Lens Lab
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF)
17–50mm · f/2.8
Overview
The Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) is a compact, lightweight standard zoom for APS-C DSLRs, offering constant f/2.8 aperture and good image quality. Optical strengths include flat sharpness at f/2.8 across most focal lengths, excellent sharpness at f/4, and low chromatic aberration except at 17mm corners. Weaknesses include moderate vignetting wide open, barrel distortion at 17mm, and pincushion at 24-50mm. Build is solid but plastic, with smooth zoom and fast AF, though the focus motor is noisy. It suits budget-conscious APS-C users wanting a fast, versatile zoom.