How is this lens for non-macro photos?
1625793
I've used it for sports and even portraits once in a while. Love that it's weather-sealed and while it's not the fastest focus (as say, the 75mm f/1.8), the limiter switch really helps. I've used it to photograph a few Spartan Races in wet/muddy conditions and it's performed very well for me.
1625794
My use has been primarily macro subjects but the few I have done since I was too lazy to change lenses have been fine, especially portraits since it is equivalent to 120 mm and maintains a flattering perspective.
352996
85mm is amazing lens, crisp images. Great for portrait shoots. The problem is it is a manual focus lens. It takes time to get good using it but its worth the price.
138091
It is not designated as a macro lens, though I have taken some fairly close-ups which turned out out pretty good. I have not yet taken the lens to its closest focus limit since I do not do many really close-up photos.
1696785
This is a great lens for the money. I use mine for all the reasons you stated, and have been pleased with the photos I have gotten. I have used it with an A700, A350, A55, and A77 and it performered great with these cameras. It is plastic housing which many think derides the lens, but I have found nothing to support this complaint. It is a good general lens, and I would buy this again if needed.
1770836
I have not taken any macro photos with this lens. For me, it is basically a zoom telephoto lens and will not focus well on close-up items. When I have attempted to use it for close-ups, it continues to cycle and will not focus properly. As a telephoto zoom, it is great for sports photos and brings in long distance subjects clearly. I am sure there are other lenses that are better designed for macro use. John Craighill
1915107
Yes! You screw it off completely! It shows up blurry if you're trying to take normal pictures, but when you angle the camera close to something, its supposed to focus and look zoomed in! Keep trying, or look up info about macro lenses!
2156710
Hi there... I have this lens, and love it, for its total flexibility - it is a perfect traveller's lens. It is not exactly a "macro" lens, though I have used it with success to make some close-ups. If you then buy a close-up set (1+2+3), I am sure it can handle many of your macro needs - though you should bear in mind that that is not what it was designed for, nor is it a lens with low aperture readings - i.e. - it will be darker than your average macro lens.
933398
This lens does not have macro, or what Nikon labels "micro" focusing capability. I will say, though, that the 24-70/2.8 takes such beautiful images that it stays on my camera about 80-90% of the time. Check out the 105/2.8 "micro-Nikkor" lens for macro as well as good portrait alternative.
1250345
It's a great lens but I have not used it for portraits. I have used it for travel photography and other family events.
1891731
This is an excellent portrait lens. It has wonderful 'bokeh' and with the f/2.8 allows for a very narrow DOF if desired. The macro is good as it allows you to get very close without making any changes to the lens. I find the focussing to be quite smooth and quick, especially compared to my 18 - 300mm lens.
1846646
Erm, as you should already know the high pixel count for this camera makes it ideal for close up and macro work.It is the quality of the lens that you buy that will do the rest, and obviously that needs to be one that is macro compatible as not all lenses are made for macro work :)
878261
Yes, this is such a neat compact lens. I particularly like the macro setting. The zoom all happens inside the unit, it is also weatherproof, which is a plus. If you purchase it from me, and for any reason, like it isn't compatible with your camera, I will be happy to issue you a refund and pay for the shipping. It is compatible with all MFT mount cameras.
927465
This is not a bad lens at all. It is certainly not the fastest or sharpest, but a very sharp and fast zoom with this range would be very expensive and bulky. I use it for bird photography with decent results. I would not get same results with any available point and shoot camera.
1891732
I have used it for taking portraits, as well as for macro shots. You have to stand back a bit for portraits, especially full body shots. It works great and it's my favorite lens!
1551101
That is exactly why I purchased this lens and I love it! The focus is a bit soft if you try and go below f2.2, but as I'm generally shooting moving children I usually keep it around f2.5 or 2.8 anyway. Hope this helps!
1927314
I use two lenses for most of my work although I do have a number of other lenses for special tasks such as macro. for most of my landscapes I use a Sigma 18-250 macro lens. It's very versatile and give me photos with little chromatic aberrations. It's fairly fast at F3.5 and the nice thing is I can keep it on the camera 75% of the time. The other lens I use a lot it the Sigma 150-500 Auto focus. It's great for shooting wild life shot such as song birds near a bird feeder or a bear you don't want to get too close to. I have other lenses I use also but nearly as often as I use these two. Don
2058093
I am using this lens primarily for sports - synchronized swimming. So far only outdoors (wish you would ask it a few months out -the indoor meet is coming up then). It is a beautiful lens for landscaping or nature shots, but so far i cannot say i am 100% satisfied with it for sports. Based on what i see, i can imagine it might be problematic with low-light conditions and sports as even outdoors it still hunts that focus point. But off course reflections can be the cause, at least for me. It probably as good as we can go at this price point, but definitely do not expect flawless photos. As to comparing it against Tamron - sorry, no experience there.