Tamron SP AF 60mm f/2 Di II LD (IF) Macro G005

Great Dual-Purpose lens This lens is a very convenient dual lens. In this one lens you get a great 1:1 macro lens and a fast (f/2) medium telephoto for portraits. I have the Nikon mount version and yes, it is for APS-C sensor cameras (which Nikon announced it is phasing out the APS-C DSLR's) but this lens can be used on the Full-Frame DSLR's. This lens is a win-win for Nikon users. Other features worth mentioning are the built-in focusing motor so it auto-focuses on the cameras which need AF-S feature and no rotation of the front filter ring. You cannot go wrong with the purchase of this lens especially if you find it in mint condition under $200.

Great portrait / macro lens!!! I couldn't be more satisfied with this lens! I was looking for a macro lens which I could double as a portrait lens, but wasn't happy with the f/2.8 aperture of the regular macro lenses on the market. Tamron is the only to offer a f/2 macro lens for Canon EOS cameras. And the focal length (60mm) is just perfect for portraits in a APS-C camera (equivalent to 96mm). I used this lens a lot at the holidays parties. This is a fuc*** sharp lens! Every detail in the subject is evident, from eyelashes to skin pores. It is simply amazing, it is sharp even at f/2. Well, it can be a problem for portraits, since it reveals every single "defect" of the person skin, but just for professional purposes. And extra sharpening is always useful for macro photography. The bokeh is really really beautiful, very soft and flattering. The f/2 aperture is really welcome for portraits, due to the thin DOF. Colors are really nice, a little bit on the warmer side, but look very real, even when using Auto WB. Construction is very decent, lens robust but it is not heavy. It comes with a good and very useful hood, and Tamron's lens caps are the best ever. The downsides are on the auto focus issue. It doesn't have a USM / HSM focus motor, so auto focus is not super fast, although it is fast enough for most of the situations. Due to the lacking of an auto-focus limiter, it sometimes hunts the focus all the way from infinity to macro distance, which can be a little annoying. I am very very happy and totally satisfied with this lens, and I would even recommend the Tamron 60mm f/2 macro rather than the Canon 60mm f/2.8 USM macro, which I had before this one. Go ahead and just buy one!

IQ Good, AF Clunky Pros: If you nail focus the subject is sharp and backgrounds are smooth. Nice for portraits, and doubles as a good macro lens. Cons: AF is slow and noisy if it has to travel far. It sometimes hunts and occasionally misses the mark, especially in "Live View". Some fringing and "glow" wide open on high contrast edges.