Sony Minolta/Sony AF 500mm F8 Reflex vs Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD [IF] Macro 1:1
Side-by-side comparison from our catalogue data. Better values are highlighted only where a clear difference exists.
![Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD [IF] Macro 1:1](https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Tamron180MacroLens.jpg/500px-Tamron180MacroLens.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
Verdict at a glance
- Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD [IF] Macro 1:1 is faster by 14.3 stops (f/3.5 vs f/500.0), letting in more light.
- Sony Minolta/Sony AF 500mm F8 Reflex is lighter by 255g.
- Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD [IF] Macro 1:1 goes wider (180mm vs 500mm).
- Sony Minolta/Sony AF 500mm F8 Reflex reaches further (500mm vs 180mm).
| Spec | Minolta/Sony AF 500mm F8 Reflex | SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD [IF] Macro 1:1 |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Sony | Tamron |
| Mount | Sony A | Sony A |
| Type | Prime | Macro |
| Focal length | 500mm | 180mm (wider) |
| Max aperture | f/500.0 | f/3.5 (faster) |
| Released | n/a | 2003 |
| Format | full-frame | full-frame |
| Groups | 5 | 11 |
| Af motor | screw-drive | in body |
| Elements | 7 | 14 |
| Weight g | 665 (lighter) | 920 |
| Filter mm | 82 | 72 |
| Length mm | 118.0 | n/a |
| Min focus m | 4.0 | 0.47 (closer focusing) |
| Max magnification | 0.13 | 1.0 |
| Blades | n/a | 7 |
Sony Minolta/Sony AF 500mm F8 Reflex
A compact mirror lens for A-mount with a fixed f/8 aperture and screw-drive autofocus. It weighs about 665 g and uses an 82mm filter.
Pros
- Very compact for 500mm
- Autofocus on A-mount
- Light at about 665 g
- Much lighter than conventional 500mm lenses
Cons
- Fixed f/8 aperture
- Donut-shaped out-of-focus highlights
- Minimum focus 4.0 m
Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD [IF] Macro 1:1
This 180mm f/3.5 full-frame macro lens from Tamron fits Sony A mount cameras, from the Tamron SP series. It is intended for close-up work with small subjects such as flowers and insects.