The kit lenses you get with digital SLRs aren't generally that good. They might be sharp enough, but their specifications and handling leave something to be desired. The Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 could be the answer, offering a significant step up in features, versatility and, perhaps, performance.

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Easy To Use

Loud motor

I wanted a general purpose zoom lens for my Canon Eos XSi and after reading extensive reviews of various lenses I decided to try the Tamron to save a little money over the equivalent Canon lens.

Easily Interchangeable

Blurry Focus

Tamron's 17-50mm F/2.8 lens is a good upgrade if you own an entry-level or middle-of-the-pack camera, as it can provide a noticeable jump in image quality, as well as better performance when shooting in dim lighting conditions.

F/2.8 aperture; Good upgrade for entry- and mid-level camera bodies

A little bit pricey

BACKGROUND I had been looking to replace the so-so kit lens on my Canon 400d and agonised over the possible options for several weeks. I wanted a lens to broadly replace the kit lens range of 18-55mm - with a good wide angle and some telephoto zoom, but not too much of a range so that optical...

Image sharpness; constant f2 .

Some distortion at widest setting; motor noise

The product is great because it has a very wide aperture for a zoom lens, without breaking the budget! It's also a constant f/2.8, so you have great aperture even when fully zoomed in.

This lens is performs astoundingly according to my desire. Pictures are pretty sharp and fit splendidly into my sort of photography -nature, nightfalls, and architectures. All things considered, I am content with the lens and utilize it as my essential lens.

Outperforms similarly priced lenses, but quality control could be an issue

Fast f/2.8 constant-aperture; Good sharpness

No full-time manual override

This is a great lens to take a step up from stock.

Tamron's SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC lens is designed exclusively for cameras with APS-C sized sensors and covers the popular standard zoom range of focal lengths. On Nikon cameras it is equivalent to 26-78mm in 35mm format, while on the Canon EOS 40D body we used for our tests, the equivalent...