TAMRON 50-400mm | WATCH THIS before buying the lens

The Tamron 50-400mm f/4,5-6,3 Di III VC VXD is a very appealing lens for any landscape photographer. Be sure to watch my thoughts on this lens before buying it. Besides reviewing the lens for landscape photography, I also share my thoughts on the Tamron 50-400 lens for wildlife photography, while photographing the landscapes, walruses, polar bears, and birds of the Arctic.
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[@paulseymour7485]

Great video Thanks so much for the info and actually seeing it at work with end results.

[@mattia.astorino]

Here we go! Thanks for the video. I'm enjoying this lens and while hiking, even if the weight is important, having just two lens is an advantage. Currently i'm pairing it with tamron 20-40. They did a great job in my last trip to Val d'Orcia 😉

[@michaelgoodwin4480]

Thanks Mads. You’re one of my most trusted sources for this sort of thing as you’re practical and realistic vs a brand snob 😊. How do you see this fitting in your kit with your 28-200? Will it replace it? Will you only take the 28-200 when you need to travel light? Thanks again!

[@carmenjgarciap8153]

Nice photos Mads. Hope I can go there soon, looks so beautiful.

[@garykanston]

Mads, the minimalist polar bear shots are AWESOME - well done!!!

[@JohnPaul-ii]

Certainly think your Walrus images are the real winner’s on this trip Mads. Sharp and great eye contact. Thanks for sharing again. Stay safe 🇦🇺

[@jeffparker1617]

Great review in the wild, I picked up the Tamron 18-300 for my Fuji last year, took it on my cycle trip from Copenhagen to Amsterdam and it was great to have just a single lens that could do most of what I wanted to shoot, I'm just looking to take a few pictures to share online or hang around the house so value is higher for me than perfection

[@anthonyplancherel8274]

Great photography again Mads!

[@TheDrYamo]

Thanks Mads for the practical review👍🏼

[@TehGems1]

This is incredible. I got this lens about 15 minutes before you posted this video haha!

[@SteveZodiac777]

Thanks for a great video Mads - entertaining, informative, fun and beautiful images. I have the Tamron 150-500mm on my Sony A6600 - it's APS-C so that gives me 750mm at max zoom that is very good for wildlife. I'm impressed with Tamron.

[@MarkG998]

I used this lens with my Sony A7III in the Arctic about a month ago or so. Svalbard is beautiful! I was reasonably happy with the lens but wanted a 500mm or even a 600mm lens to see the polar bear a bit better.

[@alangardner8596]

Thank you Mads, you keep amazing us.

[@randyschwager2515]

Great review! Excellent info…and amazing Bears! WOW! Thanks for taking me along!

[@JimKopriva]

That shot with the bear above the crashing wave is exceptional - same with the scarred walrus. Very fine work, and a very fine review of the lens. Looks like a practical winner.

[@boristahmasian9604]

Excellent lens throughout the range, even wide open. Macro feature is a nice surprise. If the focal range works for you, do not hesitate getting it.

[@cohoonatube]

Excellent review thank you. Either getting this for the A7iv, or going Fuji 40mp with 70-300 and TC :D. Loved seeing James as well! Been following him since his M43 days. Subbed!

[@JaypeaFoto]

Great shots. Love love the shot of the polar bear, dark rock and waves splashing against them. Nice contrast of your favourite of the polar bear shot as well.

[@Renjber__RenjStudios]

Elsker det her Mads, dette objektiv skal 100p ind i tasken🤩

[@scotty4418]

Sometimes it's a fine line balancing act such as you discussed in terms of overall quality (3 lenses) against practicality (2 lenses) and currently facing that dilemma with a trip to New York coming up. Loved the polar bear image contrasting against the dark background Mads, another reminder that we are only 1 species on this planet but yet we seem to cause the most harm

[@mattia.astorino]

Consider the 50-400 is ~1.4kg with the original collar. If you want to walk a lot with the camera in hand you feel the weight. But it's a great lens even for street photography (with good light) because the 50mm

[@joanneoconnor247]

Those walrus shots and the polar bear one after it absolutely awesome 🤩

[@daanvandee257]

I recently discovered your channel and I love your work! I am taking up photography and traveling again after a burnout and the period of the Rona lockdowns. But the problem is that I am a beginner and I'm completely overwhelmed with all the lens options. I was hoping you could give me some advise. Later this year I want to travel to Iceland for landscape photography and with some luck also the northern lights. Right now I have the Sony A6000 with the standard kit lens and an extra 55-210mm lens for wildlife. I want to upgrade the kit lens for a better one to make sure I get amazing photos, but I have no idea with which lens. Is there a lens that I can use for both landscapes and the nightsky/northerns lights? or do I really need 2 seperate lenses for that? I'm a beginner after all so buying lots of separate lenses feels a bit of a waste with my limited experience and skills. Keep up the amazing work!

[@brucewiebe6490]

Just picked up the 50-400 for our trip to Newfoundland, Ca. Hoping for Icebergs, Whales and Puffin plus general landscape shots. Tamron is making some great lenses. Also have the 28-200 which has been a great addition to my kit.

[@DavesEpicPhoneShots]

I loved those shots of the walrus! That shot of the polar bear at 12:27 was really good🤩

[@chirsd666]

Great video and images Mads! I'm sure that was a fun trip with Nigel and James to keep you company. I picked up the Tamron 50-400 last year, and compared it with my friends 100-400GM. The differences in image quality were negligible. The GM is a touch better at 400mm, but only if extreme pixel peeping. Since I already have the 200-600G for wildlife, the 50-400 is used mainly to cover landscape and streetscape/cityscape. There are 3 reasons I chose it over the 100-400GM: 1. The black 50-400 is much more discrete than the big white 100-400GM, particularly in an urban environment, where I shoot a lot. 2. The extra 50-100mm on the wide end. 3. Price difference. I would be real careful using this lens on a tripod without a tripod collar. So I also picked up a dedicated arca swiss compatible lens foot for it for $50, which works great. This is a split-collar design that allows installation and removal without taking the lens off the camera.

[@sunil3135]

@chirsd666 Did you consider a 70-200 lens with a extender before choosing the 50-400?

[@RiccardoGabarriniKazeatari]

​@@sunil3135 if you need the faster aperture of the 70-200, go for it. If you need to crop a lot and/or the best quality image possible, then avoid a 2x TC

[@existential_]

May I ask which collar you got? Been reading reviews on some where they can scratch the lens and the official Tamron one is way too expensive. Thanks!

[@p382742937423y4]

Thank you Mads!

[@thinkvlog_4life503]

Nice Video/ Review And Awesome Shots Keep Up The Good Work Peter And The Videos Coming :) Now I Have A Good Question, Will You Ever Film A Landscape Photography Video With Gavin Hardcastle? (Would Love To See Some Comedy Out Of That)

[@tonyjhughes]

Awesome! I have the Sigma 100-400 but it’s EF mount, with an MC-11 adapter it doesn’t fit through my smallrig rotatable mount 😢 which means I have to remove the mount if I want to change to that lens… now I have three E-mount alternatives… Sigma, Sony and this!!

[@photog1529]

Thank you, Mads. May need to consider this lens. Do you have a link for that particular lens collar?

[@hughjohns9110]

Great lens, I pair mine with the Sony 20-70 for 20-400 in two lenses. Brilliant.

[@stubones]

I got to say, I do recommend MPB. All my current used gear has been bought from them and It's all worked flawlessly. They are the main reason I no longer feel the need to buy new gear.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

They give terrible prices when you sell to them though.

[@mtbgeekrob]

Great review! Curious about the brand of rotating collar you are using. I noticed most of the collars aren't compatible with the Tamron 50-400. Thanks!

[@matttheking1655]

Svalbard must have been a Great trip....👌👌👌

[@andretim75]

Very nice Video and I can only agree - this lens together with a 16-35mm would make a great 2 lens combo for landscape photography. Of course the wild-life community would probably not take it into their consideration, though combined with a 200-600 or any big tele-prime lens it would do the job ! IT could even be adapted to Nikon z mount or perhaps it will come out in Z mount quite soon anyway ! So in this regard Nikon users could also profit from the lens and combine this with either the 180-600 ( but then the 70-180mm 2.8 would do of course ! ) or either the 400mm 4.5 Z , 500mm 5.6 PF or the new 600mm 6.3 PF Z -- these all would be quite lightweight options even when traveling !

[@narvefurnes9377]

I have bene u-sving The 50-400 since it was available. I can confirm Mads summary: this is The most versatile landscape lens and with a great price/performance. I hope they launch a 16-50 in the future

[@henrydonn8637]

Now, they launched 17-50 F4

[@petemellows]

I used to own a Sigma 50-500. It was a great lens, but did suffer past 450mm with pretty serious vignetting. Replacing it with a Pentax (yes I’m one of those) 150-450. The image on this is flawless and is worth losing the 50-150 range.

[@MeAMuse]

I like what Tamron has done here but I love the 100-400 GM too much to change it :) Especially since I shoot wildlife also. BTW... the 1.4x teleconverter is not as bad as the 2x.

[@Zaqfalcon]

Hi Mads, which brand of rotating tripod plate thingo are you using please? How do you like it?

[@gooe9561]

On aps-c, the vignette may not be a problem. Can you take flat calibration frames to correct the vignette? This is something we do in astrophotography.

[@laurensiemens1436]

Excellent video...is the 50 to 400 a heavy lens ?

[@julianslaughter9394]

those Polar Bear images are simply stunning, I very jealous

[@user-hr3tz4ct5m]

Hi mads, what about 70-200 f4 mark 2 with 2x teleconverter compare with this 50-400 tamron? Personally, I love to use camera when going to trekking or hiking trips. I am hesitated between these two. I would be appreciated, if I hear your thoughts. Thank you.

[@Jagrajagra]

You aren’t the first landscape photographer to recommend the Tamron this week. Michael Shainblum was praising its versatility too. Owned it for several weeks myself and my own pros and cons run thus: LOVE the weight; the price; close-focus; image quality; the black colour (Sony’s own white lenses are a massive distraction). Dislike having to buy the foot separately (it seems to fit other Tamron lenses too though); lack of aperture ring; no zoom lock beyond 50mm to limit zoom creep; Doesn’t focus on clouds very well at times (but I suspect that’s a problem for the Sony and most other cameras… I do really like it. If Sony release a much lighter mk2 version of their 100-400 (and with a black option) then I think I might look at that again. Until then… well, Tamron have a number of other interesting quality lenses which don’t cost an arm and a leg…

[@ashishsinojia3793]

Hi Sir, great review. I'm getting a 4 year old Sony 100-400 GM in the same price of Tamron 50-400. Help me to choose one, should i get Sony 100-400 as it's native lens but a bit old. It will turn 7 this year OR new Tamron 50-400? Going to pair it with my Sony a7IV. Thanks

[@karyleianawildernesscapes]

50-400 is incredible, but since I already own the 100-400, it doesn't offer that much. That said, the Sigma 60-600 is interesting for the 500-600mm range. I'm much more intrigued by that lens, if adding essentially what would be a ultra-verstile hiking/backpacking/travel lens, so that the 100-400 can stay home.

[@veselinvasilev9362]

Thanks!

[@simmo303]

Have you tried the inbuilt Sony Zoom trickery? Smart zoom and ClearImage zoom?

[@MrTwogiantscoops]

Fantastic Polar image’s especially your favourite. Interesting and importantly, an excellent review on the Tamron. I agree that a dedicated wildlife lens would be preferred but for versatility for landscape photography I think it’s worth a look if you’re not after top quality glass. Are you buying it or handing it back to mpb? Best wishes from rainy Devon, UK

[@MadsPeterIversen]

Thanks a lot! Keeping it :)

[@spidersj12]

Of course there is the Sigma 60-600mm digital native lens for Sony which would cover a far wider focal range. Yes it's heavier which might be your deciding factor and the zoom and focal rings rotate in the opposite direction compared to Tamron.

[@SergioAriasFoto]

Which ring do you use?

[@user-xk9yx2dl9t]

i've already got the Sony 200-600mm, so i think I'll be buying the Tamron 28-200mm.

[@edc641]

I have those lenses. I also have the Tamron 50-400. Now I use the 200-600 for birds only. The 50-400 is so much more convenient to bring when shooting landscapes. The 28-200 is excellent when I want to go lightweight.

[@Travelagent]

As a longtime "Pentaxian" I recently switched to the Nikon Z system (Nikon Z6 II) and purchased the Nikon 100-400mm S lens as my tele lens! The quality is absolutely fantastic and this throughout its whole range!

[@michaljunek9946]

I use the same combo consisting of A7rV + Tamron 50-400. Hard to beat it when hiking. Just to fill it by a wide-angle lens (Sony 20mm G in my case and waiting for an updated Tamron 17-28 or Sony 16-35 GM). Tamron 50-400 is a great compact lens (with managable weight for it´s reach). Plus, with A7rV I decided to change my C2 button to APS-C mode and just by a one "click" you´ve got 600 mm on very nice 24 Mpx :) Second to none for me.

[@MadsPeterIversen]

Have you considered the 16-35mm f/4 PZ? It's super lightweight and at some apertures sharper than the GM version

[@michaljunek9946]

@@MadsPeterIversen Thx for your recommendation. For this moment I´m gonna stay with Sony 20mm just because of it´s same filter diameter (67 mm) as in the case of Tamron 50-400mm. Another advantage for me :D I expect Tamron will release "soon" 17-28 with the same filter diameter.

[@lewiss66]

Why don't using the sony apsc 70-350 lens on the full frame body in apsc mode? Great weight saving... I've got an A7iv Thanks for the video.

[@MadsPeterIversen]

That kinda defeats the purpose of full frame and reduces the megapixels you use from the sensor.

[@KurkioKrazy]

what camera do you use?

[@mi3mi80]

Is your Benro tripod steady for long exposure? I am hunting for a new tripod for my A067.

[@MadsPeterIversen]

In calm weather yes, but it's a travel tripod, not a big heavy one :)

[@magicallandscape]

I was looking for the 150-500 until I saw a review that it is only capable of 24 MP resolution. Do you know about the 50-400? I'm using a Sony A7 IV. Great shots, thanks, it doesn't get any better than this.....ah, no, that was Nigel 😂

[@tomwedge308]

Seems that Sony doesn't want any extenders for third-party lenses. I bought the Sigma 150-600mm and was slightly disappointed that I couldn't get a 1.4x converter for it. Sigma produces extenders for Canon, Nikon and the L mount alliance..alliance..alliance (Jared Polin you have a lot to answer for)

[@stanobert3475]

I would like to see this lens released for Nikon mirrorless.

[@marvinbeatty]

I might make a sound clip of you saying "Karate" and set it as my ringtone. 😅

[@MadsPeterIversen]

Do it! 👋😁

[@imjooboy]

Have you tried the Sigma 60-600

[@robertotarga]

Hi Mads, stunning video! I own the Tamron 50-400 as well, but it has a severe downfall for me: with an already focused image if you just start turning the zoom ring it loses focus and you have to acquire it again. With Sony tele lenses it doesn’t happen. This is very annoying “feature” you don’t mention in your vid. Did you not experience it?

[@MadsPeterIversen]

hmmm, I haven't noticed it, but I don't use my lens in that way either, I always refocus after I change the focal length.

[@noctivagance_imagery]

That means it is not a parfocal lens

[@arsitaindira2925]

wild

[@patriktschumperlin2879]

Hi mads, what is the name / Model of the collar rig?? Thanks a lot, Patrik

[@MadsPeterIversen]

It's Atoll from Silence Corner. But I honestly don't recommend it for what it's built for. For this lens the original Tamron lens collar is the one you wanna go for!

[@patriktschumperlin2879]

Thanks a lot for your answer. I just looking for a good rig for all objektive and not to big and complicated. You have an alternative? Thanks and i like you channel

[@mauriciolee7349]

Thank Mads for this video. I won't buy this lens because its stabilization is bad for video. I need acceptable stabilization with hand held sometimes.

[@louisburley1597]

I just used MPB to trade my Sigma Art 24-70 for the Sony 24-105. They’re absolutely fantastic to use

[@iShootWild]

Does MPB give you a reasonable price for your used gears? I have several I want to get rid off, but don't want the eBay hassle or local scammers.

[@louisburley1597]

@@iShootWild you still need to manage your expectations with what you will be offered. I was offered 640 USD and they’re selling it for 944 USD. But you don’t need to pay for insured shipping which would cost you a lot here in the US actually so knock another 100 east off your profit. You should always rigorously test your gear upon arrival. I’m actually out on location with my 24-105 and I like it quite a lot. They ship fast, pack gear well and they use only sustainable packing materials in my experience. 11/10 recommend

[@iShootWild]

@@louisburley1597 Thank you so much!

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

@@iShootWild no is the short answer, they buy cheap and sell barely less than new.

[@bondgabebond4907]

Nice photos, glad you didn't get eaten by any of those creatures. Did you ever consider a tabletop book with photos on high grade paper? I can't get into e-books. I like real books made with covers and pages. E-books just doesn't cut it.

[@MadsPeterIversen]

I absolutely have, would love to make one, one day, it's just a logistical nightmare to produce one and if you don't do it exactly right it's not worth your time.

[@bondgabebond4907]

@@MadsPeterIversen Hope you do, one day. I know publishing is not that easy. I worked making newspapers in the USAF. Lots of fun, but it was work. And it is worth it. I tend not to read anything much on my phone, it's too small. My eyes don't like monitors to read from. Paper is much easier on the eyes and one can look for a long time at a photo. I like to read books, real books made of paper. I can't read books on tablets or phones. Hurts my eyes. Things like Instagram are a waste, same with Facebook. No one is serious looking at pictures and flip through them faster than you can press the shutter button. I hate seeming books not be the big deal. This new technology ruined everything. As for my photos, I started making them to hang on the wall. Mostly family stuff, but cute pix of my young grandson and slightly more serious of family. I'm exploring making a scrap book of many of my photos taken from the early 70s and also photos of family over the decades. Having photos on a hard drive or SD cards just stay lost and invisible.

[@thomashegna1078]

Your hat is wrong 😆 Svalbard (Longyearbyen) is at 78 degrees north 😆

[@mohammadmehdizoghifard1131]

How about 60-600?

[@american_document2626]

Just started the horror podcast called the white vault about this area 😂

[@fusedglass01]

What hardware were you using @3:42? It made you look washed out and pale. Almost like the quality I've been getting out of my Samsung 21 Ultra Android cell phone.

[@alpao74]

😂 why does James not like it?

[@nickscott8488]

I think i buy the Tamron 150-500 instead.

[@depotmsa2362]

the music makes it feel like he is the last polar bear on earth so sad

[@petercollins7848]

Actually Polar Bears are doing very well in certain areas. Don’t believe all the ‘doom+gloom’ merchants.

[@user-to3cr4er7w]

You will get better results in sharpness, stabilisation & colors with cheaper Sigma 100-400mm DG DN lens. Tried both at same time and returned Tamron to be honest. On paper 50-400mm looks better than 100-400mm but in reality is not.

[@MadsPeterIversen]

The point is it covers 50-400 and not 100-400. I'd just keep the Sony 100-400 if sharpness was the main priority ;)

[@HenryPiffpaff]

That's a super interesting remark! Thank you. I always had the impression that the Tamron was sharper (from other people's reviews). Of course, it's also down to sample variation. But good to hear your take on it! Seems like neither lens would be a bad choice

[@CharleneAdkins]

I have the Sony 200-400, and it is too heavy for me to want to lug around most of the time. This lens is even heavier. For me, that is a no go.

[@tjsinva]

7:12 "there are very strict guidelines on how to approach a polar bear" 😱 APPROACH ⁉⁉⁉The rule should be, "Don't even think about it, or you will be lunch" Carry on. 👍🥂

[@ECDPhotography]

Why does James not like it?

[@danielhenzphotography]

Probably because he shoots with a 24-70 most of the time, because he makes photo mostly between ~35-60mm. At least that's my guess. Or maybe just joking.

[@desitravelfotography]

Not a big fan of Tamron. if not Nikon then Sigma for me.

[@petemellows]

I am sorry that you have to accept sponsorship now, as you had said in previous videos you did not accept paid sponsorship. Of course, gear videos get bigger viewership, but there are those of us who tend to switch off. I only watched this video for the adventure and the usual content. I do hope this does not become a regular thing as it has made some creators unwatchable - an example being James Popsys spruiking every video as gear related.

[@MadsPeterIversen]

I'm sorry you feel like that. It's free entertainment and hopefully knowledge for you and the sponsorships are relevant to a good amount of people. It's another way to spread out my income and not put everything in one basket.

[@petemellows]

@@MadsPeterIversen I totally understand. I still watch your channel, and a few others, mostly because the gear reviews don’t get in the way of what makes your channel engaging and entertaining (and educational). And to test equipment in such a stunning location is no small feat.

[@boristahmasian9604]

@@MadsPeterIversen Hi Mads, I found your review balanced and honest. You did not overly endorse the Tamron. Although, I think it is a fantastic lens from my personal tests. I am an all Tamron shop (five lenses) because for the money you cannot beat the value proposition. If someone wants the ultimate quality, Tamrons are not the best, for that you have to spend Sony money!! These reviews or any YT video is a lot of work. You have to worry about covering a lot of ground which takes away from you enjoying the trip fully. So, if someone pays you a little bit of money, I say more power to you brother.

[@terrybrooks395]

Do us a favour, if an item being reviewed is only for a specific brand, say as much in the title

[@Hubieee]

The fact that so many influencers, social media persons or just tourists go to this place breaks my heart. Nature will suffer and it costs a hell lot of CO2 to get there in the first place.

[@christophmunch4796]

Want a Kleenex? Facepalm.

[@petercollins7848]

What a load of tripe! Human beings are supposed to travel and observe the wonders of Nature. If tourists did not go, hundreds of people would be out of work. At the end of the day Nature will take care of itself, as long as we are not grossly polluting the earth. Thousands of species have perished long before mankind took one tourist step, and the landscape has been continuously altered by erosion and drastically changed by the action of the Ice Ages.

[@leep26]

Don't fall for the co2 scam. It accounts for 0.04% of the atmosphere and 99.9% of what effects it is the oceans. We have no impact.

[@iamhassan9943]

CO2 is good for the planet. Stop drinking the kool-aid.

[@jameshummel7349]

If you watch any of their videos, ALL of them practice leaving it better than they found it and cleaning up any garbage they find.