Superzoom Review ??? (Feb issue)

[eblaney]

Some review!

I spent my money on the magazine to read DC's review of superzooms, with a view to buying one for my D5000. I had two 'contenders' in mind, the Nikon 18-200 and the NEW Tamron 18-270. The Nikon walked the test (great if you can afford it) and beat the Tamron on test. What you didn't mention is that this was the OLD Tamron 18-270 model.

What was the point of that ? did you get 'caught on the hop' and had the feature written prior to getting your hands on the NEW version of the lens ? Surely, you were aware that there was a new model FOR SALE in the market, which incorporates some substantial changes. One of these changes is PZD, which apparently address the previous models slow and noisy AF.

The bottom line is I feel ripped of by an otherwise excellent magazine that I have only started buying 4 months ago. If Autocar (which I have been buying for 35yrs) presented a 'scoop' road-test and included the previous model BMW or whatever, I would be apoplectic! It would simply undermine the articles and magazines credibility as a provider of unbiased and current qroup tests.

[donoreo]

The new lens was only available on December 20th and officially announced on December 9. The story and testing was probably done in November. Tamron probably did not have any available before the announcement to test.

[changing]

Isn't it funny how we always feel a bit "put out" when something we spent money on doesn't get top rating in those tests. When I travel abroad, rather than carry my D3s and half a hundredweight of lenses with me, I just take a Sigma 18-200mmOS for my D300. It did not come out too well in the test, yet I think that it is a brilliant lens. It might show some weaknesses if you really push it to extremes, but up to A3+ prints, it is as pin-sharp as my 50mm Nikkor f/1.8 prime lens with the exception of a tiny bit of distortion right on the 18mm mark.

[Angela Nicholson]

We would have loved to have included Tamron's new 18-270mm in our group test, but unfortunately the first samples only arrived in the UK last week, making it impossible. I handled the lens on Friday, it is remarkably more compact than the previous model and the AF is almost silent. I wasn't able to test the AF speed properly, though it seemed pretty quick in the limited time I had with it. We will be testing the lens as soon as we can.

Sorry for any disappointment, but there is often a delay between lens announcements and their arrival to market and it creates issues like this.

Angela

[donoreo]

Originally Posted by Angela Nicholson

We would have loved to have included Tamron's new 18-270mm in our group test, but unfortunately the first samples only arrived in the UK last week, making it impossible. I handled the lens on Friday, it is remarkably more compact than the previous model and the AF is almost silent. I wasn't able to test the AF speed properly, though it seemed pretty quick in the limited time I had with it. We will be testing the lens as soon as we can.

Sorry for any disappointment, but there is often a delay between lens announcements and their arrival to market and it creates issues like this.

Angela

You mean you do not have Dr. Who on speed dial so you can get these things in time?

[Geoff Harris]

Yes to reiterate what Angela said, we were victims of timing on this. Christmas didn't help either. Don't worry though we will test the new Sigma as soon as we can as superzooms are perenially popular group tests

Keep an eye on our sister mag, PhotoPlus, they might test it soon too - will talk to Chris the editor and let you know

So sorry again about this, lenses usually stay on the market for a while and we pride ourselves on our tests being up to date, but we were caught in something of a perfect storm with this one

Geoff Harris, Editor

[eblaney]

Thank you Angela and Geoff for your replies. Its quite an honour to elicit a response from such esteemed members of the DC team.

You have admitted that you were effectively 'caught on the hop' in relation to not having a 'B008' lens to test and this is both understandable and forgiveable. Nevertheless, it would have been somewhat less disingenuous if you had made reference to this fact in the piece.

I am sure some readers went out and bought the old version of the lens only to find the latest model available a few weeks later. I have no doubt that there are many retailers (advertisers ) with old 'B003' stock, that were delighted with the opportunity to move it on.

As for the magazine itself, it really is a credit to you all. My s\h D5000 is my first DSLR and the learning curve has been considerably shortened by the excellent articles in relation to taking the pictures themselves and the explanations regarding a DSLR's functionality. However, over the last few issues I sometimes feel that I may have inadvertently purchased a copy of 'Latest Photo Shop Tips Weekly', such if the excessive coverage of the subject.

I can understand the reasons why some readers would want to tweak their images but, when you start adding or subtracting or moving objects within an image, you enter the world of image manipulation and not photography. They should be referred to as 'imographers' (I just made that up!).

Not that there is anything 'wrong' with that as such but where does it stop ? If you gave me an image of the Empire State Building I am sure that with a few hours of PS manipulation, I could turn it into Marilyn Munroe! Not really what DC should be about. You might as well launch 'Imaging Software' monthly and then at least, we would know what it was about and to what demographic it was aimed.

Not withstanding the above, I am delighted that I stumbled across Digital Camera and it is on my list of 'must have' monthly publications and my only choice for photography.

Regards,

Eamonn
www.EamonnBlaney.com

[ian clark]

Well said Eamonn you sound like someone after my own way of thinking, why spend hours in front of a PC when you should be out with the camera trying to get that perfect shot.
I only got the mag in Dec last year along with my first DSLR (Nikon D3100) and would agree that recent issues although VERY GOOD (thought i would put that in before the Ed strings me up) do seem to be leading towards "look what I can do on a pc".
Its about time we started seeing pics straight out of the camera but how could the mag staff ensure that they are?? .
Will stop off at the supermarket to get this months issue on the way home, hopefully the CD will work this time as i cant get the last one to open