The following images were taken with the Tamron AF 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD IF lens using a Nikon D2X . Each image was recorded using the Large Fine JPEG mode, optimised for quality rather than size. The D2X was set to Matrix metering with A for Image Sharpening and Tone Compensation. The individual file size, exposure mode, shutter speed, aperture, ISO and lens details are listed for each image.

The crops are taken from the original files, reproduced at 100% and saved in Adobe Photoshop CS2 as JPEGs with the default Very High quality preset, while the resized full images were made in Photoshop CS2 and saved with the default High quality preset. The three crops are typically taken from far left, central and far right portions of each image.

Several of the following Gallery compositions were duplicated with the Sigma 18-200mm lens. Check our Sigma 18-200mm review to see how they compare to the Tamron samples here.


Dragon Dance: 5.86MB, Program, 1/100, f5, ISO 400, 18-200mm at 32mm (equivalent to 48mm)

Parade: 5.85MB, Program, 1/350, f9.5, ISO 200, 18-200mm at 28mm (equivalent to 42mm)

						This shot of lanterns was taken with the Tamron 18-200mm at 28mm. Bathed in bright sunlight against a deep blue sky, these are conditions where any lens should perform well, and as you’d hope the Tamron crops are clean and show a high level of detail.

Portrait: 5.15MB, Program, 1/80, f6.3, ISO 400, 18-200mm at 200mm (equivalent to 300mm)

				The beauty of having an 11.1x optical zoom at your disposal is quickly switching from wide angle to a tight portrait without having to swap lenses. Here we did just that, grabbing an opportunist portrait from a distance only moments after shooting wide-angle scenes. The crops are again detailed, although ultimate sharpness has been lost due to slight camera-shake from a relatively modest exposure. Under these conditions, a stabilised lens like the Nikkor 18-200mm VR would have the advantage.

Crowd: 5.97MB, Program, 1/800, f3.5, ISO 400, 18-200mm at 18mm (equivalent to 27mm)

				Following a tight portrait we zoomed-out to capture this wide crowd shot. With the aperture wide open, there’s some softness towards the edges as also seen in our outdoor results page, but the thing to remember is both this and the shot above were taken with the same lens. What an 18-200mm lens may lack in ultimate sharpness it more than makes up for in compositional flexibility.