Tamron Puts AF Motor in the 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Lens

Third party cheap mega zoom lenses are ideal for photographers with limited amounts of cash who prefer having a single solution for their shots. However, some (and by some one should think about the Nikon D40 and D40x) entry-level DSLRs do not have an AF motor for driving the lens. This means that if the lens does not have a motor, they will be unable to achieve autofocus.

Tamron has not forgotten about D40 and D40x users and has just announced an updated version of its 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 lens, which now possesses an AF motor. However, the company does not specify whether owners of other Nikon models would benefit from the AF motor. Usually, lenses with a built-in motor have better AF performances than those relying solely on the camera's unit.

Apart from this improvement, the new AF 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro has the same optical construction and features as the regular version.

You get 13 groups with 16 elements, including an LD (Low Dispersion), one AD (Anomalous Dispersion) and two hybrid aspherical pieces. The internal focusing system ensures a smooth operation and prevents the rotation of the front element. Moreover, it greatly simplifies the use of the 62mm polarizing filters the lens takes. The unit also features a zoom lock switch to prevent any zoom creep; note that it only works at the shortest end.
Unfortunately, this Tamron also lacks an optical stabilization system, which makes the Nikkor the only optically stabilized super-zoom lens for Nikon APS-C cameras, albeit much more expensive than the third party manufacturers' products.

The AF 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro is slated to be available in Japan on December 13, but Tamron failed to provide any pricing information for the new model. The regular version, without the AF motor, retails for around $500, so the price for the new lens is likely to be in the same ball park.

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