Tamron 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 VC USD Telephoto Zoom Review
The Tamron 100-400mm offers a useful zoom range but feels cheap, lacks stabilization, and delivers mediocre optics. It's a tough sell at $816.
Overview
The Tamron 100-400mm is a weird one. It's a super-telephoto zoom that's surprisingly versatile for its range, but it feels like it's built from spare parts. The one thing you need to know is this: it gets you to 400mm on a budget, but you're giving up a lot to get there. The build quality is rock bottom, there's no stabilization, and the aperture is slow. It's a tool for a very specific job, not a lens you'll love carrying around.
Performance
The performance is exactly what the specs and rankings suggest: mediocre. The autofocus lands in the 45th percentile, so it's fine for slow-moving subjects but forget about tracking birds in flight. The optical quality is in the 35th percentile, which means soft corners and noticeable chromatic aberration are part of the package. The only surprise is the 91st percentile for versatility, which just confirms that having a 100-400mm range is inherently useful, even if the lens itself isn't great.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- That 100-400mm zoom range is genuinely useful for wildlife or sports on a tight budget. 91th
- It's relatively light for a super-telephoto at 1111g. 84th
- Comes with a lens hood and a surprisingly long 6-year warranty.
Cons
- Build quality is in the 5th percentile. It feels cheap and isn't weather-sealed. 4th
- No image stabilization. At 400mm, that's a massive handicap for handheld shots. 20th
- Slow f/4.5-6.3 aperture hurts performance in low light and limits background blur. 20th
- Optical performance is below average. Don't expect pin-sharp images. 22th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Telephoto |
| Focal Length Min | 100 |
| Focal Length Max | 400 |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/4.5 |
| Constant | Yes |
Build
| Mount | Canon EF |
| Weight | 1.1 kg / 2.4 lbs |
Value & Pricing
At $816, it's hard to call this a good value. You're paying for the focal length and nothing else. For that money, you could find a used first-party lens with better build and optics, or save a bit more for a model with stabilization. This lens only makes sense if 400mm is an absolute must-have and your budget is locked in stone.
Price History
vs Competition
This isn't competing with primes like the Viltrox 35mm. Its real competition is other budget telephoto zooms. The Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, for example, gives you stabilization and a more versatile wide-to-tele range for general use, but tops out at 85mm. If you need the long reach, you're better off looking at the used market for a Canon 100-400L, even an older model, or the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary if you can handle the extra weight. Both will feel and perform better.
| Spec | Tamron 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 VC USD Telephoto Zoom | Meike Meike 55mm F1.4 Standard Aperture APS-C Frame AF | Viltrox Air VILTROX 35mm F1.7 f/1.7 Air AF Lens for Fuji X | Canon RF Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Lens | Fujifilm VILTROX 56mm F1.4 STM APS-C Frame Auto Focus | Sirui Sniper Sirui Sniper 56mm f/1.2 Autofocus Lens (Sony E, |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 100-400mm | 55mm | 35mm | 24mm | - | 56mm |
| Max Aperture | f/4.5 | f/1.4 | f/1.7 | f/1.8 | f/1.4 | f/1.2 |
| Mount | Canon EF | Nikon Z | Fujifilm X | Canon RF | Fujifilm X | Sony E |
| Stabilization | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | false | false | false | true | false |
| Weight (g) | 1111 | 281 | 400 | 272 | 320 | 422 |
| AF Type | - | STM | STM | Autofocus | STM | Autofocus |
| Lens Type | Telephoto | - | - | Wide-Angle | - | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Af | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamron 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 VC USD Telephoto Zoom | 46.4 | 19.6 | 4.2 | 21.7 | 34.6 | 20 | 91.4 | 83.5 | 37.9 |
| Meike 55mm F1.4 Standard Aperture APS-C Frame AF STM Compare | 95.6 | 81.8 | 81.1 | 89.1 | 67.5 | 88.1 | 37.5 | 89.9 | 87.8 |
| Viltrox Air 35mm F1.7 f/1.7 AF Compare | 95.6 | 73.6 | 63.4 | 93.2 | 74 | 80.5 | 37.5 | 95.1 | 87.8 |
| Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Compare | 46.4 | 81.8 | 87.6 | 81 | 82.5 | 75.8 | 37.5 | 98 | 99.9 |
| Fujifilm VILTROX 56mm F1.4 STM APS-C Frame Auto Focus Standard Prime Compare | 95.6 | 81.8 | 88.8 | 85.3 | 34.6 | 88.1 | 37.5 | 86.7 | 87.8 |
| Sirui Sniper 56mm f/1.2 Autofocus Compare | 46.4 | 96.7 | 73.8 | 53.4 | 79.8 | 95.9 | 37.5 | 98 | 87.8 |
Verdict
I can't recommend the Tamron 100-400mm for most people. The lack of stabilization and subpar build are deal-breakers at this price. It's a one-trick pony, and the trick isn't performed very well. Only consider this if you're desperate for a 400mm reach on a new lens with a warranty, and you absolutely cannot spend another dollar. For everyone else, save up, buy used, or look at a different focal length altogether.