You might conclude from this list of cons, and some of the criticism, that the Tamron 150-600mm is not exceptional, but that would be very wrong. There are very few perfect lenses and the issues should be taken under consideration based on their significance for type of photographer who will use...

The Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD would rate recommendation on the basis of its price alone, all other factors being equal. Its closest competitor is Sigma's 150-500mm f/5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM, which has a similar AF drive mechanism and optical stabilisation.

The ultimate focal length for surfing and bird photography. This wonderful lens from Tamron has taken the market by storm because it has a huge focal range and a very reasonable price. It has great quality especially in the 300 - 500mm range and has fast AF and a great image stabilizer.

Bought second-hand for ￡500 ($750) two weeks ago, and I must say it is far better than I was expecting! I already had the superb Tamron 24-70 (A007) so my expectations were pretty high in any case. On the full frame D810 auto-focus is virtually instant and accurate.

Excellent VR - Hand-holdable @600, affordable, good contrast & colour, smooth bokeh

None at this price

Before summarizing the performance metrics let me make a clear statement here. Tamron did something awesome with the Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD - they managed to produce this lens at a very moderate price tag of less than 1000 US$/EUR.

Gary Wolstenholme reviews this new ultra telephoto zoom lens from Tamron, with a massive 600mm telephoto zoom.

Very good centre sharpness throughout the range; Effective Vibration Compensation system; Good value; Good build quality; Extremely low CA; Low distortion; Resistant to flare and retains good contrast shooting into the light

No claims made about weather resistance

The Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD is an excellent ultra-telephoto zoom lens, offering good image quality with smooth bokeh and sharpness, an effective built-in image stabilisation system which makes it possible to hand-hold and still get sharp results, and a price that certainly won't break...

I've only owned this lens for a week, but I've waited 7 months for it to ship after pre-ordering, so I thought I'd get some info out to you sooner rather then later. This lens pairs extremely well with my Nikon D7100 and is sharp to 500mm wide-open (well f/6 anyhow at 500mm).

taking unlimited hydroplane boat races

Consistent Output; Durable; Easily Interchangeable; Fast / accurate auto-focus; Rugged; Strong Construction

Heavy

In it's class of super telephoto lenses this is a great value for the cost. Photos are sharp and clear. I took the time to calibrate (AF) the lens to camera and found the lens right on the money w/o adjustment.