D750 with the Tamron 150-600

[cbay]

I'll check with my store when it opens and have them ask if there even is a new firmware version for us. As far as I know, Tamron communicates openly about the Canon firmware updates but there's no word about Nikon.

I'll have them look into it.

It's been a while but i used to have the link for the update and the serial numbers it affected with the Tammy and Nikons. It was buried on their website somewhere. Like Mike says it can get you a cleaning as well. Some were saying they have used some sort of tape inside the barrel to catch the dust so that might be worth it. It is classified as a VC/panning firmware update FYI. I'll look for the link sometime today if you don't find it.

 

[cbay]

Here [MENTION=31330]J-see[/MENTION] TAMRON | Information | Update of SP150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD (Model A011) for panning shots

 

[J-see]

Here @J-see TAMRON | Information | Update of SP150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD (Model A011) for panning shots

I read that elsewhere:

Service News - Tamron

The thing is, they only mention the Canon model. That's why I doubt there's a Nikon solution. But I'll check it out to be sure.

Edit: I just notice the Nikon serial below; lemme check mine.

I'll send mine in this week and I'll quickly find out if it's fixed or not. Maybe it also fixes the VR issue affecting focus during AF-C bursts.

 

[cbay]

I read that elsewhere:

Service News - Tamron

The thing is, they only mention the Canon model. That's why I doubt there's a Nikon solution. But I'll check it out to be sure.

Edit: I just notice the Nikon serial below; lemme check mine.

I'll send mine in this week and I'll quickly find out if it's fixed or not. Maybe it also fixes the VR issue affecting focus during AF-C bursts.

Spoke too soon on the freeze issue. Happened once this evening shooting deer.

 

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

Ok, I now have the Tamron 150-600 in my kit full time and am starting to try to figure out the best way to shoot it. May take a while. Here are the questions/statements.

I have in the past shot with my D7100 with the Nikon 70-300 and had good success with single focus using BBF (AF-C by holding down the button) Tried this with the 150-600 and it is near impossible to track a bird. Did not have very many birds flying so really did not have a lot of chances to check out the different methods though. Went through Single, 21, 51 etc all the way to 3-D. Only had one bird fly while I was on 3-D but it did track it.

So the question for those that shoot this lens what is the best focus method for shooting BIF?

Still shots are pretty much dead on without any fine tuning.

 

[Marilynne]

I use single focus for BIF Don.

Congrats on the Tamzooka!

 

[mikew_RIP]

I used single point as when i used any other and then checked the focus point on the PC i found i kept it on more with single than the camera did with multi point,the 750 should be different in the sense it has a greater number of points that can focus to f8,i think

 

[Blacktop]

Ok, I now have the Tamron 150-600 in my kit full time and am starting to try to figure out the best way to shoot it. May take a while. Here are the questions/statements.

I have in the past shot with my D7100 with the Nikon 70-300 and had good success with single focus using BBF (AF-C by holding down the button) Tried this with the 150-600 and it is near impossible to track a bird. Did not have very many birds flying so really did not have a lot of chances to check out the different methods though. Went through Single, 21, 51 etc all the way to 3-D. Only had one bird fly while I was on 3-D but it did track it.

So the question for those that shoot this lens what is the best focus method for shooting BIF?

Still shots are pretty much dead on without any fine tuning.

View attachment 203629

View attachment 203630

I always use AF-C Single point. The other day I tried AF-C group (grp) as suggested by a video I watched (can't remember now which one) but went back to single. It just seems to work for me the best.

 

[mikew_RIP]

I always use AF-C Single point. The other day I tried AF-C group (grp) as suggested by a video I watched (can't remember now which one) but went back to single. It just seems to work for me the best.

I think multi point could be a benefit with small birds

 

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

Just going to have to wait till I can find more birds flying around to do some serious testing.

 

[Stoshowicz]

Nevermind, it doesnt apply close enough.

 

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

With the 7100 and Tamzooka , I like the d51 mode with single point , If the bird is moving mostly crossways from you and the camera is set for long dwell time before refocus, then itll ignore sticks and trees and anything else fine, as long as its a lumbering bird that you can keep underneath the sights. Reduce that dwell time to 1 or 0 and the camera will slip off almost immediately BUT re-acquires just as fast.
So picture a bird on a twig , youre focused on its wing , and the thing takes flight. Focus has already lost track of the thing it wanted to keep track of!
If you were actually focused on the head , or leg, or body edge , you may be able to track the bird from its resting position but not really very often because so much of it flapping.
If the birds in the air ,and you're on focus priority , the rig will nail the focus the majority of the time as long as you have the sights directly on the target for oh, say , a third of a second. If youre on it briefly , wander and hit the bird again , itll tend to fire immediately so long as you werent set to 0 dwell time. So if you're in a rocking boat , you set the dwell to middle range and hit the bird twice.
Basically what Im getting at is the rig doesn't really know what a bird Is, plus one isnt usually exactly sure of what the camera thinks it needs to maintain focus distance to. ( edge leg feather etc) And so it gets very difficult to get a real strong impression of exactly whats going on with the different modes. WITH BIRDS and furry critters especially.
So Id suggest, that you do your test first with static subjects , like a hawk on a limb, and move the camera instead to see how long it will pay attention to the correct target before beginning a new search, because as you already know, the situation with active subjects is really difficult to reproduce with any sort of regularity.
I cant speak to the 3d yet I need several outings using this other setting all day, before Id want to say much about it, in case it Is faster or something.. but I didn't like it initially.

With my D7100 and the 70-300 I used single point focus and never had a problem. The D750 is a lot more picky with the 150-600 on it. ust got to get some birds in the air to test with and practice on.