Tamron has made an impressive and very capable telephoto zoom with the 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD. Its size, build quality and performance suggests it will be more of a hit with amateurs and aspiring enthusiasts using APS-C DSLRs than with full-frame DSLR users.

Fast and quiet autofocus performance; Convenient size and weight for a lens of its pedigree; Effective Vibration Compensation (VC) system; Moisture-resistant construction

Tripod collar adds £109 to cost of lens; Produces heavy vignetting used with full-frame DSLRs; More expensive than its closest Sigma rival; Lens hood isn't complimentary to pull zooming

This first-edition 100-400mm performs well straight out of the blocks, packing real punch into a refreshingly lightweight build, and when it comes to outright image quality, the Tamron puts plenty of bigger, more expensive lenses in the shade. It’s a steal at the price.

Useful super-telephoto reach; Relatively compact and lightweight; Well built with good performance

Shorter reach than most super-tele zooms; Typically ‘slow’ aperture rating; Tripod mount ring not included

Perhaps the number of small victories scored by the Sigma in different testing categories is higher than the number of the respective victories of the Tamron. The Sigma’s MTFs are slightly bigger, it corrects lateral chromatic aberration and astigmatism in a better way, and its image stabilization...

casing of good quality,; excellent image quality in the frame centre; no matter what focal length you employ,; very good image quality on the edge of APS-C sensor,; sensible image quality on the edge of full frame,; lack of problems related to spherical aberration,; moderate lateral chromatic...

noticeable vignetting at longer focal lengths on full frame,; a bit too many flares and too noticeable loss of contrast while working against bright light.

The Tamron 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD is an excellent alternative to the equivalent lenses from Canon (EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM) and Nikon (Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR), offering 90% of the performance at 50% of the price.

The Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD is a light, affordable telezoom lens for full-frame SLRs, but image quality suffers toward the edge of the frame.

Long telephoto reach; Optical stabilization; Fluorine lens coat; Dust and moisture protection; Optional tripod collar available; Relatively light and compact; Affordable.

Soft edge performance at 100mm and 400mm; Vignette at maximum aperture; Some pincushion distortion.

Overall, the Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD lens was a pleasure to use. I did need to adjust my shooting habits to handle this large optic, and my camera/lens/tripod adapter combo was not light of weight or short in size, but once I got past that I found that it lent itself to exploring new...

The Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens adds a very interesting choice to the mid-to-long telephoto zoom lens options list. This lens (and its Sigma counterpart) delivers image quality close to that of the major camera brands' own offerings at a substantially lower price point.

Tamron’s updated G2 (Generation 2) lenses have been enjoying the limelight recently, but this first edition 100-400mm is equally impressive. It packs a real performance punch into a tough but lightweight build, and at a relatively lightweight price.

Light enough for handheld shooting; Fantastic build quality; Speedy autofocus

Sharpness drops off in the corners

Like the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 HSM DG OS Contemporary lens that came before it, the Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD proves a compelling option for photographers keen on nature and wildlife photography looking for a budget 400mm lens.

Lenses for full frame cameras in the range of around 100-400mm hit an extremely useful point in the focal length range. Birding, general wildlife, sports and portraiture all cry out for these lenses so an alternative to the generally expensive marque optics is always welcome.