Testing the Tamron 35mm f/1.8

I wanted to buy the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 VC. After reading all the reviews and found a good sale price I went to the local store to check it out on my D750. I brought along my lens Nikon 16-35mm f/4 and expected the Tamron would beat it up. I took 2 photos of the same thing in the store with the same settings for both lenses. Here's my observation of the result:
- color and contrast: look great on both pictures
- center: the Nikon is slightly sharper
- upper corners: the Nikon is noticeably sharper
- lower corners: the Tamron is (very) slightly sharper
- AF is slower on the Tamron, expectedly.
I was disappointed but decided not to buy the Tamron. I was happy at the same time to see that my Nikon zoom has beaten the Tamron prime. However, it's possible that the Tamron lens happens to be a bad sample.

Thank you for sharing this. The Nikon 16-35 is a very good lens. I have it and had the 14-24 also. I finally sold the 14-24 because of it's size and the fact that using it with filters was a lot more complicated than with the 16-35. When I want to go light, I take an old Nikon 35 Ais f2. It does the job for me. Not the sharpest lens, but light to tag along.

Interesting post - thanks guys!
Not heard of anyone trying the Tamron 35mm f1.8 VC. One quickie though (you probably did, I ask as I have forgotten on a few lenses) did you AF calibrate the lens to the body?

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Somersetscott said:

Interesting post - thanks guys!
Not heard of anyone trying the Tamron 35mm f1.8 VC. One quickie though (you probably did, I ask as I have forgotten on a few lenses) did you AF calibrate the lens to the body?

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No, I didn't. I had only several minutes at the store to try the lens.
It's possible that the Tamron lens needs some calibration on my D750, and it's also possible that there're better samples (that store had only one lens to try).
On the same topic, only one lens out of 5 lenses I have required calibration.