mm
- Slow autofocus compared to smaller zooms
- Heavy and bulky for APS-C
- Stiff zoom ring when zooming out
- Moderate distortion at both ends
Scores
Specifications
| TTArtisan 50mm f/2 50mm | Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 50 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 50 mm | 300 mm |
| Elements | 6 | 19 |
| Groups | 5 | 5 |
| Aspherical Elements | — | 3★ |
| ED Elements | — | 4★ |
| Coating | multi-layer coating | Fluorine Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/16 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/2 | 3.5-6.3 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 10★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Sony E |
| Format | full-frame★ | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | — | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.20 kg★ | 0.62 kg |
| Filter Thread | 43 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | VXD linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 500 mm | 150 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | — | 1:2★ |
Pros & Cons
TTArtisan 50mm f/2 50mm
- Strong build (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
- Below average optical (31st percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD
- Strong versatility (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong optical (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong macro (87th percentile)87th %ile
Pricing
TTArtisan 50mm f/2 50mm offers 3.6x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 100 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 21 specs.
