Tamron Tamron Di II Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical Review
The Tamron 10-24mm is the only game in town for an ultra-wide zoom on Canon APS-C DSLRs. It has great image stabilization, but slow autofocus and just-okay optics.
Overview
If you're shooting on a Canon APS-C DSLR and you need to go wide, this Tamron 10-24mm is basically your only zoom option. That's the one thing you need to know. It gets you down to a super-wide 16mm equivalent, which is fantastic for landscapes, tight interiors, or dramatic city shots. But you're not buying it for its brilliant optics or blazing speed. You're buying it because it covers a range nothing else does for your camera, and it does that job well enough.
Performance
The biggest surprise is how good the image stabilization is. It's in the 85th percentile, which is excellent for a lens this old and at this price. You can handhold shots at surprisingly slow shutter speeds. The autofocus, on the other hand, is exactly what you'd expect from an older micromotor design: it's slow, a bit noisy, and hunts in low light. It gets the job done for static scenes, but forget about tracking anything that moves.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- That 10-24mm range is incredibly useful on APS-C, giving you a true ultra-wide angle. 96th
- Image stabilization works really well and lets you shoot in lower light. 88th
- It's relatively light at 405g, so it won't weigh down your bag. 80th
- Takes common 77mm filters, which is great for landscape shooters using polarizers or NDs.
Cons
- The f/3.5-4.5 aperture is dim, putting it in the bottom 12% for light gathering. 12th
- Autofocus is slow and noisy, and you can't manually override it without flipping a switch. 12th
- Optical quality is just okay, ranking in the 35th percentile. Expect some softness in the corners. 16th
- Not weather-sealed, so you'll need to be careful in dust or drizzle.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Wide-Angle |
| Focal Length Min | 10 |
| Focal Length Max | 24 |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/10 |
| Constant | Yes |
Build
| Mount | Canon EF |
| Weight | 0.4 kg / 0.9 lbs |
AF & Stabilization
| AF Type | Autofocus |
| Stabilization | Yes |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 24 |
Value & Pricing
At around $328, it's a decent value purely because of the focal length monopoly. You're paying for the unique range and effective stabilization, not for optical excellence. If you need this specific zoom on a Canon APS-C DSLR, it's worth it. If you don't, it's not.
Price History
vs Competition
For Canon APS-C DSLR users, the main competitor is the Canon EF-S 17-85mm. It has a more versatile everyday range and better autofocus, but it starts at 17mm, so you lose that crucial ultra-wide end. If you're willing to give up the zoom, look at the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7. It's a prime lens, so you lose flexibility, but you gain a huge two-and-a-half stop advantage in aperture (f/1.7 vs f/3.5) for better low light and background blur, and it's likely much sharper.
| Spec | Tamron Tamron Di II Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical | Meike Meike 55mm F1.4 Standard Aperture APS-C Frame AF | Nikon Nikon S-Line Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II Lens (Nikon Z) | Canon Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Lens | Tamron Tamron Di III Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens for Sony | Sirui Sirui Sniper 56mm f/1.2 Autofocus Lens (Sony E, |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 10-24mm | 55mm | 24-70mm | 24mm | 17-70mm | 56mm |
| Max Aperture | f/10 | f/1.4 | f/2.8 | f/1.8 | f/2.8 | f/1.2 |
| Mount | Canon EF | Nikon Z | Nikon Z | Canon RF | Sony E Mount | Sony E |
| Stabilization | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | false | true | false | false | false |
| Weight (g) | 405 | 281 | 676 | 269 | 544 | 422 |
| AF Type | Autofocus | STM | Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus |
| Lens Type | Wide-Angle | - | Zoom | Zoom | Zoom | - |
Verdict
This is a tool for a specific job. If you own a Canon APS-C DSLR (like a Rebel or 80D) and you absolutely need an ultra-wide zoom lens, buy it. The stabilization is great and the focal length is perfect for landscapes and interiors. But if you're shooting portraits, low-light, or anything that requires fast autofocus, look elsewhere. It's a one-trick pony, but it does that one trick pretty well.