To say that Jim DiPerna of Catskill, New York is a seasoned professional photographer is an understatement—he’s been shooting weddings, events, and portraits professionally for over 30 years, and has earned an enviable reputation among his peers. Recently he was faced with a dilemma—he was looking for a fast, pro quality, all-around lens for his Canon EOS 7D (a high-end 18MP APS-C-format DSLR) to replace an older lens that was no longer repairable, and nothing available seemed to meet all his criteria. Nothing, that is until he went online and checked out the specs of the Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II VC lens. It delivers a nearly ideal 27-80mm equivalent focal-length range covering true wide-angle to portrait telephoto along with a fast (f/2.8) fixed maximum aperture. It has Tamron’s exclusive built-in VC (Vibration Compensation) system to control the effects of camera shake in handheld shooting, and most important, its SP (Superior Performance) designation denotes that it delivers the outstanding image quality pros like Jim demand. He decided to put it to the test.

“After shooting four major wedding assignments over the course of the last three weeks using the Tamron 17-50mmm f/2.8 VC, I can state unequivocally that it’s a great lens for all-around shooting,” says Jim, “It delivers extremely high image quality even when you shoot it wide open, and its fast f/2.8 aperture speeds up auto-focusing for greater responsiveness when I’m covering action, like “the first dance.” Another big plus of having an f/2.8 aperture available at all focal lengths is that it lets you shoot in low light at reasonable ISOs for better image files with virtually no digital noise, and its shallow depth of field really separates your subjects from the background. The visual effect as you move away from the point of focus to the foreground or background is very smooth and natural—I call it ”creamy” which I guess is another word for beautiful bokeh.”

Outdoor portrait of bride and groom: Nice separation of subjects from background. Lens enabled photographer to shoot a full-length portrait from a reasonable distance without distorting subjects or background. ISO 100, f/4 at 1/250 sec, flash fill, focal length setting: 33mm

“There are also a number of excellent physical attributes of this lens that make using it a very pleasurable experience,” notes Jim. “It’s very compact and lightweight—especially for a fast lens with built-in image stabilization, and the zoom control has a very smooth and predictable action that’s helpful in setting the exact focal length you want very quickly. Frankly I don’t shoot a lot of available light pictures handheld at slow shutter speeds, but on those occasions when I did, the VC system acquitted itself admirably, delivering tack sharp pictures I probably couldn’t have gotten otherwise. Finally, the fact that the 17-50 Tamron focuses down to 10.6 inches over its entire range is a big plus—it lets me get in really close for those gorgeous detail shots of the bride’s jewelry, the wedding cake, and the groom’s boutonniere.”

Groom’s boutonniere: Note excellent color saturation and sharpness, great contrast and shadow detail. ISO 400, f/4.5 at 1/60 sec, focal length setting: 50mm

Bride’s jewelry detail: Rich color saturation and super- sharp detail enhance the lush feeling of this image, which was made possible by the outstanding performance of the lens at close-focusing distances. ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/25 sec, bounce flash off wall, focal length setting: 50mm

“Ultimately, what it all boils down to is image quality,” concludes Jim, “and here the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC is the real deal. Sharpness and detail are on a par with what you’d expect from high-end camera brand lenses, and the contrast and color saturation from corner to corner are simply stunning. Linear distortion is practically non-existent and flare is extremely well controlled as well. You can get some controlled flare for artistic effects by shooting directly into the sun or other bright light source, but this gives a nice effect without degrading image quality. To me this is a sign of exceptional performance. The bottom line question—would I recommend this lens to my many friends and colleagues on the pro wedding photography circuit? My honest answer: In a heartbeat—because this lens meets my highest professional standards.

Bride putting on earrings: Moving in for a nice intimate portrait like this was easy with a close-focusing lens. Shooting at a wide maximum aperture helped to capture the mood. ISO 400, f/2.8 at 1/13 sec, bounce flash, focal length setting: 30mm