Tamron 150-600 vs G2: Two High-Quality Camera Lens Battle

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Tamron is a European lens manufacturer. They make high-quality camera lenses for every camera. Weather sealing, silent autofocus, and vibration compensation make their lenses very unique and reliable. 

Tamron’s 150-600mm lenses are one of the best lenses in 2021. Photographers use the lens for their daily shooting till now. In 2016 Tamron released the second generation of their top-rated 150-600mm lens. 

As it has two generations now in the market many photographers wonder what to choose. In this article, I will compare everything between the Tamron 150-600 vs G2.

Tamron 150-600 vs G2: Quick comparison table 

Here are some key difference of tamron 150-600mm vs g2:

What is the key difference between Tamron 150-600mm vs G2?

I know how new photographers get confused about which one to choose, Tamron 150-600mm vs g2. Both lenses seem identical but they have major differences in some factors. 

Here is some description of the differences in terms of features.

The Price: 

Of course, you will notice the major price difference between the two lenses. The 8 years old Tamron 150-600mm cost you around $880.00

And The G2 will cost you around $1100. 

This is more than $300 more than the 150-600mm. If you consider not having some of the updated features the Tamron 150-600mm is the clear winner in terms of price. 

Image Quality: 

Both of them are amazing lenses for real-world experience. But when I am to compare and choose one between them I have to dig deeper. 

From some forums, I saw some of the 150-600mm users made complaints about the image quality. The Tamron 150-600mm cannot make a very sharp image compared to the G2. 

(Source: Dustin Abbott)

The high-light density is well balanced in Tamron 150-600 G2. And it has better image stabilization than the 150-600mm.

The winner based on image quality is the Tamron 150-600mm G2. 

Check the images for a clear idea from here. 

The Tripod: 

The first generation of Tamron 150-600mm had some shortcomings with its non-removable tripod. Photographers often complain about it. 

The G2 covered up the shortcomings and made the tripod removable. Make them more accessible. 

So having a removable tripod mount G2 is the clear winner. 

The IO:

You have Tamron’s two 150-600mm lenses to choose from. One is the contemporary version and another one is the sigma sports version. 

The sigma sports version of the first generation 150-600mm gives you a lot more flexibility to tweak your focus settings than the contemporary one.

The G2 gives you a smoother autofocus experience but it only switches between the focus settings by a switch. 

You can switch between the settings and make the camera act the way you want.  

Yes, it gets very confusing having tons of OS features packed in a lens but feature-wise and for having the versatility G2 wins the point here. 

Durability & Build Quality: 

There is nothing wrong with the Tamron 150-600mm. But the overall build quality is very improved in the G2. 

G2 feels more premium than Tamron 150-600mm. 

The first version has some sticking points on the zoom dial whereas the second generation has a lot nicer and smooth dials.

Both of them are made of plastic but the finishes on the G2 are more elegant and premium. 

G2 has a lot more improved focus ring than the first generation.

So if I address the subtle build issues G2 is the complete winner. But there’s no groundbreaking issue with the Tamron 150-600mm.  

Tamron 150-600mm vs G2, Which one to choose? 

So as you can see, Tamron addressed a lot of the shortcomings of the first-generation lens. They have improved every aspect of the build quality along with the handling. 

Tamron paid attention to the feedback of real photographers that have been using that lens. And they improved the G2 based on the feedback. 

I know the lens doesn’t come cheaper. But I think you will get a lens that will last with you through your photography journey. 

I will recommend you to choose the Tamron 150-600mm G2 for having some features updated and more superior to the first generation. 

Tamron 150-600mm G2 wins against the first generation Tamron 150-600mm. 

In short, Tamron added an optical update to the G2 and the 150-600mm G2 has a completely different rendering process if you compare it to the other lenses. 

This is a very important and futuristic update for the lens.

Pros and Cons of Tamron 150-600mm G2 

The improved build quality is one of the pros of the G2. The better image quality and smooth bokeh rendering are the major tweaks of the 2^nd generation Tamron 150-600mm lens. 

And some of the pros are: 

• Richer color 
• Good and updated lock mechanism that helps in the field
• Improved focus and tracking

And if I talk about the cons, the only thing will address is the price. I know you are getting tons of major updated features that keep you in the competition for the long run. But it is not a bank of the buck. 

Pros and Cons of Tamron 150-600mm

The Pros of the Tamron 150-600mm are:

• It is a cheaper telephoto lens compared to the other telephoto lenses
• Has good bokeh and sharpness
• Good image stabilization

Cons:

• Sometimes can’t focus on moving objects
• Focus dial sticks sometimes

Final Words

I hope you know everything about Tamron 150-600mm vs G2 now. I have tried to cover the major things that differentiate the two lenses. 

If you are on a very tight budget the 1^st gen Tamron 150-600mm would be good to have. But from every aspect, the Tamron 150-600mm G2 is ahead of its predecessor. 

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