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

great for nature photography.

Durable; Easily Interchangeable

taking unlimited hydroplane boat races

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

Heavy

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

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.

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.

Pros:- reach light weight effective VC decent IQ price Cons:- Have to use f/8 to get decent sharpness at 600mm Not a replacement for 600mm f/4

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 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.

Being in general a wide to moderate tele-zoom kind of guy, I have found myself occasionally frustrated by lacking a long zoom or tele prime when shooting in the great outdoors. There are some scenes and places that cry out for a longer focal length, and it's not from laziness but more accessibility...