If you've been looking for a long telephoto lens for less than £1000, odds are you've been disappointed. Until now that is, as the new Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 VC USD boasts an impressive zoom range and just sneaks in under the £1000 bracket.

I recently purchased this lens and used it almost exclusively during a stay of a week on an island photographing all manner of seabirds including the ubiquitous Puffin; for the price I paid the lens was outstanding producing sharp and detailed images sometimes at great range.

Durable; Great Features; Great Picture Quality; Simple Controls

I needed a telephoto lens for a pending holiday in the Highlands of Scotland, my camera is a Canon 7D. I had already bought a 2 times converter as I could not afford a dedicated Canon tele lens but wasn't satisfied with the quality or resolution.

The focus is faster than the other telephoto zooms I tested before buying. I am impressed with the quality of the hand-held shots even when extended to the full 600mm focal length. Low light doesn't seem to be challenge as I used the moon for some shots and got excellent results.

Used with Canon EOS 1D M4 and compared to Canon EF 300L F2.8 IS M2 with 2xTC M3. Tamron's actual max focal length is 580mm. At the max focal length pictures are lucking about 5% of sharpness against EF 300L F2.8 IS M2 with 2xTC M3 converter.

Easy to use

I really like this lens. It is very sharp and quite fast focusing. It is quite heavy but I find the weight helps to steady it when shooting without a tripod.

I bought this lens because it offered 600mm over the 400mm of my canon lens that had gone in for repairs. I read numerous reviews which praised the lens for its value for money. I took the lens to Lake Mungo National Park where I had 2 days bright sunshine and a day of overcast skies and rain.

The Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD ($1,069) is an intriguing lens for capturing nature, outdoor sports, and other distant action. It's compatible with full-frame cameras , although many shooters are likely to pair it with an APS-C body to enjoy some added telephoto reach.

Long telephoto reach; Optical stabilization; Strong center sharpness; Attractive price point; Zoom locking mechanism; Includes tripod collar and hood; Available for multiple systems

Pincushion distortion throughout range; Focus can be a little slow; Some blurriness at edges unless stopped down

Tamron's new ultra-zoom lens, the SP 150-600MM F/5-6.3 Di VC USD, is a large and powerful zoom lens for anyone that is looking to get up close and personal with their subjects. This large lens can be used with either Full-Frame or APS-C sized image sensors, although with an APS-C sensor you are...

Amazing zoom range; perfect for shooting from a distance; Vibration Correction adds up to 4 stops of correction when shooting handheld; Although large; it is compact for this class of lens; Smooth; easy rotating rings for zoom and focus; Weather-sealed for shooting in all conditions; Affordable...

Problems with the AF system on the cameras when using this lens; Slight amount of give when the lens is attached to a camera body

The Tamron's 600mm focal length is the longest in its class, so if it's absolute reach you're after, it has a clear advantage over other lenses currently on the market. The Sigma comes closest, with the camera manufacturers all offering 400mm instead.