The Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD ($1,199) couldn't have been an easy lens to design. It covers an extremely wide angle of view, has a maximum f/2.8 aperture, zooms, and is optically stabilized to boot.

Sharp; Optically stabilized; Maximum f/2.8 aperture throughout zoom range; Integrated lens hood; Ultra-wide field of view; Close focus capability; Available for Canon, Nikon, and Sony systems

Lots of distortion; Bulky; No filter support; Some flare issues

This ultra-wide angle lens from Tamron sports a fast constant aperture of f/2.8 and as it is one of Tamron's 'SP' lenses, it sports rugged build quality and a dust and weather sealed construction.

Excellent sharpness throughout the range in the centre and towards the edges when stopped down; Effective Vibration Compensation system; Good value; Robust build quality; Moisture resistant construction

Not as sharp towards the edges at maximum aperture; Slight wave to distortion pattern may make corrections more difficult to apply in software afterwards

Announced at Photokina in September 2014, Tamron's SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD lens is now on sale locally for Canon and Nikon cameras, providing an attractive, more affordable alternative to similar wide-angle zoom lenses from Canon and Nikon.

One of the best lens you can get for an a mount , a99ii is my camera and this lens is tack sharp wide open, use it for landscape and other work, thanks Tamron for Filing the need of A mount users. Its a big lens and heavy if your hauling it around all day long but well worth the asking price.

I am beyond impressed. It is a rather large lens, physically speaking. It uses more plastic than I'd like. But, and this is a big but for me, the quality of the images are at the very least as good as and in some areas better, in my opinion, than the legendary Nikon 14-24 and a bit longer reach too...

Pros: Very Sharp at f/2.8 15mm across the lens Best 15-30 mm zoom for the price $1,199 Nice to have VC if you need it Like having the extra zoom 24-30 6 year warranty Feels like a very solid lens Cons: Maybe a bit heavy for some people No filter kit yet Doesn't say Nikon on it, a problem for some.

This lens is really great. Its lighter than its competitors, its got stabilization and great image quality. But its not without some cons, whether it changes your mind about buying it, is up to you. But, at f2.8, its soft.

#sweepstakes - First, let me say I love all of my Tamron lenses, and the 15-30mm has been a great addition. I've had it for about 2 months now, and I've used it almost every time I've gone out.

I use it every day for interior and architectural photography. There is no better lens for my work at the moment. Picture quality is unbeatable so you have to get used to the size of it.

I have had this lens now for slightly over a year before I decided to write this review in order to be honest as I can. Now at this point when I read some of the bad reviews about sharpness, I can only assume that they got a a flawed version as I found my version was at its sharpest from F4 to F13.