TAMRON 135mm F/2.5(03B)
A slightly bright medium telephoto lens
A review and photo examples of the Tamron 135mm F2.5 (03B).
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Table of contents
Gallery
- The example photos were taken with a SIGMA SD1 Merrill.
Review
1．Overview
The 135mm F2.5 03B is a prime lens with a focal length of 135mm that was released in 1979.
It has an aperture value of F2.5 and a minimum shooting distance of 1.2m.
This lens uses Tamron’s proprietary Adaptall 2 mount, so by replacing the mount, it can be used with SLR lenses from various manufacturers. In addition, if you use an Adaptall 2 adapter, of which there are many adapters available for mirrorless cameras such as Nikon F and Canon EF mounts, it can be used with the latest mirrorless cameras.
2．Usage
Tamron had almost a full line of lenses during the Adaptall 2 era.
The 135mm prime lens was one of those lenses, and while it was modest, it had an aperture value of F2.5 and a minimum shooting distance of 1.2m, which was better than other companies’ lenses of the same class.
The lens is 84mm long and weighs 410g, making it compact for lenses of the same class.
It has a built-in hood that can be pulled out to turn it into a hood, but since it only extends to about 15mm, you can’t expect much effect. A 58mm lens filter can be attached to the front.
This lens is a normal lens that does not have the SP that is given to high-end lines, but its depiction even at full aperture is not to be underestimated.
The SD1 example has a sensor size of APS-C (x1.5), so the peripheral areas are cut off, but the sharpness of the focus area and the melting bokeh make for a mesmerizing depiction.
Also, like other 135mm prime lenses, this lens is unpopular and is often sold cheaply second-hand. It’s worth trying for around 5,000 yen, and this lens will show you the benefits of a medium telephoto prime lens.
3．Add info.
Many of the Tamron prime lenses from the Adaptall 2 era are impressive on the telephoto side.
Other than the 135mm introduced this time, the 90mm macro and SP 180mm, which made the Tamron name famous, are representative. Other than that, there are many ambitious lenses such as the 300mm F2.8, 400mm F4, and the mirror lenses 350mm and 500mm.
Many of the Adaptall 2 lenses have long flange backs, so they can be easily attached to mirrorless cameras. The Nikon Ai-S mount is one of the good mounts to try out Adaptall 2 lenses, as the price of the mount part of the Adaptall 2 is low and there are many Nikon F mount adapters for mirrorless cameras. The Adaptall 2 also has a Canon EF mount, but it does not have electronic contacts and is used with the actual aperture. There is no real harm in using the actual aperture on a mirrorless camera, so if you are a photographer who has an EF mount adapter, you may want to look for the Adaptall 2 EF, but these are few in number and tend to be expensive.
Specification
| Items | TAMRON 135mm | LEICA ELMARIT 135mm |
| Focal length(mm) | 135 | 135 |
| Max aperture | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Min aperture | 32 | 32 |
| Aperture blades | 8 | 8 |
| Lens Construction | 4 elements in 4 groups | 5 elements in 4 groups |
| Min distance(m) | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Lens length(mm) | 84 (Nikon-F) | 93 (LEICA-R) |
| Lens Max diameter(mm) | 68 | 67 |
| Filter Size(mm) | 58 | 55 |
| Lens hood | Build in | Build in |
| Weight(g) | 410 (Nikon-F) | 730 |
| Lens Mount | Nikon F Canon EF Sony α Olympus OM Canon FD M42 Leica R etc. | LEICA R |
| Release date | 1979~1984 | 1969-1991 |
| Price(Yen/No-tax) | ￥28,000 | – |
Reference links
- TAMRON 135mm F2.5 03B
- ELMARIT-R 2.8/135(II) Leica wiki
- ELMARIT-R 2.8/135(I) Leica wiki
- Adaptall II MF Lens
Update history
- 2024.12.25
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